Event Notification Report for March 25, 2009
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
03/24/2009 - 03/25/2009
EVENT NUMBERS
44933
General Information or Other
Event Number: 44933
Rep Org: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: WELD SPEC, INC
Region: 4
City: BEAUMONT State: TX
County:
License #: 05426
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ART TUCKER
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE
Licensee: WELD SPEC, INC
Region: 4
City: BEAUMONT State: TX
County:
License #: 05426
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ART TUCKER
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE
Notification Date: 03/25/2009
Notification Time: 12:05 [ET]
Event Date: 03/25/2009
Event Time: 09:40 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 04/21/2009
Notification Time: 12:05 [ET]
Event Date: 03/25/2009
Event Time: 09:40 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 04/21/2009
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
10 CFR Section:
Person (Organization):
NEIL OKEEFE (R4)
ANGELA MCINTOSH (FSME)
NEIL OKEEFE (R4)
ANGELA MCINTOSH (FSME)
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - POSSIBLE OVEREXPOSURE OF EMPLOYEE
"On March 25, 2009, at 0940, the State of Texas was notified by a licensee that they had received a report from their dosimetry processor indicating that one of their employees had received greater than 1000 rad exposure for the month of February, 2009. The exposure record provided did not indicate whether the exposure was static or dynamic. The Radiation Safety Officer (RSO), who started this position in the first part of March, 2009, contacted the radiographer. The radiographer stated that she had not performed any operations with a radiography camera because she had hurt her knee. The radiographer stated that she had worked nine jobs, and all her work was done in the dark room. The RSO has made arrangements for the radiographer to have blood work done today, 3/25/09. The RSO stated that she had two other individuals who had received higher than normal readings but had not exceeded any limits. These individuals were reassigned to duties that will limit their exposure.
"An Agency (state) investigator contacted the radiographer and asked her when in the month of February she had started wearing her badge. She stated that she began wearing the badge in the middle of February. She stated that she picked it up from a mail box at the company's office. She stated that she carried the badge with her in [her] lunch box when she was not wearing it and that no one else would have had access to the badge from this point on.
"She stated that no source disconnects had occurred at any of the work sites she was at in the month of February. She stated that she does not know how her badge could have received that much exposure, but she is sure she had not received that much exposure. She stated that she felt fine. Additional information will follow as it is received."
Texas Incident Number: I-8622
* * * UPDATE FROM ART TUCKER TO PETE SNYDER AT 1218 ON 3/27/09 * * *
"The state received a fax which contained a copy of the blood work done on 3/26/09 for the individual involved from the licensee. Also included in the fax was a copy of blood work that was done on the individual on 2/25/09 prior to a medical procedure. Both samples returned very similar results and were considered normal by her physician."
Notified R4DO (O'Keefe) and FSME (McIntosh).
* * * UPDATE FROM ART TUCKER VIA E-MAIL TO KARL DIEDERICH AT 1239 ON 4/21/09 * * *
"The licensee has removed the exposure recorded on the individual's dosimeter and assigned a dose of 416 millirem for the exposure period. The licensee provided a copy of the dosimetry processor's report indicating the change in exposure."
Notified R4DO (Gaddy) and FSME (McIntosh).
"On March 25, 2009, at 0940, the State of Texas was notified by a licensee that they had received a report from their dosimetry processor indicating that one of their employees had received greater than 1000 rad exposure for the month of February, 2009. The exposure record provided did not indicate whether the exposure was static or dynamic. The Radiation Safety Officer (RSO), who started this position in the first part of March, 2009, contacted the radiographer. The radiographer stated that she had not performed any operations with a radiography camera because she had hurt her knee. The radiographer stated that she had worked nine jobs, and all her work was done in the dark room. The RSO has made arrangements for the radiographer to have blood work done today, 3/25/09. The RSO stated that she had two other individuals who had received higher than normal readings but had not exceeded any limits. These individuals were reassigned to duties that will limit their exposure.
"An Agency (state) investigator contacted the radiographer and asked her when in the month of February she had started wearing her badge. She stated that she began wearing the badge in the middle of February. She stated that she picked it up from a mail box at the company's office. She stated that she carried the badge with her in [her] lunch box when she was not wearing it and that no one else would have had access to the badge from this point on.
"She stated that no source disconnects had occurred at any of the work sites she was at in the month of February. She stated that she does not know how her badge could have received that much exposure, but she is sure she had not received that much exposure. She stated that she felt fine. Additional information will follow as it is received."
Texas Incident Number: I-8622
* * * UPDATE FROM ART TUCKER TO PETE SNYDER AT 1218 ON 3/27/09 * * *
"The state received a fax which contained a copy of the blood work done on 3/26/09 for the individual involved from the licensee. Also included in the fax was a copy of blood work that was done on the individual on 2/25/09 prior to a medical procedure. Both samples returned very similar results and were considered normal by her physician."
Notified R4DO (O'Keefe) and FSME (McIntosh).
* * * UPDATE FROM ART TUCKER VIA E-MAIL TO KARL DIEDERICH AT 1239 ON 4/21/09 * * *
"The licensee has removed the exposure recorded on the individual's dosimeter and assigned a dose of 416 millirem for the exposure period. The licensee provided a copy of the dosimetry processor's report indicating the change in exposure."
Notified R4DO (Gaddy) and FSME (McIntosh).