Event Notification Report for December 05, 2007
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
12/04/2007 - 12/05/2007
EVENT NUMBERS
43857
!!!!! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED !!!!!
!!!!! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED !!!!!
General Information or Other
Event Number: 43857
Rep Org: WISCONSIN RADIATION PROTECTION
Licensee: KIMBERLY-CLARK, INC.
Region: 3
City: MARINETTE State: WI
County:
License #: GL
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: CHERYL ROGERS
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON
Licensee: KIMBERLY-CLARK, INC.
Region: 3
City: MARINETTE State: WI
County:
License #: GL
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: CHERYL ROGERS
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON
Notification Date: 12/20/2007
Notification Time: 16:45 [ET]
Event Date: 12/05/2007
Event Time: 00:00 [CST]
Last Update Date: 03/07/2008
Notification Time: 16:45 [ET]
Event Date: 12/05/2007
Event Time: 00:00 [CST]
Last Update Date: 03/07/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
10 CFR Section:
Person (Organization):
ERIC DUNCAN (R3)
ABY MOHSENI (FSME)
ERIC DUNCAN (R3)
ABY MOHSENI (FSME)
WISCONSIN AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LEAKING TRITIUM EXIT SIGN
The State provided the following information via facsimile:
"The licensee reported the discovery of a broken tritium exit sign on December 5, 2007, during an inspection. The sign had been damaged at some unknown previous date. The licensee had collected exit signs for disposal. A worker recalled having difficulty removing a sign and prying it off the wall. The frame broke and pieces fell to the floor. He also recalls sweeping up the pieces, including broken tubes and placing in normal trash. The unbroken tubes were collected, and the sign reassembled. The sign is currently bagged and stored in a secured storage area, pending disposal by a contractor.
"DHFS intends to investigate. Staff will be present when the contractor arrives to wipe test and package all the exit signs for disposition."
The licensee notified the state on December 19, 2007 via telephone and facsimile.
WI Event Report ID No.: 070030
* * * UPDATE FROM RASHID SALIKHDJANOV TO HOWIE CROUCH @ 1637 EST ON 03/07/08 * * *
"On December 20, 2007, Kimberly-Clark Corporation notified the DHFS [Department of Health and Family Services] of a damaged tritium exit sign. According to the licensee, the damage occurred on an unknown previous date during a collection of exit signs with tritium and the damage was not discovered until December 05, 2007. All collected exit signs were placed in secure locked storage room pending disposal. Licensee arranged with a contracted waste disposal company for disposal of the signs.
"During an investigation of the event on January 15-16, 2008, a DHFS inspector reconstructed the event and interviewed the worker who damaged the tritium exit sign. The employee indicated that the damage happened in August 2006. He recalled having difficulty removing the sign and eventually had to pry it off the wall. When this was done the sign frame broke and various pieces fell to the ground. The pieces, including broken tubes, were swept up and placed in the normal trash. The broken tubes were collected and the sign reassembled. The damaged sign was placed in a plastic bag and turned in with the remaining signs that had been removed that day. The employee did not report the incident other than the frame was damaged during removal. A dose assessment performed by DHFS, indicated that the maximum uptake to the worker was 68 mCi of tritium (less than required 5 times the ALI of 80 mCi). DHFS wipe tests were performed at 3 points on the floor, where pieces of the exit sign, including broken tubes, would have fallen and one area ~20 feet above the floor. Results of the survey indicated that maximum contamination was 3970 dpm/100 cm [squared] on the floor.
"The contracted waste disposal company wipe tested all signs and storage area contamination prior to disposal. Results of survey indicated that maximum contamination did not exceed 40dpm/100 cm [squared]. All exit signs, including the broken item, were shipped out on January 16, 2008. Licensee intends to contract with a consultant company to perform additional wipe tests of the accident area and to clean up the area if it is necessary. DHFS will close this event once the area has been decontaminated. Since the dose estimate was less than the 5 times the ALI, DHFS retracts the report to NRC Operations Center."
Notified R3DO (Pelke) and FSME EO (Flanders).
The State provided the following information via facsimile:
"The licensee reported the discovery of a broken tritium exit sign on December 5, 2007, during an inspection. The sign had been damaged at some unknown previous date. The licensee had collected exit signs for disposal. A worker recalled having difficulty removing a sign and prying it off the wall. The frame broke and pieces fell to the floor. He also recalls sweeping up the pieces, including broken tubes and placing in normal trash. The unbroken tubes were collected, and the sign reassembled. The sign is currently bagged and stored in a secured storage area, pending disposal by a contractor.
"DHFS intends to investigate. Staff will be present when the contractor arrives to wipe test and package all the exit signs for disposition."
The licensee notified the state on December 19, 2007 via telephone and facsimile.
WI Event Report ID No.: 070030
* * * UPDATE FROM RASHID SALIKHDJANOV TO HOWIE CROUCH @ 1637 EST ON 03/07/08 * * *
"On December 20, 2007, Kimberly-Clark Corporation notified the DHFS [Department of Health and Family Services] of a damaged tritium exit sign. According to the licensee, the damage occurred on an unknown previous date during a collection of exit signs with tritium and the damage was not discovered until December 05, 2007. All collected exit signs were placed in secure locked storage room pending disposal. Licensee arranged with a contracted waste disposal company for disposal of the signs.
"During an investigation of the event on January 15-16, 2008, a DHFS inspector reconstructed the event and interviewed the worker who damaged the tritium exit sign. The employee indicated that the damage happened in August 2006. He recalled having difficulty removing the sign and eventually had to pry it off the wall. When this was done the sign frame broke and various pieces fell to the ground. The pieces, including broken tubes, were swept up and placed in the normal trash. The broken tubes were collected and the sign reassembled. The damaged sign was placed in a plastic bag and turned in with the remaining signs that had been removed that day. The employee did not report the incident other than the frame was damaged during removal. A dose assessment performed by DHFS, indicated that the maximum uptake to the worker was 68 mCi of tritium (less than required 5 times the ALI of 80 mCi). DHFS wipe tests were performed at 3 points on the floor, where pieces of the exit sign, including broken tubes, would have fallen and one area ~20 feet above the floor. Results of the survey indicated that maximum contamination was 3970 dpm/100 cm [squared] on the floor.
"The contracted waste disposal company wipe tested all signs and storage area contamination prior to disposal. Results of survey indicated that maximum contamination did not exceed 40dpm/100 cm [squared]. All exit signs, including the broken item, were shipped out on January 16, 2008. Licensee intends to contract with a consultant company to perform additional wipe tests of the accident area and to clean up the area if it is necessary. DHFS will close this event once the area has been decontaminated. Since the dose estimate was less than the 5 times the ALI, DHFS retracts the report to NRC Operations Center."
Notified R3DO (Pelke) and FSME EO (Flanders).