| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
09/05/2006 - 09/06/2006 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | General Information or Other | Event Number: 42818 | Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM
Licensee: GEOCON INC.
Region: 4
City: SAN DIEGO State: CA
County:
License #: 3924
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: DONELLE KRAJEWSKI
HQ OPS Officer: JOE O'HARA | Notification Date: 08/31/2006
Notification Time: 14:06 [ET]
Event Date: 08/31/2006
Event Time: 09:00 [PDT]
Last Update Date: 09/01/2006 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
CHUCK CAIN (R4)
ILTAB VIA E-MAIL ()
MEXICO (CNSNS) ()
JOSEPH GIITTER (NMSS)
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT OF A STOLEN TROXLER MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE
The licensee, GEOCON Inc., license number 3924, reports that a Troxler Moisture Density Gauge Model No. 3440, S/N 33526 was stolen on 8/31/06. The gauge was secured in its case in a locked storage container in the rear of a locked pickup truck parked in front of the employees residence. When the employee went to his vehicle this morning at approximately 0900, he discovered that the vehicle was missing. The gauge contained 8 milli curies of Cs-137 and 40 milli Curies of Am-241/Be. The employee filed a report with the City of San Diego Police Department. The case number is 0630914N and the incident number is 66956.
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. |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 42821 | Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM
Licensee: SALEM ENGINEERING GROUP, INC
Region: 4
City: FRESNO State: CA
County:
License #: 7245-10
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: K. ARUNIKA HEWADIKAR
HQ OPS Officer: JOE O'HARA | Notification Date: 08/31/2006
Notification Time: 15:33 [ET]
Event Date: 08/30/2006
Event Time: 15:00 [PDT]
Last Update Date: 09/01/2006 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
CHUCK CAIN (R4)
ILTAB VIA E-MAIL ()
MEXICO (CNSNS) ()
JOSEPH GIITTER (NMSS)
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST OR STOLEN HUMBOLDT GAUGE
The State provided the following information via facsimile:
"On 8/31/06 the licensee contacted the Radiological Health Branch (RHB) and the Operations Emergency Services (OES) to notify them that one of their Humboldt Scientific gauges, Model 5001C, S/N 1758 containing 10 milli Ci of Cs-137 and 40 milli Ci of [Am]-241 had fallen off from a truck during transportation. The RHB Richmond office contacted the ARSO on 08/31/06 and learned the following:
"On 8/30/06 the gauge operator finished a job in Tulare, CA, and left the jobsite around 3:00 p.m. to go to another jobsite in Fresno, CA. When he arrived at the jobsite in Fresno, the operator noticed that the gauge was missing. He had not made any stops on his way to Fresno from Tulare. According to the ARSO, the operator had placed the gauge in the back of the truck without storing it in a type A container and it was not blocked and braced during transportation. When the operator learned that the gauge was missing, he failed to notify the RSO/ARSO. The ARSO was notified of the incident by the operator around 7:30 am on 8/31/06. They immediately contacted the RHB and OES. The ARSO also notified the Fresno CHP and the police departments in the cities of Tulare, Visalia, Kingston, Selma, Sower, and Fresno. The Fresno CHP had notified Caltrans. The RHB advised him to post a reward for $1000.00 in local newspapers for safe return of the gauge. RHB will be investigating the items of non-compliance associated with this incident."
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. |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 42823 | Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM
Licensee: ADAMS STEEL
Region: 4
City: ANAHEIM State: CA
County: LOS ANGELES
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ROBERT GREGOR
HQ OPS Officer: JASON KOZAL | Notification Date: 08/31/2006
Notification Time: 20:29 [ET]
Event Date: 08/29/2006
Event Time: 13:00 [PDT]
Last Update Date: 08/31/2006 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
CHUCK CAIN (R4)
JOSEPH GIITTER (NMSS)
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - INAPPROPRIATE DISPOSAL OF SOURCE
The State provided the following information via email:
"A truck carrying waste materials from Adams Steel in Anaheim set off the radiation alarm at the Simi Valley Landfill on 8/29/06. The landfill monitor reading was approximately 600K (bkg 4K). LA County [DELETED] responded to the landfill on 8/30/06 and identified the nuclide as Cs-137, with radiation levels of 13 mR/hr on the side of the truck, 1.2 mR/hr at 3 feet from the side of the truck, and background in the cab of truck. Based on these radiation readings, it appears the source is located approximately 1 foot inside of the truck and is approximately 10 milliCi in activity. A DOT exemption form was completed by LA County and the truck returned to the Adams Steel yard late on 8/30/06, and parked in a remote location. LAC completed their own 5010 (082906) on the response to Simi Valley.
"RHB responded to Adams Steel on 8/31/06, and located an approximate 7 milliCi Cs-137 bare source, located approximately 3 feet from the top of the trailer load and approximately 1 foot in from the side of the trailer. The source was taken by RHB to hold until Adams Steel can arrange for disposal of the source."
California incident #083006
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. |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 42825 | Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM
Licensee: GEOSYNTEC CONSULTANTS
Region: 4
City: SAN FRANCISCO State: CA
County:
License #: 6379-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: K. ARUNIKA HEWADIKARAM
HQ OPS Officer: JOE O'HARA | Notification Date: 09/01/2006
Notification Time: 12:23 [ET]
Event Date: 08/31/2006
Event Time: 14:00 [PDT]
Last Update Date: 09/01/2006 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
CHUCK CAIN (R4)
GREG MORELL (NMSS)
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - DAMAGED TROXLER MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE
The State provided the following information via facsimile:
"On 8/31/06, the Geosyntec RSO contacted the Radiologic Health Branch (RHB), Richmond office to notify that one of their Troxler gauges, Model 3430, S/N 28743 containing 8 mCi of Cs-137 and 40 mCi of [Am]-241 had been run over by a compactor at a job site in South San Francisco (333 Oyster Point Blvd.) around 2:00 pm. The RSO stated that the gauge operator tried to stop the compactor backing up towards the gauge but it was unsuccessful due to the noise. The gauge was severely damaged with the source rod in an unshielded position. The RSO contacted Troxler to have the unshielded source transported for disposal. Troxler was not able to provide transportation on 08/31/06. Per RSO, the gauge is secured on the job site inside a locked storage container and the unshielded rod is placed in a 5 gallon bucket of soil. They expect to transport the damaged gauge as soon as assistance from a local gauge manufacturer is received. The RHB will investigate this incident for any items of non-compliance."
The State has indicated that the licensee intends to contact Campbell Pacific Nuclear (CPN) to transport the damaged gauge. |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 42826 | Rep Org: WA DIVISION OF RADIATION PROTECTION
Licensee: TERRA ASSOCIATES, INC.
Region: 4
City: KIRKLAND State: WA
County:
License #: WN-I0246-1
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ARDEN SCROGGS
HQ OPS Officer: JASON KOZAL | Notification Date: 09/01/2006
Notification Time: 13:51 [ET]
Event Date: 08/29/2006
Event Time: [PDT]
Last Update Date: 09/01/2006 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
CHUCK CAIN (R4)
CINDY FLANNERY (NMSS)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE - TEMPORARILY MISSING TROXLER
The State provided the following information via email:
"Washington State DOH was notified of a missing gauge 31 August 2006 by the licensee's radiation safety officer (RSO).
"A portable gauge (Troxler model 3440, serial number 14393), had been checked out by an authorized gauge user on 29 August for transport to a temporary job-site. The gauge user had secured the gauge in a personal vehicle that day. As of the morning of 31 August, the user had not been heard from or seen since 29 August. Phone calls were made to the user's emergency contact numbers by the company RSO on 29 & 30 August trying to locate the user and gauge. The calls were unsuccessful with locating the person or gauge.
"The licensee had issued the user a corporate cell phone upon hiring. Previous attempts to call the cell phone had failed. On 31 August, attempts to call the cell phone confirmed it was in service. The RSO was able to trace the location of the cell phone via its GPS (global positioning system) feature. Both the job supervisor and RSO went to the cell phone's location and found the vehicle, the gauge & the user. The gauge was locked inside the transport container, and had been locked, at all times, inside the vehicle's trunk. The gauge had been secured and in possession of the user at all times even though the user had been out of touch.
"Corrective actions can be difficult when personnel choose to disregard established policies / procedures. The user was properly trained, approved & had a satisfactory work-history. Corrective actions will include refresher training and discussions with all staff about following state and company rules.
"The incident was successfully concluded due to the powerful GPS resource in the cell phone. Decisive action by the licensee & the employee's job service supervisor allowed for the retrieval of the gauge. Requesting law enforcement involvement was done but played no part in recovery since the gauge was found relatively quickly.
"No known media attention.
"Notification Reporting Criteria: Immediate notification per WAC 246-221-240.
"Isotope and Activity involved: 1 portable gauge, containing 2 sealed sources: one gamma source containing 8 millicuries cesium-137, and one neutron source containing 40 millicuries americium-241 / beryllium."
Washington State event number WA-06-052 |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 42827 | Facility: CALVERT CLIFFS
Region: 1 State: MD
Unit: [ ] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] CE,[2] CE
NRC Notified By: C.B. MORGAN
HQ OPS Officer: PETE SNYDER | Notification Date: 09/05/2006
Notification Time: 16:37 [ET]
Event Date: 09/05/2006
Event Time: 16:00 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 09/05/2006 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
| Person (Organization):
WILLIAM COOK (R1)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 2 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation | Event Text OFFSITE NOTIFICATION RELATED TO JELLYFISH INFLUX
On 9/4/06 at approximately 1633, the licensee secured circulating water pump no. 26 due to a significant influx of jellyfish. Per the licensee's NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) permit, the licensee is required to notify the Maryland Department of Environment of any significant aquatic impact on plant operation. The licensee remained at 100% power throughout. On 9/4/06 at approximately 1703, the licensee restarted the no. 26 circulating water pump.
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.
See similar Event Notifications 42699, 42700, 42702, and 42704. | |