Event Notification Report for April 23, 2016
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
04/22/2016 - 04/23/2016
EVENT NUMBERS
51890
Agreement State
Event Number: 51890
Rep Org: ARIZONA RADIATION REGULATORY AGENCY
Licensee: ASARCO, THE MISSION UNIT
Region: 4
City: SAHARITA State: AZ
County:
License #: AZ 10-017
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: BRIAN GORETZKI
HQ OPS Officer: BETHANY CECERE
Licensee: ASARCO, THE MISSION UNIT
Region: 4
City: SAHARITA State: AZ
County:
License #: AZ 10-017
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: BRIAN GORETZKI
HQ OPS Officer: BETHANY CECERE
Notification Date: 04/28/2016
Notification Time: 12:49 [ET]
Event Date: 04/23/2016
Event Time: 00:00 [MST]
Last Update Date: 04/28/2016
Notification Time: 12:49 [ET]
Event Date: 04/23/2016
Event Time: 00:00 [MST]
Last Update Date: 04/28/2016
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
10 CFR Section:
Person (Organization):
JEREMY GROOM (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFIC (EMAI)
ANGELA MCINTOSH (NMSS)
JEREMY GROOM (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFIC (EMAI)
ANGELA MCINTOSH (NMSS)
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - EMPLOYEES POTENTIALLY EXPOSED TO RADIATION
The following was received via email from Arizona:
"On April 26th, the Agency [Arizona Radiation Regulatory Agency] was contacted by the licensee who indicated that seventeen employees had been exposed to ionizing radiation by a nuclear gauge while working on Crusher Number Three. The nuclear gauge was mounted on the shoot above the crusher. The workers involved worked in the area of concern from Saturday April 23rd until Tuesday April 26th, when the Radiation Safety Officer was notified of the incident.
"The gauge involved is used for level detection in the shoot and contains 150 millicuries of Cesium-137. Radiation levels in the work area have yet to be determined.
"The investigation into this event is ongoing.
"The U.S. NRC and Arizona Governor's office are being notified of this event."
Arizona Incident number 16-006.
* * * UPDATE FROM AUBREY GODWIN TO DONALD NORWOOD AT 1611 EDT ON 5/10/2016 * * *
The following information was received via E-mail:
"The current gauge decayed estimate is 95.2 millicuries of cesium-137 as of April, 2016.
"The Licensee contracted a medical physicist to estimate the exposure received by the involved employees. Due to the complexity of the work positions and the small beam diameter produced by the gauge, the physicist calculated maximum possible exposures. His results in mRem were: 2 workers - 187 mRem, 2 workers - 140 mRem, 5 workers - 94 mRem, 2 workers - 47 mRem, 7 workers - 23 mRem. Actual exposures are believed to be less than these calculated estimates."
Notified R4DO (Campbell) and NMSSRC (McIntosh) and NMSS Events Notification (via E-mail).
Arizona Supplement: 16-006-001
The following was received via email from Arizona:
"On April 26th, the Agency [Arizona Radiation Regulatory Agency] was contacted by the licensee who indicated that seventeen employees had been exposed to ionizing radiation by a nuclear gauge while working on Crusher Number Three. The nuclear gauge was mounted on the shoot above the crusher. The workers involved worked in the area of concern from Saturday April 23rd until Tuesday April 26th, when the Radiation Safety Officer was notified of the incident.
"The gauge involved is used for level detection in the shoot and contains 150 millicuries of Cesium-137. Radiation levels in the work area have yet to be determined.
"The investigation into this event is ongoing.
"The U.S. NRC and Arizona Governor's office are being notified of this event."
Arizona Incident number 16-006.
* * * UPDATE FROM AUBREY GODWIN TO DONALD NORWOOD AT 1611 EDT ON 5/10/2016 * * *
The following information was received via E-mail:
"The current gauge decayed estimate is 95.2 millicuries of cesium-137 as of April, 2016.
"The Licensee contracted a medical physicist to estimate the exposure received by the involved employees. Due to the complexity of the work positions and the small beam diameter produced by the gauge, the physicist calculated maximum possible exposures. His results in mRem were: 2 workers - 187 mRem, 2 workers - 140 mRem, 5 workers - 94 mRem, 2 workers - 47 mRem, 7 workers - 23 mRem. Actual exposures are believed to be less than these calculated estimates."
Notified R4DO (Campbell) and NMSSRC (McIntosh) and NMSS Events Notification (via E-mail).
Arizona Supplement: 16-006-001