Event Notification Report for January 25, 2006
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
01/24/2006 - 01/25/2006
Other Nuclear Material
Event Number: 42286
Rep Org: US EPA, ECOSYSTEMS RESEARCH DIV
Licensee: US EPA, ECOSYSTEMS RESEARCH DIV
Region: 1
City: ATHENS State: GA
County:
License #: 10-10146-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: JAMES KITCHENS
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE
Licensee: US EPA, ECOSYSTEMS RESEARCH DIV
Region: 1
City: ATHENS State: GA
County:
License #: 10-10146-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: JAMES KITCHENS
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE
Notification Date: 01/25/2006
Notification Time: 15:16 [ET]
Event Date: 01/25/2006
Event Time: 00:00 [EST]
Last Update Date: 01/25/2006
Notification Time: 15:16 [ET]
Event Date: 01/25/2006
Event Time: 00:00 [EST]
Last Update Date: 01/25/2006
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
20.2201(a)(1)(ii) - LOST/STOLEN LNM>10X
10 CFR Section:
20.2201(a)(1)(ii) - LOST/STOLEN LNM>10X
Person (Organization):
NEIL PERRY (R1)
MICHELE BURGESS (NMSS)
LANCE ENGLISH Email (TAS)
NEIL PERRY (R1)
MICHELE BURGESS (NMSS)
LANCE ENGLISH Email (TAS)
MISSING NICKEL 63 SEALED SOURCE
US EPA Ecosystems Research Division RSO called to state that a 15 milliCurie sealed source of Ni-63 was misplaced. The last time an inventory was taken of this electron capture source was on 06/22/05, and was believed to have been used some time around 12/20/05. The source is used for chemical analysis in a Gas Chromatograph. The RSO believes this source to be misplaced and not stolen.
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.
US EPA Ecosystems Research Division RSO called to state that a 15 milliCurie sealed source of Ni-63 was misplaced. The last time an inventory was taken of this electron capture source was on 06/22/05, and was believed to have been used some time around 12/20/05. The source is used for chemical analysis in a Gas Chromatograph. The RSO believes this source to be misplaced and not stolen.
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.
General Information or Other
Event Number: 42287
Rep Org: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: TEAM COPPERHEAT
Region: 4
City: CORPUS CHRISTI State: TX
County:
License #: L0087
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ROBERT FREE
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE
Licensee: TEAM COPPERHEAT
Region: 4
City: CORPUS CHRISTI State: TX
County:
License #: L0087
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ROBERT FREE
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE
Notification Date: 01/25/2006
Notification Time: 17:41 [ET]
Event Date: 01/25/2006
Event Time: 00:00 [CST]
Last Update Date: 01/30/2006
Notification Time: 17:41 [ET]
Event Date: 01/25/2006
Event Time: 00:00 [CST]
Last Update Date: 01/30/2006
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
10 CFR Section:
Person (Organization):
BLAIR SPITZBERG (R4)
JOSEPH HOLONICH (NMSS)
LANCE ENGLISH (TAS)
CNSNS MEXICO - Email
BLAIR SPITZBERG (R4)
JOSEPH HOLONICH (NMSS)
LANCE ENGLISH (TAS)
CNSNS MEXICO - Email
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - INDUSTRIAL RADIOGRAPHY DEVICE MISSING
The State provided the following information via email:
"A Texas licensee reported on January 25, 2006 that an industrial radiograph crew departed Corpus Christi for Victoria, Texas, and found on arrival that the radiography device they were carrying was not on the transport vehicle. The radiation source, a 21 Curie industrial radiography source, was lost in its shielded container. Company crews are searching for the device and have not located it at this time. DSHS radiation control staff have been dispatched to aid in the search. Local law enforcement are being notified of the loss."
The radionuclide is Ir-192. Texas Incident Report No. I-8292
* * * UPDATE FROM ROBERT FREE TO JOE O'HARA AT 1407 ON 1/30/06 * * *
"Radiography device found by private citizen on 1/25/06 and returned 01/26/06."
Notified the R4DO(Runyon), NMSS EO(Morell), IRD Manager(Wilson), TAS(Perez), and Mexico.
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "CATEGORY 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Category 3 sources, if not safely managed or securely protected, could cause permanent injury to a person who handled them, or were otherwise in contact with them, for some hours, it could possibly - although it is unlikely - be fatal to be close to this amount of unshielded radioactive material for a period of days to weeks. These sources are typically used in practices such as fixed industrial gauges involving high activity sources (for example, level gauges, dredger gauges, conveyor gauges and spinning pipe gauges) and well logging.
Although IAEA categorization of this event is typically based on device type, the staff has been made aware of the actual activity of the source, and after calculation determines that it is a Category 3 event.
Note: the value assigned by device type "Category 2" is different than the calculated value "Category 3"
The State provided the following information via email:
"A Texas licensee reported on January 25, 2006 that an industrial radiograph crew departed Corpus Christi for Victoria, Texas, and found on arrival that the radiography device they were carrying was not on the transport vehicle. The radiation source, a 21 Curie industrial radiography source, was lost in its shielded container. Company crews are searching for the device and have not located it at this time. DSHS radiation control staff have been dispatched to aid in the search. Local law enforcement are being notified of the loss."
The radionuclide is Ir-192. Texas Incident Report No. I-8292
* * * UPDATE FROM ROBERT FREE TO JOE O'HARA AT 1407 ON 1/30/06 * * *
"Radiography device found by private citizen on 1/25/06 and returned 01/26/06."
Notified the R4DO(Runyon), NMSS EO(Morell), IRD Manager(Wilson), TAS(Perez), and Mexico.
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "CATEGORY 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Category 3 sources, if not safely managed or securely protected, could cause permanent injury to a person who handled them, or were otherwise in contact with them, for some hours, it could possibly - although it is unlikely - be fatal to be close to this amount of unshielded radioactive material for a period of days to weeks. These sources are typically used in practices such as fixed industrial gauges involving high activity sources (for example, level gauges, dredger gauges, conveyor gauges and spinning pipe gauges) and well logging.
Although IAEA categorization of this event is typically based on device type, the staff has been made aware of the actual activity of the source, and after calculation determines that it is a Category 3 event.
Note: the value assigned by device type "Category 2" is different than the calculated value "Category 3"