| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
05/13/2015 - 05/14/2015 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | Non-Agreement State | Event Number: 51042 | Rep Org: DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS
Licensee: DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS
Region: 3
City: NORTH CHICAGO State: IL
County:
License #: 03-23853-01VA
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: THOMAS HUSTON
HQ OPS Officer: CHARLES TEAL | Notification Date: 05/05/2015
Notification Time: 10:44 [ET]
Event Date: 05/05/2015
Event Time: 06:15 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 05/05/2015 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
20.1906(d)(2) - EXTERNAL RAD LEVELS > LIMITS
| Person (Organization):
RICHARD SKOKOWSKI (R3DO)
GREG PICK (R4DO)
NMSS EVENTS NOTIFICA (EMAI)
| Event Text SURFACE CONTAMINATION ON OUTSIDE OF PACKAGE EXCEEDING REPORTING LIMITS
"Per 10 CFR 20.1906(d)(1), [the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is] reporting receipt of a package of radioactive material with removable surface contamination on the outside of the package greater than NRC reporting limits.
"The package was received today (May 5, 2015) and surveyed for contamination around 0615 CDT by Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, North Chicago, Illinois. The health care center holds permit number 12-10057-04 issued by VHA per the MML [Master Materials License].
"Wipe tests performed on the external surface of the package indicated a removable contamination level of 690 dpm/cm2 as compared to the regulatory reporting limit of 240 dpm/cm2 for beta-gamma emitters.
"The package contained five unit dosages of Technetium-99m (about 144 millicuries total) and was shipped and delivered by Triad Isotopes in Elk Grove, Illinois. The nuclear medicine technologist who surveyed the package immediately notified, by telephone, the Pharmacy Manager at Triad Isotopes about the contaminated package.
"The exterior of the package was able to be decontaminated by the nuclear medicine technologist to levels below reporting limits by performing successive wipes on the surface. The inner packaging materials and dosage containers were surveyed and no contamination was identified such that the dosages were not impacted. There was no spread of contamination at the health care center from the package. The contaminated materials have been isolated in a restricted area at the health care center and will be held for decay.
"Veterans Health Administration (T. Huston) has also notified NRC Region III (K. Null) by telephone of this event." |
| Agreement State | Event Number: 51045 | Rep Org: ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: RED RIVER PHARMACY SERVICES
Region: 4
City: LITTLE ROCK State: AR
County: PULASKI
License #: ARK-1033-0250
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ANGIE HILL
HQ OPS Officer: DONG HWA PARK | Notification Date: 05/06/2015
Notification Time: 12:01 [ET]
Event Date: 05/05/2015
Event Time: [CDT]
Last Update Date: 05/11/2015 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
DAN SCHROEDER (R1DO)
GREG PICK (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICA (EMAI)
ILTAB (EMAI)
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3 " level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - DAMAGED AND MISSING RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL DURING SHIPMENT
The following was received from the State of Arkansas via email:
"The Arkansas Radioactive Materials [RAM] licensee shipped a Yellow-II Radioactive Materials Package containing two 5 mCi/capsule/plastic vial of Iodine-131 via [common carrier] (overnight package) on Monday, April 27, 2015. The recipient rejected the RAM package prior to the receipt of the RAM package. The RAM package was re-routed back through the [common carrier] Memphis Distribution Center to the licensee, via [common carrier] Ground, and was received by the [common carrier] Little Rock warehouse on Tuesday, May 5, 2015. The Department was notified of the RAM package being damaged at the [common carrier] Little Rock warehouse.
"The Department [Arkansas Department of Health] responded to perform surveys and wipe tests at the [common carrier] Little Rock warehouse. The Yellow-II RAM package appeared to have one seam smashed open, the styrofoam crushed, and the lead shipping container's interior side of cap damaged. One I-131 capsule/vial appears to be inside the lead shipping container smashed; one I-131 capsule/vial appears to be missing.
"The Department performed exposure measurements and/or contamination wipes of the [common carrier] Little Rock warehouse, RAM package and RAM package contents. No contamination or exposures of concern were noted of the [common carrier] Little Rock warehouse or RAM package. The licensee identified I-131 contamination inside the lead shipping container.
"Vehicle surveys were not performed by the Department, due to the vehicle was at the [common carrier] Memphis Distribution Center. The State of Tennessee was notified of this event on Tuesday, May 5, 2015.
"It is unknown at this time if there has been any exposure(s) to the public.
"The State [of Arkansas] is awaiting a written report from the licensee and will continue to investigate this event with [the common carrier].
"The State will update this event as more information becomes available.
"Arkansas Event Number: ARK-2015-003"
* * * UPDATE FROM ANGIE D. HILL TO RICHARD L. SMITH AT 1459 EDT ON 5/11/2015 * * *
The following was received from the State of Arkansas via email:
"The activity of prescription number 46596 (missing I-131 capsule) is 5.418 mCi/1 capsule I-131 Sodium Iodide at 11:30 am on April 29, 2015 and for prescription number 46597 is 5.005 mCi/1 capsule I-131 Sodium Iodide at 10:00 am on April 29, 2015.
"The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) conducted interviews and performed radiation surveys at the Common Carrier's Express Warehouse in Jonesboro, Arkansas, on May 7, 2015, where the RAM package had been received by and shipped to the Common Carrier's Distribution Center. It appeared that the missing I-131 capsule/vial was not at this location.
"ADH received a telephone call from the Common Carrier's Radiation Safety Consultant on May 8, 2015. The missing I-131 capsule/vial had been found 'intact' that morning at the Common Carrier's Memphis Distribution Center, whom took possession of the material.
"The State of Tennessee has been notified by ADH.
"Licensee's Corrective Action: Change in Procedure.
"ADH considers this event closed."
Notified R1DO (Welling), R4DO (Vasquez), NMSS via email, ILTAB via email.
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf | |