Event Notification Report for June 29, 2003
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
06/28/2003 - 06/29/2003
EVENT NUMBERS
39989
General Information or Other
Event Number: 39989
Rep Org: LOUISIANA RADIATION PROTECTION DIV
Licensee: MONSANTO CHEMICAL PLANT
Region: 4
City: LULING State: LA
County:
License #: LA-2216-L01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: MIKE HENRY
HQ OPS Officer: BILL GOTT
Licensee: MONSANTO CHEMICAL PLANT
Region: 4
City: LULING State: LA
County:
License #: LA-2216-L01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: MIKE HENRY
HQ OPS Officer: BILL GOTT
Notification Date: 07/10/2003
Notification Time: 18:55 [ET]
Event Date: 06/29/2003
Event Time: 00:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 07/11/2003
Notification Time: 18:55 [ET]
Event Date: 06/29/2003
Event Time: 00:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 07/11/2003
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
10 CFR Section:
Person (Organization):
KRISS KENNEDY (R4)
SUSAN FRANT (NMSS)
TIM MCGINTY (IRO)
KRISS KENNEDY (R4)
SUSAN FRANT (NMSS)
TIM MCGINTY (IRO)
PERSONNEL OVEREXPOSURE
Mike Henry from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality reported the potential personnel over-exposure due to a loss of control of a 1 Curie Cesium-137 source that came out of a damaged Berthold level gauge (Model # LB7442). The event occurred at the Monsanto Chemical Plant in Luling, LA. The gauge was damaged on 06/29/03 causing the source to come out of its shield. The source was then carried to a planner's desk where it remained until discovery on 07/10/03. The owner of the desk spent approximately 50 to 60 hours in the proximity of his desk during this time. When the source was discovered, the building was evacuated and secured. Medical personnel at Monsanto have contacted the Radiological Emergency Assistance Center, Oak Ridge, TN. Preliminarily, the licensee estimates that the planner may have received a whole body dose of 25 Rem and the person that carried the source may have received 1800 Rem to the hand. Others may have also been exposed. No one has shown signs of sickness or erythema (redness of the skin). A Berthold representative is scheduled to arrive on 07/11/03 to secure the source. Mr. Henry will be traveling to the site to obtain additional information. The State is not requesting NRC assistance at this time.
A Commissioners' Assistants brief was held at 1900 EDT 07/10/03.
* * * * UPDATE FROM MIKE HENRY TO NRC CONFERENCE CALL 1620 EDT ON 07/11/03 * * * *
Mr. Henry provided the following information based on his visit to the Monsanto plant this morning, 07/11/03. A manufacturer's representative for Berthold arrived at the plant and retrieved the source around 0300 CDT 07/11/03. Currently the source is in a shielded pig at the plant site.
Blood tests were performed for seven individuals which were favorable with no cell changes noted. These blood tests will be repeated periodically. It was determined that the planner who returned after days off to occupy the desk where the source had been previously left received 39.1 Rem over the calculated 44.7 hours that he occupied the desk during the 10-day period involved. This determination was based on an analysis of his schedule and work habits and on the emissivity of the source. Further dose calculations will be made. The Monsanto company physician is in contact with REAC (Radiological Emergency Assistance Center) in Oak Ridge, TN and has requested their assistance in having a cytogenetic blood study performed for the planner.
Preliminarily, it appears that vibration of the centrifuge unit upon which the gauge was mounted may have caused a failure which allowed the source holder with attached source to fall from the gauge. Surveys of the relevant areas and smears taken on the source indicate that no source leakage occurred.
Notified R4DO (K. Kennedy), NMSS EO (S. Frant)
Mike Henry from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality reported the potential personnel over-exposure due to a loss of control of a 1 Curie Cesium-137 source that came out of a damaged Berthold level gauge (Model # LB7442). The event occurred at the Monsanto Chemical Plant in Luling, LA. The gauge was damaged on 06/29/03 causing the source to come out of its shield. The source was then carried to a planner's desk where it remained until discovery on 07/10/03. The owner of the desk spent approximately 50 to 60 hours in the proximity of his desk during this time. When the source was discovered, the building was evacuated and secured. Medical personnel at Monsanto have contacted the Radiological Emergency Assistance Center, Oak Ridge, TN. Preliminarily, the licensee estimates that the planner may have received a whole body dose of 25 Rem and the person that carried the source may have received 1800 Rem to the hand. Others may have also been exposed. No one has shown signs of sickness or erythema (redness of the skin). A Berthold representative is scheduled to arrive on 07/11/03 to secure the source. Mr. Henry will be traveling to the site to obtain additional information. The State is not requesting NRC assistance at this time.
A Commissioners' Assistants brief was held at 1900 EDT 07/10/03.
* * * * UPDATE FROM MIKE HENRY TO NRC CONFERENCE CALL 1620 EDT ON 07/11/03 * * * *
Mr. Henry provided the following information based on his visit to the Monsanto plant this morning, 07/11/03. A manufacturer's representative for Berthold arrived at the plant and retrieved the source around 0300 CDT 07/11/03. Currently the source is in a shielded pig at the plant site.
Blood tests were performed for seven individuals which were favorable with no cell changes noted. These blood tests will be repeated periodically. It was determined that the planner who returned after days off to occupy the desk where the source had been previously left received 39.1 Rem over the calculated 44.7 hours that he occupied the desk during the 10-day period involved. This determination was based on an analysis of his schedule and work habits and on the emissivity of the source. Further dose calculations will be made. The Monsanto company physician is in contact with REAC (Radiological Emergency Assistance Center) in Oak Ridge, TN and has requested their assistance in having a cytogenetic blood study performed for the planner.
Preliminarily, it appears that vibration of the centrifuge unit upon which the gauge was mounted may have caused a failure which allowed the source holder with attached source to fall from the gauge. Surveys of the relevant areas and smears taken on the source indicate that no source leakage occurred.
Notified R4DO (K. Kennedy), NMSS EO (S. Frant)