Event Notification Report for January 29, 2009
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
01/28/2009 - 01/29/2009
Power Reactor
Event Number: 44815
Facility: HATCH
Region: 2 State: GA
Unit: [1] [2] []
RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4
NRC Notified By: TONY SPRING
HQ OPS Officer: JOE O'HARA
Region: 2 State: GA
Unit: [1] [2] []
RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4
NRC Notified By: TONY SPRING
HQ OPS Officer: JOE O'HARA
Notification Date: 01/29/2009
Notification Time: 09:40 [ET]
Event Date: 01/29/2009
Event Time: 08:50 [EST]
Last Update Date: 01/29/2009
Notification Time: 09:40 [ET]
Event Date: 01/29/2009
Event Time: 08:50 [EST]
Last Update Date: 01/29/2009
Emergency Class: UNUSUAL EVENT
10 CFR Section:
50.72(a) (1) (i) - EMERGENCY DECLARED
10 CFR Section:
50.72(a) (1) (i) - EMERGENCY DECLARED
Person (Organization):
GERALD MCCOY (R2)
BILL GOTT (IRD)
THOMAS BLOUNT (NRR)
ANTHONY McMURTRAY (IRD)
VICTOR MCREE (R2)
GERALD MCCOY (R2)
BILL GOTT (IRD)
THOMAS BLOUNT (NRR)
ANTHONY McMURTRAY (IRD)
VICTOR MCREE (R2)
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX Crit | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation |
| 2 | N | Y | 97 | Power Operation | 97 | Power Operation |
UNUSUAL EVENT - TOXIC GAS DISCHARGE IN WASTE GAS TREATMENT BUILDING
An unisolable pipe break on an in-service waste gas treatment building chiller has resulted in a toxic release of asphyxiant freon gas. All personnel were evacuated and no injuries occurred. An entry by operations personnel with self contained breathing apparatus verified that all site personnel have evacuated the building. There was no impact to offgas processing equipment in the area and actual gas concentration was not known at the time of declaration so the assumption of toxic gas concentration is conservative.
The Licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector, Georgia Emergency Management Agency, Appling County, Jeff Davis County, Tattnall County, and Toombs County.
* * * UPDATE FROM TONY SPRING TO PETE SNYDER AT 0957 ON 1/29/09 * * *
Air samples in the area indicated no detectable freon. Licensee terminated the event at 0946.
Notified R2DO(McCoy), NRR EO(Ross-Lee), DHS(Inzer), and FEMA(LaForte)
An unisolable pipe break on an in-service waste gas treatment building chiller has resulted in a toxic release of asphyxiant freon gas. All personnel were evacuated and no injuries occurred. An entry by operations personnel with self contained breathing apparatus verified that all site personnel have evacuated the building. There was no impact to offgas processing equipment in the area and actual gas concentration was not known at the time of declaration so the assumption of toxic gas concentration is conservative.
The Licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector, Georgia Emergency Management Agency, Appling County, Jeff Davis County, Tattnall County, and Toombs County.
* * * UPDATE FROM TONY SPRING TO PETE SNYDER AT 0957 ON 1/29/09 * * *
Air samples in the area indicated no detectable freon. Licensee terminated the event at 0946.
Notified R2DO(McCoy), NRR EO(Ross-Lee), DHS(Inzer), and FEMA(LaForte)
General Information or Other
Event Number: 44816
Rep Org: ILLINOIS EMERGENCY MGMT. AGENCY
Licensee: NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
Region: 3
City: CHICAGO State: IL
County:
License #: IL-01037-02
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: DAREN PERRERO
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE
Licensee: NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
Region: 3
City: CHICAGO State: IL
County:
License #: IL-01037-02
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: DAREN PERRERO
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE
Notification Date: 01/30/2009
Notification Time: 12:13 [ET]
Event Date: 01/29/2009
Event Time: 00:00 [CST]
Last Update Date: 01/30/2009
Notification Time: 12:13 [ET]
Event Date: 01/29/2009
Event Time: 00:00 [CST]
Last Update Date: 01/30/2009
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
10 CFR Section:
Person (Organization):
PATTY PELKE (R3)
ANGELA MCINTOSH (FSME)
PATTY PELKE (R3)
ANGELA MCINTOSH (FSME)
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - PERSONNEL CONTAMINATION FROM I-131 SPILL IN HOT LAB
"The radiation safety officer [RSO] for Northwestern Memorial Hospital called the Agency [State] to advise that a technician had spilled a significant quantity of I-131 in their hot lab. The technician was preparing a radioiodine therapy dose of 100 milliCi for ingestion by a patient when the spill of the liquid occurred. The technician had been removing the vial from the fume hood to perform a dose calibration when the material slipped from his hands and broke on the floor of the hot lab. The technician was contaminated on his hands, torso and legs. The material, although small in volume, was concentrated, such that even small drops of the liquid exhibit high dose rates. Initial decontamination efforts managed to reduce the contamination on the individual such that the contamination only remained on their hands. The initial measured dose rate was approximately 7 milliR/h.
"The spill victim was excluded from the cleanup process to reduce the possibility of a significant uptake to their thyroid. All individuals involved in the clean up as well as the technician took prophylactic KI. According to the RSO, decontamination will continue until only fixed contamination remains. He estimated that as much as 80% of the contamination had been contained/removed by the time of his call a few hours after the event. Dose rates in the area were initially over 50 milliR/h. Additional shielding was moved into the area so that medically necessary nuclear medicine procedures could be completed while the decontamination was finished. Dose rates behind the shielding indicated less than 1 milliR/h. Bioassays will be conducted during subsequent days to determine the extent of any uptake that has occurred for those involved.
"Arrangements were made for the radiopharmacy to be shut down and operations relocated to another temporary facility within the hospital. Waste generated from the initial decontamination effort was secured within the pharmacy hot lab in the fume hood. Access will be restricted to only those granted leave by the RSO to reenter the lab. Arrangements have been made for an Agency [State] inspector to go to the site to ascertain and verify the dose rates in the area, the extent of contamination and ensure that bioassays are being conducted properly. Depending on the results of those assessments, the Agency [State] may take additional action."
Incident number: IL0900010
"The radiation safety officer [RSO] for Northwestern Memorial Hospital called the Agency [State] to advise that a technician had spilled a significant quantity of I-131 in their hot lab. The technician was preparing a radioiodine therapy dose of 100 milliCi for ingestion by a patient when the spill of the liquid occurred. The technician had been removing the vial from the fume hood to perform a dose calibration when the material slipped from his hands and broke on the floor of the hot lab. The technician was contaminated on his hands, torso and legs. The material, although small in volume, was concentrated, such that even small drops of the liquid exhibit high dose rates. Initial decontamination efforts managed to reduce the contamination on the individual such that the contamination only remained on their hands. The initial measured dose rate was approximately 7 milliR/h.
"The spill victim was excluded from the cleanup process to reduce the possibility of a significant uptake to their thyroid. All individuals involved in the clean up as well as the technician took prophylactic KI. According to the RSO, decontamination will continue until only fixed contamination remains. He estimated that as much as 80% of the contamination had been contained/removed by the time of his call a few hours after the event. Dose rates in the area were initially over 50 milliR/h. Additional shielding was moved into the area so that medically necessary nuclear medicine procedures could be completed while the decontamination was finished. Dose rates behind the shielding indicated less than 1 milliR/h. Bioassays will be conducted during subsequent days to determine the extent of any uptake that has occurred for those involved.
"Arrangements were made for the radiopharmacy to be shut down and operations relocated to another temporary facility within the hospital. Waste generated from the initial decontamination effort was secured within the pharmacy hot lab in the fume hood. Access will be restricted to only those granted leave by the RSO to reenter the lab. Arrangements have been made for an Agency [State] inspector to go to the site to ascertain and verify the dose rates in the area, the extent of contamination and ensure that bioassays are being conducted properly. Depending on the results of those assessments, the Agency [State] may take additional action."
Incident number: IL0900010