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Event Notification Report for June 15, 2004

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

EVENT REPORTS FOR
06/14/2004 - 06/15/2004

EVENT NUMBERS
40856

General Information or Other
Event Number: 40856
Rep Org: COLORADO DEPT OF HEALTH
Licensee: PARAGON ANALYTICS, INC
Region: 4
City: FORT COLLINS   State: CO
County:
License #: 847-02
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: JENNIFER OPILA
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF ROTTON
Notification Date: 07/08/2004
Notification Time: 13:38 [ET]
Event Date: 06/15/2004
Event Time: 00:00 [MDT]
Last Update Date: 07/08/2004
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
Person (Organization):
JEFFERY CLARK (R4)
JOHN HICKEY (NMSS)
Event Text
COLORADO AGREEMENT STATE REPORT: REMOVABLE SURFACE CONTAMINATION ABOVE LIMITS

Removable surface contamination test on two sealed sources removed from the same instrument exceeded the 0.005 microCuries limit specified in RH 4.16.5. The first source is a Nickel-63 source, serial number F6499, activity: 13,200 microCuries, activity reference date: 08/31/93, Instrument ID: ECD1, swipe test results - 0.031 microCuries. The second source is a Nickel-63 source, serial number F2069, activity: 13,200 microCuries, activity reference date 05/29/91, Instrument ID: ECD1, swipe test results - 0.018 microCuries.

"The sources were immediately removed from use and the instrument tagged 'out of service.' The usual vendor for cleaning and re-certification of the ECD sources was contacted and is considering options for repair or replacement. The sources will remain under the control of the Radiation Safety Officer until this determination is made. A decision will likely be made within two days, as the repair of the affected instrument is a high priority.

"Additionally, the cabinet that houses the sources in the instrument was swiped, as well as the employee's workstation in the immediate vicinity. These tests showed no removable contamination above the method detection limit of 50 picoCuries."

Colorado Report # I04-20.