Event Notification Report for November 23, 2009

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - FAILURE OF SOURCE UP INDICATOR SWITCH

The following report was received via E-mail:

"At or around 6:45 PM on November 23, 2009 the irradiator at Becton Dickinson in Broken Bow, NE experienced a box jam. The master timer timed out and sent the source into the pool as normal. The source movement bell continued to ring beyond the normal time. The operator on duty entered the control room and noted that the fault indicator lights for source switch, source pass time out were activated. Both source up and source down indicator lights were on. The operator went to the source cylinder room on the roof and verified that physically the cylinder had traveled to the full down position. The source cable was determined to be tight as normal. The area was also surveyed for any radiation above background. None was noted.

"The operator then called the RSO and informed him of the situation. The RSO came to the plant. Since the source up indicator was activated, the area monitor was disabled. The cell door was manually opened and the air to the source cylinder disabled. Two operators along with the RSO slowly entered the cell with two survey meters. No radiation above background was detected.

"It was determined that the source up switch plunger had become stuck in the closed position. This plunger was removed, cleaned and lubricated. No other machine issues were noted and normal operation ensued.

"Reporting Requirement: 30.509(b)(2) - events involving failure or disability to function when equipment is required to be available and operable and no redundant equipment is available and operable, includes source disconnection and failure to retract source."

Nebraska Item Number: NE090017

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT INVOLVING UNACCOUNTED FOR IONIZERS

The following information was received by fax:

"[The North Carolina Radiation Protection Section] received a telephone call and an e-mail from the [Radiation Safety Officer] RSO with RF Micro Devices [RFMD] in Greensboro that they had just resolved on issue with NRD,LLC that there were 24 Ionizers that were unaccounted for in RFMD inventory as of November 4, 2009 when they shipped by [common carrier]. [There were] 34 model P2021 ionizers (1.3 ounces each) in one box weighing 5 pounds to NRD,LLC for disposal. NRD,LLC is located at 2937 Alt. Blvd., Grand Island, NY 14072. The package was shipped by [common carrier] with a package reference # 677000/99562. NRD,LLC signed for 1 box, but only reported 10 ionizers were received on Nov. 23. 2009. At this point RFMD and NRD began discussions as to what happened to the other 24 ionizers(serial numbers A2GL910 thru A2GL933). Both sites have investigated, but cannot account for these ionizers.

"Please note-These ionizers are listed by NRD,LLC as Nuclecel Static Eliminators-Model P-2021 containing 10 mCi each of polonium 210 with a 1 year shelf life."

North Carolina Incident Number: 10-38

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. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf

This source is not amongst those sources or devices identified by the IAEA Code of Conduct for the Safety & Security of Radioactive Sources to be of concern from a radiological standpoint. Therefore is it being categorized as a less than Category 3 source