Event Notification Report for December 09, 2020

EN Revision Imported Date: 12/8/2020

EN Revision Text: AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - DAMAGED GAUGE

The following information was received from the Commonwealth of Virginia via email:

"On October 20, 2020, a representative of the Virginia Radioactive Materials Program (VRMP) received a report from a licensee via email that a portable nuclear moisture/density gauge was damaged in a vehicle accident at the intersection of Airport Road and Hwy 156 in Sandston, Virginia. The report indicated that a Troxler soil density gauge (Model 3430, Serial # 36803, containing 8 milliCuries of Cesium-137 and 40 milliCuries of Americium-241/Beryllium) was being transported in its case in the bed of a truck. During the accident, the case was damaged and the gauge housing was cracked, but there appeared to be no significant damage to the baseplate, rod, shielding or sources. The licensee's survey of the gauge yielded readings of 8-10 mR/hr at a 6 inch distance from the gauge. The gauge was returned to the Ashland office then transferred to an intact case and transported to North East Technical Services [(NETS)] for further evaluation. The VRMP is working with the licensee to obtain additional information and this report will be updated once the licensee's investigation is complete and the information is received."

VA incident no.: VA20005

* * * RETRACTION ON 12/08/20 AT 0922 EST FROM ASFAW FENTA TO SOLOMON SAHLE * * *

The following retraction was received from the Commonwealth of Virginia via email:

"On November 4, 2020, VRMP performed a reactive inspection. The inspector noted that on October 20, 2020, the licensee sent the gauge to NETS for leak testing and evaluation. The record from NETS indicated that no removable contamination was detected. It also concluded that every component of the gauge is functioning as it should and the gauge was deemed serviceable for field use. The licensee, however, reported this initially as a damaged gauge because of the small crack observed on the plastic case of the gauge. Since the gauge still functioned properly with no damage to any shielding components, the incident does not meet the reporting requirements of 12VAC5-481-1110 B. 2.(10 CFR 30.50 b.2). Thus, VRMP requests the NRC Operation Center retract this event report. "

Notified R1DO (Bower) and NMSS Event Notification via email.

EN Revision Imported Date: 12/8/2020

EN Revision Text: DAMAGED MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE

The following information was received from ALLWEST Testing & Engineering, Inc. via email:

"On October 29, 2020, an ALLWEST employee [the authorized user] was testing the density of freshly placed asphalt on Painted Sky Street in the Spring Hollow Ranch subdivision in Nampa, Idaho using a CPN MC-1 portable nuclear densometer (SN 9216). At approximately 1115 Mountain Daylight time, the gauge was damaged by a Cat CCS9 combination roller under the direction of Nampa Paving.

"[The authorized user] was in the process of running a density test in AC mode when the roller backed up and impacted the gauge. The roller moved off of the gauge after impact. After impact, the handle was oriented at a 45-degree angle from the base of the gauge and the case was detached from the base. [The authorized user] moved away from the damaged gauge and cordoned off the area to prevent anyone from approaching the damaged gauge.

"[The authorized user] immediately contacted the Meridian office assistant RSO [radiation safety officer] who contacted the Corporate RS. [The assistant RSO] and another ALLWEST employee [the employee] responded to the accident and initiated ALLWEST's emergency protocol. [The assistant RSO] used a survey meter to obtain readings around the damaged gauge. The readings indicated the nuclear sources were not exposed and the shielding was intact. The handle was placed back in the case, and the handle, case and base were placed in the transport box. The transport box was then placed in an overpak barrel and transported back to the ALLWEST office.

"Additional readings were taken using the survey meter around the gauge at the ALLWEST office. All readings were consistent with the sources being in a shielded condition.

"[The assistant RSO] contacted lnstrotek and discussed the condition of the gauge and the readings obtained from the survey meter. lnstrotek representatives indicated it was acceptable to ship the damaged gauge to them for disposal in the transport box. As an additional precaution, [the assistant RSO] and [the employee] wrapped the damaged gauge in lead sheeting and placed the wrapped gauge in the transport box. The transport box with the damaged gauge was then shipped to lnstrotek for disposal.

"ALLWEST sent the personal dosimetry badges for [the authorized user], [the assistant RSO], and [the employee] to Landaeur for immediate evaluation. The radiation dosimetry report from Landauer indicated minimal exposure to all three individuals."

The gauge contained 10 mCi Cs-137 source and a 50 mCi Am-241 source.

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - WELL LOGGING, STUCK SOURCE

The following information was received from the State of Kansas, Department of Health & Environment via email:

"On 10/16/2020 Kansas licensee #27-B1008 ELI Wireline Services LLC was logging a gas storage well when the tool became stuck in 2 3/8" tubing at approximately 2100 feet from surface. Attempts to free the tool while still attached to the wireline were unsuccessful and the wireline was pulled resulting in the rope socket leaving the cable head, two weight bars, gamma ray neutron tool, and a 3 Curie AmBe-241 sealed source lodged inside the tubing. The licensee's attempts to retrieve the source have so far been unsuccessful, partly due to windy weather conditions and 1500 pounds of gas pressure on the well. The licensee contacted the state of Kansas on 10/21/2020 to report a stuck radioactive source downhole. The licensee made the decision to wait until spring when the field had less pressure and the weather was better to clean out the tubing to enable the fishing tool to reach the stuck logging tool. Kansas agreed with the delay on source recovery for better weather and required that a sign matching the requirements of K.A.R. 28-35-362 [with the exception of (2)(C) and (2)(H)(i)] be placed at the wellhead no later than December 24, 2020. At this time this incident is not considered an abandoned source, however, The state of Kansas determined that it was appropriate to go ahead and report to the HOO out of an abundance of caution in the event that the source is unable to be retrieved in the spring of 2021."

This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material.

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST STATIC CONTROL DEVICE

The following was received from the state of Utah via email:

"The licensee indicated that while conducting an inventory of their radioactive devices it was discovered that a small Static Control Device (SCD) was missing containing an estimated 16.27 mCi, Po-210 source, manufacturer: NRD, model: 1U400. The source was licensed and distributed under a general license. The licensee believes the SCD may have been disposed of as lab waste, been moved to a different location within the building, or was inadvertently added to a field project kit that has not been located. The current location of the device is unknown."

Event Report ID No.: UT 200002

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

EN Revision Imported Date: 12/8/2020

EN Revision Text: AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STUCK OPEN SHUTTER

The following information was obtained from the State of Iowa via email:

"A maintenance technician at the 3M facility in Knoxville, Iowa discovered that a Thermo Fisher Scientific model SULP-77A fixed gauging device containing 661 milliCuries of Krypton-85 had a shutter that was stuck open and would not close. This discovery occurred when the production line was shutdown for routine maintenance. The RSO [Radiation Safety Officer] and backup RSO were notified and the gauge was isolated with caution tape to prevent personnel from getting close to the device. 3M maintenance personnel are authorized to perform shutter repair under the supervision of the RSO or backup RSO by Iowa radioactive materials license number 0042-1-63-FG. The licensee will provide a written follow-up report once repairs have been completed and the cause of the failure identified.

"The licensee had a service provider operating under reciprocity with Iowa onsite November 17, 2020 to troubleshoot and repair the gauge. The root cause of the stuck shutter was a broken shutter return spring. A new shutter operating cylinder with a new return spring was installed and the gauge shutter was tested and found to be operating correctly. To minimize the chance of future shutter closure failures, the shutter operating cylinders will be replaced for all beta gauges of the same model that are currently in use at the site. Cylinder replacement will occur during future planned maintenance activities. These failures are exceedingly rare. This is the first occurrence in more than 20 years of using these gauges. The site is considering implementing a preventative maintenance replacement of these cylinders every 10 years."

Iowa report number: IA200004

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STUCK IRRADIATOR SOURCE RACK

The following information was received via E-mail:

"The Agency [Illinois Emergency Management Agency] was contacted on 12/1/20 by Sterigenics U.S., LLC to advise that one of their pool irradiator source racks at the Schaumburg location had become stuck in the unshielded position on 11/30/20. The source rack, containing approximately 1.3 MCi of Co-60, was successfully returned to the shielded position and no exposures to personnel or the public resulted. All safety interlocks functioned as designed. This event did not result in any compromises to source security or to any safety or security systems. There is no indication of intentional misuse, theft or diversion at this time.

"On 12/1/2020, the Agency was contacted by the Radiation Safety Officer for Sterigenics U.S., LLC, to advise that in the middle of performing scheduled routine safety checks on 11/30/2020, authorized engineers reported that the east source rack failed to return to the shielded position as designed upon completion of a check. The west source rack lowered as designed without incident. Sources contained in the east source rack remained unshielded from approximately 1400 CST until 1648 CST. The event was immediately reported to the Radiation Safety Officer by the two authorized engineers performing the safety checks that day. The Radiation Safety Officer immediately responded to the site to assist in assessment and formulation of an action plan. After consultation with the Corporate Radiation Safety Officer, the Radiation Safety Officer and staff engineers were able to use a hand winch to successfully lower the rack of sources into the shielded position within the pool. Safety and security systems remain operational and functioned as designed throughout the source lowering process. There is no immediate hazard to workers or members of the public as a result of this incident.

"This morning [12/1/2020], source modules were removed without incident from the east source rack and are currently shielded and in safe storage at the bottom of the pool. Sterigenics staff are continuing their investigation into the cause for the stuck rack. All interlocks and safety systems were reported as operational. An action plan was formulated in conjunction with Corporate staff to safely and slowly raise the empty east rack using a hand winch so that it can be adequately inspected. IEMA staff will follow up later this afternoon for an update.

"A reactive inspection by inspectors is planned for later this week."

Illinois Reference Number: IL200024