Event Notification Report for December 15, 2009

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOOSE SURFACE CONTAMINATION ON A SEALED SOURCE

"On 12/15/09 an Electron Capture Detector (ECD) containing Ni-63 was discovered to have loose surface contamination in excess of 0.005 microcuries. This discovery was made while removing the ECD from a Gas Chromatograph (GC) used by Energy Northwest. The ECD was removed to prepare the GC for transfer from Columbia Generating Station to the Applied Physics and Engineering Laboratory in Richland, WA. During removal, the ECD was surveyed for loose contamination by Radiation Protection staff. Analysis of the swipes obtained during the survey was completed on 12/17/09 and indicated 0.02 microcuries on the swipe of the makeup gas adapter between the ECD and GC."

Washington State Item: WA100008

Current source activity 12.3 milliCi
ECD model: G2397 A; Serial Number: U2055
GC Model: 6890

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STOLEN TROXLER MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE

The following report was received via facsimile:

"Soil moisture density gauge stolen. Storage facility at jobsite broken in to. Owner has possession of keys. Owner will submit a reward for $500. Incident referred to Miami Inspection Office for investigation. No further action will be taken on this incident."

Gauge is a Troxler model 3440, serial number 35908, containing 40mCi of Am-241/Be and 8mCi of Cs-137.

Miami Police Department Case #PD091215549153. Florida Incident Number FL 09-084.

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

FITNESS FOR DUTY - SUPERVISOR TESTED POSITIVE FOR ALCOHOL

An employee supervisor had a confirmed positive for alcohol during a random fitness-for-duty test. The employee's access to the site has been denied.

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - POSSIBLE MISADMINISTRATION OF RADIOACTIVE MEDICAL TREATMENT

The following report was received via facsimile:

"[Tennessee Division of Radiological Health] TN DRH was notified on 12/15/09, by the medical physicist at Cookeville Regional Medical Center, of a possible therapeutic misadministration that occurred the morning of 12/15. A patient was being treated with three sealed sources of cesium-137 (total activity of 70 mg Ra-equivalent) contained in a vaginal applicator. The patient was elderly and heavily sedated. The applicator was inserted and after twenty minutes of treatment, the nurse came into the room to check on the patient and noticed the applicator outside the treatment area. The applicator was removed and placed in a lead pig. The patient may have received a maximum dose of 76 Rem to the thigh area. A written report will be submitted by the licensee."

Tennessee Report Number: TN-09-155

A Medical Event may indicate potential problems in a medical facility's use of radioactive materials. It does not necessarily result in harm to the patient.

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - DAMAGED RADIOGRAPHY CAMERA

The following report was received via email:

"The department received a notification from a radiography company [on 12/16/09] located in Kent, Washington, about an event [that occurred] while performing radiographic operations in a fabrication shop in Sedro Wooley, Washington. A 2 inch pipe fell onto the source guide tube and the radiography crew was unable to retract their source past the damage. The crew called the company's Radiation Safety Officer who sent an assistant to the site with lead blankets. The assistant was able to normally retract the source through the damaged area and into the shielded safe storage position of the radiographic exposure device. The dose to the assistant RSO was reported as 480 mRem. No other individuals were reported to have received an elevated dose. A full report from the company's RSO will be made after they perform a reenactment of the incident."

WA Incident Number: WA-09-093
Source material: 80 Ci, Ir-192

* * * UPDATE FROM BRANDIN KETTER TO VINCE KLCO ON 2/8/10 AT 1857 VIA EMAIL* * *

"A full report was received from the company on 12/18/09. TLD's worn by the three individuals involved in the incident were processed the next day by Landauer. Two of these individuals were the radiography crew who were working with the equipment when the source failed to retract. Their doses were reported as 79 mRem and 261 mRem. It was also reported that most of this exposure could probably be attributed to the previous 14 and 1/2 days of radiography work. The third person receiving a dose from this incident was the assistant RSO. This person received a dose of 22 mRem. Three other people in the company who responded to the incident site were reported to have received no dose. The damaged equipment was tagged and taken out of service."

Notified R4DO (Jones) and FSME (Shaffer).

HELB CONFIGURATION CALCULATIONS NOT CONSISTENT WITH PREVIOUS HELB ANALYSIS

"During a review of a High-Energy Line Break (HELB) calculation, valve FBV0146 on a 3" Auxiliary Steam line, FB-093-HBD-3", was found to be kept normally open. This is not consistent with HELB analysis, which assumes flow in line FB-093-HBD-3" is restricted by an orifice plate or isolated by FBV0146. This HELB analysis classified FB-093-HBD-3" as a moderate-energy line downstream of FBV0146 as a result of line isolation.

"No orifice plate was installed, and line FB-093-HBD-3" downstream of the FBV0146 is considered a high-energy line if FBV0146 is open. A room containing line FB-093-HBD-3" downstream from FBV0146 includes several components, the most critical of which are two RCS [Reactor Coolant System] pressure transmitters in one train which are used to provide indications during post-accident conditions. This configuration is therefore outside of current HELB analysis and potentially represents a condition that significantly degrades plant safety.

"Valve FBV0146 was closed at 1522. The NRC resident inspectors have been notified."

* * * RETRACTION FROM KEITH CRIBLEZ TO VINCE KLCO ON 1/21/2010 AT 1739 * * *

"On 12/15/2009, EN #45571 provided notification that valve FBV0146 on Auxiliary Steam line FB-093-HBD-3 was found to be kept normally open. This configuration was not consistent with High Energy Line Break (HELB) analysis which assumes flow beyond this valve to be restricted or isolated.

"An engineering evaluation was subsequently performed for the rooms containing this line downstream of FBV0146. This evaluation has determined that all safety-related components in the affected rooms would be able to perform their safety functions in the event of a line break. Pipe whip, jet impingement, compartment over pressurization, flooding, and internal missiles resulting from a postulated line break would not prevent any
safety-related equipment from performing its design function.

"As supported by this evaluation, this condition does not meet the criteria for an unanalyzed condition that significantly degrades plant safety as stated in 10CFR 50.72(b)(3)(ii)(B). Therefore, the notification made on 12/15/2009 is hereby retracted.

"The [NRC] Resident Inspectors have been notified."

Notified the R4DO (Werner).