Alert

Due to a lapse in appropriations, the NRC has ceased normal operations. However, excepted and exempted activities necessary to maintain critical health and safety functions—as well as essential progress on designated critical activities, including those specified in Executive Order 14300—will continue, consistent with the OMB-Approved NRC Lapse Plan.

Event Notification Report for August 13, 2008

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
08/12/2008 - 08/13/2008

** EVENT NUMBERS **

44395

44397

44398

General Information or Other	Event Number: 44395
Rep Org: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Licensee: GME CONSULTING SERVICES Region: 4 City: DALLAS State: TX County: License #: L-05128 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: ART TUCKER HQ OPS Officer: BILL HUFFMAN	Notification Date: 08/08/2008 Notification Time: 09:46 [ET] Event Date: 08/08/2008 Event Time: 04:00 [CDT] Last Update Date: 08/08/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE	Person (Organization): MICHAEL SHANNON (R4) DUNCAN WHITE (FSME) ILTAB VIA E-MAIL () MEXICO VIA FAX ()

This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material.

Event Text

AGREEEMENT STATE - STOLEN MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE

"At 0828, the Agency [state] received a call from the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) for GME Engineering Consulting Incorporated, stating that Troxler model # 3411 moisture/density (M/D) gauge containing a Cesium (Cs) - 137 source and an Americium (Am) - 241 source had been stolen out of one of their trucks parked at their facility. The technician had returned from a job at about 4:00 AM and went into the office to make copies of some of his documents. When he returned to the truck, he found the lock used to secure the M/D gauge in the truck bed had been cut, and the M/D gauge and transport case were both missing. The cable used in association with the lock to secure the gauge was also damaged. The technician reported the event to his RSO, who notified the Agency. Local Law Enforcement has been informed of the event. The RSO stated that he would supply additional information on the event to the Agency via e-mail.

"The Agency received the following update information. The gauge serial # is 9389 containing one 8.3 millicurie Cs-137 source serial # 40-6732, and one 40.0 millicurie Am-241 source serial # 47-5906. The police arrived at the office at about 9:30 AM and obtained fingerprints from the technician's truck and opened a case file. The Dallas police case number is 245096V."

Texas Incident Report # I-8532

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: 44397
Rep Org: OHIO BUREAU OF RADIATION PROTECTION Licensee: CLEVELAND CLINIC FOUNDATION Region: 3 City: CLEVELAND State: OH County: License #: 02110-18-0013 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: MARK LIGHT HQ OPS Officer: BILL HUFFMAN	Notification Date: 08/08/2008 Notification Time: 11:29 [ET] Event Date: 08/07/2008 Event Time: 14:00 [EDT] Last Update Date: 08/08/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE	Person (Organization): DAVID HILLS (R3) DUNCAN WHITE (FSME)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - UNDEREXPOSURE DURING HDR MEDICAL TREATMENT DUE TO EQUIPMENT MALFUNCTION

The State received notification of a possible medical event due to an equipment malfunction. The licensee was treating a patient for rectal cancer using an HDR Nucleotron Micro Select Model 105.999 Serial 31776. The prescribed treatment consisted of the administration of 29 catheter doses of Iridium-192. During the 12th catheter dose, an equipment malfunction caused a failure of the administered treatment. The failure mode was Code 200 - "No radiation detected." The failure mode caused the unit to stop treatment by not proceeding to the next catheter. Nucleotron immediately contacted. A service technician is expected to arrive on 8/8/08 for repair of the device. Once the HDR unit is repaired, the treatment plan and written directive will be modified and treatment of the patient resumed. Patient and physician have been advised of the treatment interruption and no adverse impact is expected.

The State of Ohio plans to send an inspector to the facility on 8/11/08.

A "Medical Event" may indicate potential problems in a medical facility's use of radioactive materials. It does not necessarily result in harm to the patient.

General Information or Other	Event Number: 44398
Rep Org: WISCONSIN RADIATION PROTECTION Licensee: Region: 3 City: EAU CLAIRE State: WI County: License #: Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: CHRIS TIMMERMAN HQ OPS Officer: JOHN KNOKE	Notification Date: 08/08/2008 Notification Time: 13:38 [ET] Event Date: 08/05/2008 Event Time: [CDT] Last Update Date: 08/08/2008
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE	Person (Organization): DAVID HILLS (R3) DUNCAN WHITE (FSME) ILTAB EMAIL ONLY ()

This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material.

Event Text

LOST RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL FOUND IN SCRAP YARD

"Material received at scrap yard on August 5, 2008. Wisconsin DHS verified via phone that material was locked in a secure location from members of the public. On August 7, 2008 DHS investigated the radioactive material, a compacted 55 gallon drum with multiple pieces of scrap inside drum. A mini-spec GR-135DN was used to determine the source of radiation as Ra-226. Radiation exposure and contamination surveys were conducted on the outside of the compacted drum. The maximum exposure observed was 500 uRem/hr. The contamination survey on the drum found no contamination. DHS staff tried to locate the source of radiation inside the drum where the highest radiation levels were located. During the attempt, several pieces of scrap were removed and surveyed and no radiation above background except for one piece that read above background. Material was properly tagged and bagged. The staffs gloved hands were frisked and contamination was present. Individual doffed gloves and re-performed hand frisk and no contamination was found. The staff halted any further handling activities at this time to prevent any possible spread of contamination. The material was properly tagged, bagged and stored at the scrap yard in a locked holding area that is not accessible by members of the public. DHS is exploring options to properly dispose of this radioactive material."

State Event Report: WI080008

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

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