Information Notice No. 88-18: Malfunction of Lockbox on Radiography Device
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDS
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555
April 25, 1988
INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 88-18: MALFUNCTION OF LOCKBOX ON RADIOGRAPHY DEVICE
Addressees:
All NRC licensees authorized to manufacture, distribute, and/or operate radio-
graphic exposure devices.
Purpose:
This notice is to advise licensees about a radiography incident that could
have resulted in a significant radiation exposure to workers or members of the
public. It is expected that licensees review this information for
applicability to their program, distribute the notice to responsible radiation
safety staff, and consider actions, if appropriate, to prevent a similar
situation from occurring. However, suggestions contained in this notice do
not constitute new NRC requirements, and no written response is required.
Description of Circumstances:
The State of Louisiana has reported the failure of a lockbox on a Gamma
Century SA radiography camera at an offshore Texas job site. The work
involved radiographic examination of welds on an oil and gas production
platform. After one exposure, when the radiographer cranked the source back
into the camera, the fixed insert, spring, and movable insert, along with the
source assembly, came partially out of the lockbox. This left a partially
unshielded radiography source, which is hazardous and could cause a serious
radiation injury in a matter of seconds. The radiographer was able to secure
the area and return the insert and source to the device without any
overexposure. The lockbox was secured with tape and the camera returned to
the manufacturer.
When the device was examined by the manufacturer, two of the roll pins that
hold the fixed insert in the lockbox were missing. The third roll pin had
partially come out, thus allowing the insert and the source assembly to come
out of the lockbox. Since two of the pins were missing, it is believed that
the other pin could have worked free due to the pivot action that might occur
when cranking the source assembly in and out of the device. No explanation is
offered for why two of the roll pins were missing.
Item number 2 of the attached diagram (Figure 1) shows the location of the
bottom roll pin. The two other roll pins, one on each side, were located at a
45� angle from the bottom pin. The missing pins may have been identified and
replaced, if this item had been added to the daily equipment checks.
8804180428
. IN 88-18
April 25, 1988
Page 2 of 2
Discussion:
Section 34.28 of 10 CFR Part 34 requires daily radiographic equipment checks
for defects. Licensees should verify that they have appropriate programs in
place to promptly identify equipment problems and correct them immediately.
Also note that potential generic defects must be reported to the NRC in ac-
cordance with 10 CFR Part 21. Licensees may also wish to review their
emergency procedures to assure that their radiographers will respond properly
and safely in any event such as the one described involving an unshielded
source.
No written response is required by this information notice. If you have any
questions regarding this matter, please contact the person listed below or the
appropriate NRC regional office.
Richard E. Cunningham, Director
Division of Industrial and
Medical Nuclear Safety
Office of Nuclear Material Safety
and Safeguards
Technical Contacts: Steven L. Baggett, NMSS
(301) 492-0613
R. J. Doda, Region IV
(303) 236-2805
Attachments:
1. Diagram of Affected Lockbox
2. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
. Attachment 2
IN 88-18
April 25, 1988
Page 1 of 1
LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUED
NRC INFORMATION NOTICES
_____________________________________________________________________________
Information Date of
Notice No._____Subject_______________________Issuance_______Issued to________
88-17 Summary of Responses to NRC 4/22/88 All holders of OLs
Bulletin 87-01, "Thinning of or CPs for nuclear
Pipe Walls in Nuclear Power power reactors.
Plants"
88-16 Identifying Waste Generators 4/22/88 Radioactive waste
in Shipments of Low-Level collection and
Waste to Land Disposal service company
Facilities licensees handling
prepackaged waste,
and licensees
operating
low-level waste
disposal
facilities.
88-15 Availability of U.S. Food 4/18/88 Medical, Academic,
and Drug Administration and Commercial
(FDA)-Approved Potassium licensees who
Iodide for Use in Emergencies possess
Involving Radioactive Iodine radioactive
iodine.
88-14 Potential Problems with 4/18/88 All holders of OLs
Electrical Relays or CPs for nuclear
power reactors.
88-13 Water Hammer and Possible 4/18/88 All holders of OLs
Piping Damage Caused by or CPs for nuclear
Misapplication of Kerotest power reactors.
Packless Metal Diaphragm
Globe Valves
88-12 Overgreasing of Electric 4/12/88 All holders of OLs
Motor Bearings or CPs for nuclear
power reactors.
88-11 Potential Loss of Motor 4/7/88 All holders of OLs
Control Center and/or or CPs for nuclear
Switchboard Function Due power reactors.
to Faulty Tie Bolts
88-10 Materials Licensees: Lack 3/28/88 All NRC licensees
of Management Controls Over authorized to use
Licensed Programs byproduct
material.
_____________________________________________________________________________
OL = Operating License
CP = Construction Permit
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Tuesday, March 09, 2021