Event Notification Report for January 21, 2004
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
01/20/2004 - 01/21/2004
General Information or Other
Event Number: 40466
Rep Org: ILLINOIS EMERGENCY MGMT. AGENCY
Licensee: AMERSHAM/MEDI PHYSICS
Region: 3
City: ARLINGTON HTS State: IL
County:
License #: IL-01109-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: JOSEPH KLINGER
HQ OPS Officer: MIKE RIPLEY
Licensee: AMERSHAM/MEDI PHYSICS
Region: 3
City: ARLINGTON HTS State: IL
County:
License #: IL-01109-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: JOSEPH KLINGER
HQ OPS Officer: MIKE RIPLEY
Notification Date: 01/22/2004
Notification Time: 17:29 [ET]
Event Date: 01/21/2004
Event Time: 00:00 [CST]
Last Update Date: 01/23/2004
Notification Time: 17:29 [ET]
Event Date: 01/21/2004
Event Time: 00:00 [CST]
Last Update Date: 01/23/2004
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
10 CFR Section:
Person (Organization):
ROGER LANKSBURY (R3)
LAWRENCE KOKAJKO (NMSS)
CLIFFORD ANDERSON (R1)
ROGER LANKSBURY (R3)
LAWRENCE KOKAJKO (NMSS)
CLIFFORD ANDERSON (R1)
MEDICAL SOURCES MISSING IN TRANSIT
"The Director of Nuclear Regulatory Assurance of Amersham/Medi Physics (IL-01109-01) called late yesterday to report that a package of small activity sources intended for medical use had not arrived at its intended destination. The details are as follows:
"On January 9, a package containing sixty-six sealed iodine-125 sources was sent from the Arlington Heights, IL facility intended for the St. John's Riverside Hospital in Yonkers, New York. The sources are stainless steel encapsulations of I-125, each originally 0.942 millicuries of activity. The total activity at the time of packaging was 62 millicuries. The sources are about the size of a grain of rice and designed for implantation in cancerous tumors of the prostate gland via a needle. The package was shipped in a standard 'Type A' box and had a surface dose rate of less than 0.5 millirem/hr. The package was due to arrive in Yonkers on the 12th of January for a treatment on the 14th. As part of Medi Physics customer service, a routine call to the client revealed that the package had not arrived as of the end of the day on the 12th. When the carrier, Federal Express, was queried by the licensee, Federal Express claimed that the package had been accidentally set aside at their Newark, New Jersey facility with some other packages and would be delivered the next day. Additional tracking by Medi Physics on subsequent days showed that the package never left the Federal Express sorting facility in Newark, New Jersey. To date, efforts by Medi Physics and those reported by Federal Express have not located the missing package.
"As of this time, the activity of each source is 810 microcurie for a total package activity of 53.5 millicuries. Although in the past such packages have been located and recovered and returned to Medi Physics by the carrier, the extended length of time from the date of expected delivery to now is unusual. Both Medi Physics and Federal Express have indicated they will continue monitoring this situation. The U.S. NRC Region III Liaison Officer has been made aware of the situation and has indicated he will contact his U.S. NRC Region I counterpart to advise him of the situation.
"Form of Radioactive Material: SEALED SOURCE
Radionuclide: I-125; Source Use: BRACHYTHERAPY; Activity: 53.5E-3 Curies
Manufacturer: MEDI+PHYSICS, Model Number: 6711; Serial Number: NA"
* * * UPDATE ON 01/23/04 AT 10:27 FROM JOE KINGLER TO ARLON COSTA * * *
Federal Express has located the package containing sixty-six sealed iodine-125 sources in Newark, NJ. Federal Express is in the process of returning the package back to Amersham/Medi. Notified R1DO (Anderson), R3DO (Lanksbury) and NMSS EO (Kokajko).
"The Director of Nuclear Regulatory Assurance of Amersham/Medi Physics (IL-01109-01) called late yesterday to report that a package of small activity sources intended for medical use had not arrived at its intended destination. The details are as follows:
"On January 9, a package containing sixty-six sealed iodine-125 sources was sent from the Arlington Heights, IL facility intended for the St. John's Riverside Hospital in Yonkers, New York. The sources are stainless steel encapsulations of I-125, each originally 0.942 millicuries of activity. The total activity at the time of packaging was 62 millicuries. The sources are about the size of a grain of rice and designed for implantation in cancerous tumors of the prostate gland via a needle. The package was shipped in a standard 'Type A' box and had a surface dose rate of less than 0.5 millirem/hr. The package was due to arrive in Yonkers on the 12th of January for a treatment on the 14th. As part of Medi Physics customer service, a routine call to the client revealed that the package had not arrived as of the end of the day on the 12th. When the carrier, Federal Express, was queried by the licensee, Federal Express claimed that the package had been accidentally set aside at their Newark, New Jersey facility with some other packages and would be delivered the next day. Additional tracking by Medi Physics on subsequent days showed that the package never left the Federal Express sorting facility in Newark, New Jersey. To date, efforts by Medi Physics and those reported by Federal Express have not located the missing package.
"As of this time, the activity of each source is 810 microcurie for a total package activity of 53.5 millicuries. Although in the past such packages have been located and recovered and returned to Medi Physics by the carrier, the extended length of time from the date of expected delivery to now is unusual. Both Medi Physics and Federal Express have indicated they will continue monitoring this situation. The U.S. NRC Region III Liaison Officer has been made aware of the situation and has indicated he will contact his U.S. NRC Region I counterpart to advise him of the situation.
"Form of Radioactive Material: SEALED SOURCE
Radionuclide: I-125; Source Use: BRACHYTHERAPY; Activity: 53.5E-3 Curies
Manufacturer: MEDI+PHYSICS, Model Number: 6711; Serial Number: NA"
* * * UPDATE ON 01/23/04 AT 10:27 FROM JOE KINGLER TO ARLON COSTA * * *
Federal Express has located the package containing sixty-six sealed iodine-125 sources in Newark, NJ. Federal Express is in the process of returning the package back to Amersham/Medi. Notified R1DO (Anderson), R3DO (Lanksbury) and NMSS EO (Kokajko).
Power Reactor
Event Number: 40462
Facility: CALLAWAY
Region: 4 State: MO
Unit: [1] [] []
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: E. HENSON
HQ OPS Officer: MIKE RIPLEY
Region: 4 State: MO
Unit: [1] [] []
RX Type: [1] W-4-LP
NRC Notified By: E. HENSON
HQ OPS Officer: MIKE RIPLEY
Notification Date: 01/21/2004
Notification Time: 17:03 [ET]
Event Date: 01/21/2004
Event Time: 12:30 [CST]
Last Update Date: 02/17/2004
Notification Time: 17:03 [ET]
Event Date: 01/21/2004
Event Time: 12:30 [CST]
Last Update Date: 02/17/2004
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(xiii) - LOSS COMM/ASMT/RESPONSE
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(xiii) - LOSS COMM/ASMT/RESPONSE
Person (Organization):
LINDA HOWELL (R4)
LINDA HOWELL (R4)
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX Crit | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation |
EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SIREN TEMPERATURE SENSITIVITY
"On 1/14/04 a problem with emergency notification sirens was identified and traced to a manufacturing defect in components supplied by Federal Signal Corporation.
"Investigations were initiated to determine if this situation was applicable to Callaway. At 1230, 1/21/04, Federal Signal Corporation notified Callaway Plant that there was a potential for siren inoperability due to a temperature sensitive piece of equipment. It was determined that 19 out of 29 emergency sirens were subject to this potential failure if ambient temperatures fall below approximately 20 degrees F. The model number of the questionable sirens is EOWS612. Callaway conducted a "quiet test" of the questionable sirens and 4 of the sirens indicated a problem. At present the ambient temperature is above 32 degree F and it is believed that the four questionable sirens are not experiencing the temperature related failure. A field test of the four sirens is being conducted this evening to determine their operability. Alternate methods of public notification have been established.
"The failure mechanism has been identified by the vendor and temporary repairs will begin by 1/22/04."
The licensee notified State and local agencies, FEMA, and the NRC Resident Inspector.
****Update on 01/23/04 at 1455 EST by E. Henson taken by MacKinnon****
"This event is an update to EN# 40462 in which Callaway reported that 19 of 29 emergency sirens were potentially susceptible to temperature sensitivity. A field test of four suspect sirens was completed by 1900, 01/21/04, and it was established that all four sirens were operable. All 19 of the emergency sirens using electronic circuits that were potentially susceptible to temperature sensitivity, had temporary heating elements installed on 01/23/04, thus eliminating the temperature sensitivity problem. Federal Signal Corporation expects to have a permanent solution identified and permanent repairs completed within 3 weeks." R4DO (Linda Howell) notified.
The NRC Resident Inspector was notified of this update by the licensee.
* * * UPDATE ON 02/17/04 AT 13:28 EST FROM R. BARTON TO A. COSTA * * *
"This is an update to EN # 40462 in which Callaway reported that 19 of 29 emergency sirens
were potentially susceptible to temperature sensitivity. Permanent repairs were completed 2/13/04 to eliminate
the temperature sensitivity problem. All affected sirens have been successfully tested."
The NRC Resident Inspector will be notified of this update by the licensee. Notified R4DO (Whitten).
"On 1/14/04 a problem with emergency notification sirens was identified and traced to a manufacturing defect in components supplied by Federal Signal Corporation.
"Investigations were initiated to determine if this situation was applicable to Callaway. At 1230, 1/21/04, Federal Signal Corporation notified Callaway Plant that there was a potential for siren inoperability due to a temperature sensitive piece of equipment. It was determined that 19 out of 29 emergency sirens were subject to this potential failure if ambient temperatures fall below approximately 20 degrees F. The model number of the questionable sirens is EOWS612. Callaway conducted a "quiet test" of the questionable sirens and 4 of the sirens indicated a problem. At present the ambient temperature is above 32 degree F and it is believed that the four questionable sirens are not experiencing the temperature related failure. A field test of the four sirens is being conducted this evening to determine their operability. Alternate methods of public notification have been established.
"The failure mechanism has been identified by the vendor and temporary repairs will begin by 1/22/04."
The licensee notified State and local agencies, FEMA, and the NRC Resident Inspector.
****Update on 01/23/04 at 1455 EST by E. Henson taken by MacKinnon****
"This event is an update to EN# 40462 in which Callaway reported that 19 of 29 emergency sirens were potentially susceptible to temperature sensitivity. A field test of four suspect sirens was completed by 1900, 01/21/04, and it was established that all four sirens were operable. All 19 of the emergency sirens using electronic circuits that were potentially susceptible to temperature sensitivity, had temporary heating elements installed on 01/23/04, thus eliminating the temperature sensitivity problem. Federal Signal Corporation expects to have a permanent solution identified and permanent repairs completed within 3 weeks." R4DO (Linda Howell) notified.
The NRC Resident Inspector was notified of this update by the licensee.
* * * UPDATE ON 02/17/04 AT 13:28 EST FROM R. BARTON TO A. COSTA * * *
"This is an update to EN # 40462 in which Callaway reported that 19 of 29 emergency sirens
were potentially susceptible to temperature sensitivity. Permanent repairs were completed 2/13/04 to eliminate
the temperature sensitivity problem. All affected sirens have been successfully tested."
The NRC Resident Inspector will be notified of this update by the licensee. Notified R4DO (Whitten).