Event Notification Report for October 21, 2009
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
10/20/2009 - 10/21/2009
!!!!! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED !!!!!
!!!!! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED !!!!!
General Information or Other
Event Number: 45451
Rep Org: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
Region: 4
City: AUSTIN State: TX
County:
License #: L00485
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ART TUCKER
HQ OPS Officer: VINCE KLCO
Licensee: UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
Region: 4
City: AUSTIN State: TX
County:
License #: L00485
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ART TUCKER
HQ OPS Officer: VINCE KLCO
Notification Date: 10/21/2009
Notification Time: 19:18 [ET]
Event Date: 10/21/2009
Event Time: 00:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 01/08/2010
Notification Time: 19:18 [ET]
Event Date: 10/21/2009
Event Time: 00:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 01/08/2010
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
10 CFR Section:
Person (Organization):
NEIL OKEEFE (R4DO)
RICHARD TURTIL (FSME)
NEIL OKEEFE (R4DO)
RICHARD TURTIL (FSME)
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - REMOVABLE CONTAMINATION ON A PACKAGE
Packaged vials of Sulfur-35 were delivered to the University of Texas with an indicated removable contamination of 10,000 dpm per swipe on the outside of the package. The vials of sulfur were reported as frozen with 1600 dpm per swipe. A lead pig located in the package indicated 600 dpm per swipe. There was no other reported contamination on the package.
A Texas incident report number will follow.
* * * UPDATE AT 1136 EDT ON 10/22/2009 TO PARK FROM TUCKER * * *
The following report was provide by the State via e-mail:
"On October 21, 2009 at 1735 [CDT] the Agency [Texas Dept of State Health Services] received a telephone call from [Redacted] the Radiation Safety Officer [RSO] for the University of Texas. [The RSO] stated that a package had arrived at the University of Texas facility in Port Aransas, Texas, and was found to have removable contamination on the outside of the package. The package was shipped as expected and contained vials of Sulfur-35, and did not appear to be damaged. The vials that contained the radioactive material were packed in dry ice and were still frozen when the package was opened. Swipes taken on the outside of the package, as part of the arrival survey, indicated contamination of 10,000 disintegrations per minute (dpm). Contamination levels on the vials in the package were 1,600 dpm. The contamination level on the lead pig shielding the vials was 600 dpm. Removable contamination on the inside of the package was between 1000-2000 dpm. All contamination levels are reported as per swipe, but [the RSO] was unsure of the areas that were swiped. No contamination was detected on personnel involved at the receiving facility. [The RSO] was not convinced that the contamination came from the package because none of the vials appeared damaged, and the highest contamination levels were located on the outside of the package. He stated that they are still investigating and may request assistance from the Agency to identify the radionuclide. It was shipped by [a common carrier] from PerkinElmer, but [the RSO] was unaware of the location it was shipped from. The common carrier tracking number given was [provided], but when tracked online using the [common carrier] website, the package was not in the system. The Agency is awaiting further information from the licensee's investigation."
Notified the R4DO (O'Keefe) and FSME (McIntosh).
Texas Incident Number: I-8680
* * * RETRACTION FROM ANNIE BACKHAUS TO HOWIE CROUCH VIA EMAIL AT 1639 EST ON 1/08/10 * * *
"On November 2, 2009, [the RSO] concluded, through his investigation, that the initial readings were false-positives. He concluded this after he conducted two independent surveys of the package and detected nothing above background. [The RSO] concluded the false-positive was due to chemiluminescence and ionizing radiation. Therefore, the State of Texas would like to retract this report from the Nuclear Materials Events Database."
Notified the R4DO (Shannon) and FSME EO (McConnell).
Packaged vials of Sulfur-35 were delivered to the University of Texas with an indicated removable contamination of 10,000 dpm per swipe on the outside of the package. The vials of sulfur were reported as frozen with 1600 dpm per swipe. A lead pig located in the package indicated 600 dpm per swipe. There was no other reported contamination on the package.
A Texas incident report number will follow.
* * * UPDATE AT 1136 EDT ON 10/22/2009 TO PARK FROM TUCKER * * *
The following report was provide by the State via e-mail:
"On October 21, 2009 at 1735 [CDT] the Agency [Texas Dept of State Health Services] received a telephone call from [Redacted] the Radiation Safety Officer [RSO] for the University of Texas. [The RSO] stated that a package had arrived at the University of Texas facility in Port Aransas, Texas, and was found to have removable contamination on the outside of the package. The package was shipped as expected and contained vials of Sulfur-35, and did not appear to be damaged. The vials that contained the radioactive material were packed in dry ice and were still frozen when the package was opened. Swipes taken on the outside of the package, as part of the arrival survey, indicated contamination of 10,000 disintegrations per minute (dpm). Contamination levels on the vials in the package were 1,600 dpm. The contamination level on the lead pig shielding the vials was 600 dpm. Removable contamination on the inside of the package was between 1000-2000 dpm. All contamination levels are reported as per swipe, but [the RSO] was unsure of the areas that were swiped. No contamination was detected on personnel involved at the receiving facility. [The RSO] was not convinced that the contamination came from the package because none of the vials appeared damaged, and the highest contamination levels were located on the outside of the package. He stated that they are still investigating and may request assistance from the Agency to identify the radionuclide. It was shipped by [a common carrier] from PerkinElmer, but [the RSO] was unaware of the location it was shipped from. The common carrier tracking number given was [provided], but when tracked online using the [common carrier] website, the package was not in the system. The Agency is awaiting further information from the licensee's investigation."
Notified the R4DO (O'Keefe) and FSME (McIntosh).
Texas Incident Number: I-8680
* * * RETRACTION FROM ANNIE BACKHAUS TO HOWIE CROUCH VIA EMAIL AT 1639 EST ON 1/08/10 * * *
"On November 2, 2009, [the RSO] concluded, through his investigation, that the initial readings were false-positives. He concluded this after he conducted two independent surveys of the package and detected nothing above background. [The RSO] concluded the false-positive was due to chemiluminescence and ionizing radiation. Therefore, the State of Texas would like to retract this report from the Nuclear Materials Events Database."
Notified the R4DO (Shannon) and FSME EO (McConnell).
Power Reactor
Event Number: 45452
Facility: VOGTLE
Region: 2 State: GA
Unit: [1] [2] []
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: MICHAEL BRILL
HQ OPS Officer: VINCE KLCO
Region: 2 State: GA
Unit: [1] [2] []
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: MICHAEL BRILL
HQ OPS Officer: VINCE KLCO
Notification Date: 10/21/2009
Notification Time: 21:21 [ET]
Event Date: 10/21/2009
Event Time: 00:00 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 10/21/2009
Notification Time: 21:21 [ET]
Event Date: 10/21/2009
Event Time: 00:00 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 10/21/2009
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
26.719 - FITNESS FOR DUTY
10 CFR Section:
26.719 - FITNESS FOR DUTY
Person (Organization):
JAY HENSON (R2DO)
JAY HENSON (R2DO)
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX Crit | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N | Y | 28 | Power Operation | 28 | Power Operation |
| 2 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation |
FITNESS FOR DUTY NON-LICENSED SUPERVISOR
A non-licensed contractor supervisor refused to take a random drug and alcohol test. The individual's unescorted access was immediately terminated and the individual removed from the site.
Contact the HOO for additional details.
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.
A non-licensed contractor supervisor refused to take a random drug and alcohol test. The individual's unescorted access was immediately terminated and the individual removed from the site.
Contact the HOO for additional details.
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.
Power Reactor
Event Number: 45453
Facility: WOLF CREEK
Region: 4 State: KS
Unit: [1] [] []
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: DAVE DEES
HQ OPS Officer: VINCE KLCO
Region: 4 State: KS
Unit: [1] [] []
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: DAVE DEES
HQ OPS Officer: VINCE KLCO
Notification Date: 10/21/2009
Notification Time: 21:29 [ET]
Event Date: 10/21/2009
Event Time: 17:55 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 10/21/2009
Notification Time: 21:29 [ET]
Event Date: 10/21/2009
Event Time: 17:55 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 10/21/2009
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
Person (Organization):
NEIL OKEEFE (R4DO)
BRIAN McDERMOTT (IRD)
SAMSON LEE (NRR)
NEIL OKEEFE (R4DO)
BRIAN McDERMOTT (IRD)
SAMSON LEE (NRR)
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX Crit | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N | N | 0 | Refueling | 0 | Refueling |
FATALITY AND TRANSPORT OF A POTENTIALLY CONTAMINATED INDIVIDUAL OFFISTE
"At approximately 1755 CDT on 10/21/09, control room personnel were notified of a potentially contaminated individual suffering from a personal medical emergency inside the containment building. The individual was treated by the onsite first responders who administered CPR and AED (Automatic External Defibrillator). At 1816 [CDT], Coffey County medical personnel arrived on site. The individual was transported via ambulance to the Coffey County Hospital where the individual was pronounced dead at approximately 1900 [CDT] from an apparent cardiac arrest. A WCNOC [Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corp.] health physics technician accompanied the individual to the hospital and determined that the individual was not contaminated. The individual was a supplemental employee supporting refueling activities.
"OSHA will be notified of the work place fatality. State and Local Government Agencies will be notified. No news release is planned."
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.
"At approximately 1755 CDT on 10/21/09, control room personnel were notified of a potentially contaminated individual suffering from a personal medical emergency inside the containment building. The individual was treated by the onsite first responders who administered CPR and AED (Automatic External Defibrillator). At 1816 [CDT], Coffey County medical personnel arrived on site. The individual was transported via ambulance to the Coffey County Hospital where the individual was pronounced dead at approximately 1900 [CDT] from an apparent cardiac arrest. A WCNOC [Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corp.] health physics technician accompanied the individual to the hospital and determined that the individual was not contaminated. The individual was a supplemental employee supporting refueling activities.
"OSHA will be notified of the work place fatality. State and Local Government Agencies will be notified. No news release is planned."
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.