Event Notification Report for January 23, 2014
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
01/22/2014 - 01/23/2014
EVENT NUMBERS
49761
Agreement State
Event Number: 49761
Rep Org: MA RADIATION CONTROL PROGRAM
Licensee: POLAR CORPORATION
Region: 1
City: WORCESTER State: MA
County:
License #: G0118
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: JOSH DAEHLER
HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH
Licensee: POLAR CORPORATION
Region: 1
City: WORCESTER State: MA
County:
License #: G0118
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: JOSH DAEHLER
HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH
Notification Date: 01/23/2014
Notification Time: 16:21 [ET]
Event Date: 01/23/2014
Event Time: 00:00 [EST]
Last Update Date: 03/21/2014
Notification Time: 16:21 [ET]
Event Date: 01/23/2014
Event Time: 00:00 [EST]
Last Update Date: 03/21/2014
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
10 CFR Section:
Person (Organization):
HAROLD GRAY (R1DO)
FSME EVENTS RESOURCE (EMAI)
HAROLD GRAY (R1DO)
FSME EVENTS RESOURCE (EMAI)
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - MISSING DEVICE CONTAINING AMERICIUM-241
The following information was obtained from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts via email:
"Immediate report in accordance with 105 CMR 120.281(A)(1) of missing device containing a 100 millicurie americium-241sealed source.
"After [a] billing inquiry by Massachusetts Radiation Control Program [the Program] [to] the licensee about generally licensed devices registered with [the] Program, the licensee reported on January 23, 2014 that one Industrial Dynamics Co., LTD Model FT-12 device [a fill level gauge], S/N 102282, containing a 100 millicurie americium-241 sealed source, cannot be located or is missing.
"The licensee informed the Program that the device is obsolete and has been out of service for about 15 years and may have been returned to manufacturer or might be in storage at licensee's facilities. The licensee informed [the] Program that it is making the effort of contacting a person that may have known about the device and is conducting a search of it's storage facilities.
"The Program notified the licensee of it's responsibility for providing [a] written report in accordance with the requirements of 105 CMR 120.281(B).
"Root cause and corrective actions are not known at this time and the Program intends to make site visit.
"This event remains open."
* * * UPDATE FROM ANTHONY CARPENITO TO CHARLES TEAL ON 2/18/14 AT 0828 EST * * *
The following information was obtained from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts via email:
"The Commonwealth of Massachusetts performed an on-site inspection on 2/17/14. Licensee has been in contact with the gauge manufacturer and has been searching numerous potential storage locations on licensee's property which covers multiple city blocks to determine possible long ago return to manufacturer or possible long-term on-site storage. There is no change in status and the device is still missing. The investigation is ongoing and the event remains OPEN."
Massachusetts Event Number: 14-1155
Notified R1DO (Krohn) and FSME Event Resource via email.
* * * UPDATE FROM ANTHONY CARPENITO TO JOHN SHOEMAKER ON 3/21/14 AT 1235 EDT * * *
The following information was obtained from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts via email:
"[The] licensee confirmed via telephone on 3/21/14, that subject gauge was still missing. Based on current information, the Agency [Commonwealth of Massachusetts] presumes gauge lost. The Agency considers this matter to be closed."
Massachusetts Event Number: 14-1155
Notified R1DO (Welling) and FSME Event Resource via email.
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
The following information was obtained from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts via email:
"Immediate report in accordance with 105 CMR 120.281(A)(1) of missing device containing a 100 millicurie americium-241sealed source.
"After [a] billing inquiry by Massachusetts Radiation Control Program [the Program] [to] the licensee about generally licensed devices registered with [the] Program, the licensee reported on January 23, 2014 that one Industrial Dynamics Co., LTD Model FT-12 device [a fill level gauge], S/N 102282, containing a 100 millicurie americium-241 sealed source, cannot be located or is missing.
"The licensee informed the Program that the device is obsolete and has been out of service for about 15 years and may have been returned to manufacturer or might be in storage at licensee's facilities. The licensee informed [the] Program that it is making the effort of contacting a person that may have known about the device and is conducting a search of it's storage facilities.
"The Program notified the licensee of it's responsibility for providing [a] written report in accordance with the requirements of 105 CMR 120.281(B).
"Root cause and corrective actions are not known at this time and the Program intends to make site visit.
"This event remains open."
* * * UPDATE FROM ANTHONY CARPENITO TO CHARLES TEAL ON 2/18/14 AT 0828 EST * * *
The following information was obtained from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts via email:
"The Commonwealth of Massachusetts performed an on-site inspection on 2/17/14. Licensee has been in contact with the gauge manufacturer and has been searching numerous potential storage locations on licensee's property which covers multiple city blocks to determine possible long ago return to manufacturer or possible long-term on-site storage. There is no change in status and the device is still missing. The investigation is ongoing and the event remains OPEN."
Massachusetts Event Number: 14-1155
Notified R1DO (Krohn) and FSME Event Resource via email.
* * * UPDATE FROM ANTHONY CARPENITO TO JOHN SHOEMAKER ON 3/21/14 AT 1235 EDT * * *
The following information was obtained from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts via email:
"[The] licensee confirmed via telephone on 3/21/14, that subject gauge was still missing. Based on current information, the Agency [Commonwealth of Massachusetts] presumes gauge lost. The Agency considers this matter to be closed."
Massachusetts Event Number: 14-1155
Notified R1DO (Welling) and FSME Event Resource via email.
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