| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
02/05/2008 - 02/06/2008 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | General Information or Other | Event Number: 43954 | Rep Org: MA RADIATION CONTROL PROGRAM
Licensee: ALLEGHENY RODNEY
Region: 1
City: NEW BEDFORD State: MA
County:
License #: 15-7052
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: JOHN SUMARES
HQ OPS Officer: BILL HUFFMAN | Notification Date: 02/01/2008
Notification Time: 15:49 [ET]
Event Date: 02/01/2008
Event Time: 13:00 [EST]
Last Update Date: 02/01/2008 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
HAROLD GRAY (R1)
LARRY CAMPER (FSME)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT OF METAL THICKNESS GAUGE MALFUNCTION
The Massachusetts Radiation Control Program (MRCP) reported that a licensee, Allegheny Rodney (metal foil manufacturer), informed the MRCP of a malfunction in a metal thickness measuring gauge. The process gauge is supplied by Integrated Industrial Systems and contains a 1000 milliCurie Am-241source (Serial #1225). The licensee stated that the gauge is not functioning for unknown reasons and a technician from Integrated Industrial Systems will be responding to investigate the problem. There is no evidence at this time of a missing or leaking source.
MRCP intends to follow-up with the licensee early next week after the cause of the gauge malfunction has been determined. |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 43955 | Rep Org: WA DIVISION OF RADIATION PROTECTION
Licensee: ISORAY
Region: 4
City: RICHLAND State: WA
County:
License #: WN-L0213-1
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ARDEN SCROGGS
HQ OPS Officer: BILL HUFFMAN | Notification Date: 02/01/2008
Notification Time: 19:20 [ET]
Event Date: 02/01/2008
Event Time: [PST]
Last Update Date: 02/04/2008 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
MICHAEL HAY (R4)
LARRY CAMPER (FSME)
MATT HAHN (E-MAIL) (ILTA)
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - DEPLETED CESIUM-131 SEEDS LOST FROM DAMAGED PACKAGE DURING SHIPMENT
The State provided the following information via email:
"The Licensee reported by phone that at 2:30 PST today a package of returned and depleted implant seeds containing Cs-131 with a 9.7 day half-life was found damaged upon receipt with some of the contents missing. The package was to have contained 15 seeds that were returned from a customer on the east coast. When the package arrived, the licensee upon receipt inspection noted the package had a hole in it that had been repaired with tape. The receipt inspection also detected higher than expected dose rates at slightly less than 1 mr/hr contact with the package. The package was taken to a controlled area suitable for bio-hazard work and opened by the RSO. The package was opened and discovered with loose seeds in the box. 11 seeds were recovered, 4 seeds are missing. An Isoray facility survey was performed between the receiving area and the controlled area where the package was opened. No additional seeds were located. The sender of the package is being contacted as well as the RSO for FedEx. Highest dose rate on contact with a single seed was 1 mr/hr. The seeds were reported to have aged seven half-lives as of this day and at 1/100th of original strength. The Licensee will update our office [the State of Washington] with additional information when it comes available."
The State does not know who originated the shipment or the initial strength of the CS-131 before the seven half-life decay.
Washington State Report Number: WA-08-007
* * * UPDATE FROM ARDEN SCROOGS TO BILL HUFFMAN ON 2/4/08 AT 1504 EST VIA E-MAIL * * *
The shipment originated from Geisenger Health in Danville, PA, and was shipped by FedEx.
The original strength of the seeds was nominally 4 to 5 millicuries each, or 14 to 20 for the four missing seeds. At seven half-lives, the strength would be approximately 1/100th of the original strength, or 40 to 50 microcuries.
R4DO (Mike Shannon), FSME EO (Larry Camper), ILTAB (Matt Hahn), and R1DO (Christopher Cahill) informed.
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.
This source is not amongst those sources or devices identified by the IAEA Code of Conduct for the Safety & Security of Radioactive Sources to be of concern from a radiological standpoint. Therefore is it being categorized as a less than Category 3 source |
| Hospital | Event Number: 43961 | Rep Org: BOSTON VA HOSPITAL
Licensee: DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Region: 1
City: BOSTON State: MA
County: NORFOLK
License #: 03-23853-01VA
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: DAVID DRUM
HQ OPS Officer: KARL DIEDERICH | Notification Date: 02/05/2008
Notification Time: 15:39 [ET]
Event Date: 02/04/2008
Event Time: 17:45 [EST]
Last Update Date: 02/05/2008 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
20.2202(b)(1) - PERS OVEREXPOSURE/TEDE >= 5 REM
| Person (Organization):
CHRISTOPHER CAHILL (R1)
THOMAS KOZAK (R3)
ANDREW PERSINKO (FSME)
| Event Text POTENTIAL OVER-EXPOSURE OF WORKER WHO OPERATES A FLUOROSCOPY MACHINE
Radiation Safety Officer of Boston VA Hospital made a 24-hour report that that a worker who operates a fluoroscopy machine, which produces x-rays from an accelerator and is used in cardiology, may have received exposure greater than allowed limits. The worker's radiation badge is normally read monthly, with a typical exposure of 80-200 mrem. However, his badge from July 2007 was not read until December 2007. Landauer read the badge on December 23, 2007, and reported a reading of 5,700 mrem, which they reported by letter dated January 23, 2008, to the Radiation Safety Officer, who received the information February 5, 2008. An investigation has commenced to determine whether some of the badge reading may have been when the worker was not wearing the badge, or due to other sources. |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 43963 | Facility: SUSQUEHANNA
Region: 1 State: PA
Unit: [1] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4
NRC Notified By: TODD CREASY
HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH | Notification Date: 02/05/2008
Notification Time: 21:07 [ET]
Event Date: 02/05/2008
Event Time: 18:45 [EST]
Last Update Date: 02/05/2008 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(v)(C) - POT UNCNTRL RAD REL
50.72(b)(3)(v)(D) - ACCIDENT MITIGATION
| Person (Organization):
CHRISTOPHER CAHILL (R1)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 1 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation | | 2 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation | Event Text IRRADIATED FUEL MOVEMENT PERFORMED WITH A REQUIRED ACCIDENT MITIGATION/RADIATION RELEASE SYSTEM BYPASSED
"On February 5, 2008 EST at 1845 hours it was discovered that irradiated fuel moves had been performed during the previous shift with both Unit 1 and Unit 2 refuel floor high exhaust radiation monitors bypassed. The condition affected both Susquehanna Units. The radiation monitors are required to be operable for conditions noted in footnotes (a) and (b) in Technical Specification Tables 3.3.6.2-1 and 3.3.7.1-1 (i.e. operations with a potential for draining the reactor vessel, and during CORE ALTERATIONS and during movement of irradiated fuel assemblies in the secondary containment). The function of these instruments is to initiate systems that limit fission product release during and following certain postulated fuel handling accidents and to minimize the consequences of radioactive material in the control room environment.
"No movement of irradiated fuel assemblies was in progress when the issue was discovered. The event has been determined to be reportable within 8 hours under 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(v)(C) and 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(v)(D)."
The radiation monitors were bypassed on 1/31/08, as allowed, during a fuel pool activity NOT involving fuel movement. Approximately one hour of fuel movement occurred during the time the radiation monitors were bypassed. The oncoming shift manager identified the discrepancy during the shift turnover prior to assuming the shift.
The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector. | |