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Event Notification Report for March 25, 2009

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
03/24/2009 - 03/25/2009

** EVENT NUMBERS **


44915 44917 44919

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General Information or Other Event Number: 44915
Rep Org: OK DEQ RAD MANAGEMENT
Licensee: WALMART
Region: 4
City: OKLAHOMA CITY State: OK
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: RALPH JOHNSON
HQ OPS Officer: JOE O'HARA
Notification Date: 03/19/2009
Notification Time: 09:14 [ET]
Event Date: 01/07/2009
Event Time: [CDT]
Last Update Date: 03/19/2009
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
MICHAEL HAY (R4)
ANGELA MCINTOSH (FSME)
ILTAB VIA EMAIL ()

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

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST TRITIUM EXIT SIGNS

The State of Oklahoma was notified by a Walmart corporate representative located in Bentonville, AR, indicating that Walmart was unable to account for 276 tritium exit signs (which are general licensed materials) that were used at one time in Walmart stores throughout the State of Oklahoma. The Walmart representative informed the state office that Walmart had exhausted searching for the tritium exit signs and considered them to be lost and/or missing. The State of Oklahoma was provided a listing from corporate Walmart of the store locations along with information on the tritium exit sign manufacturers, model and serial numbers, and curie content where known.


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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General Information or Other Event Number: 44917
Rep Org: WISCONSIN RADIATION PROTECTION
Licensee: UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON
Region: 3
City: MADISON State: WI
County:
License #: 025-1323-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: CHERYL K. ROGERS
HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN
Notification Date: 03/19/2009
Notification Time: 12:57 [ET]
Event Date: 03/19/2009
Event Time: [CDT]
Last Update Date: 03/20/2009
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
MARK RING (R3)
ANGELA McINTOSH (FSME)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT INVOLVING IMPROPERLY PACKAGED MATERIAL

The following information was received from the State of Wisconsin via fax:

"On March 19, 2009 the department received a telephone notification that UW-Madison had received a Yellow II package that exceeded the limits of the external radiation levels permitted for this type of package. The RSO stated that the contents are two sealed sources of Cs-137 with a combined activity of 52 millicuries. The package was not delivered to the Radiation Safety Officer, but was shipped directly to the University calibration lab on March 18, 2009 and received about 3:30 pm. Alarms went off at the loading dock and the calibration lab when the package was delivered. The [transportation index] TI on the package stated 0.2, however, the radiation levels at one meter were 20 mR/hr. The highest reading on contact was 0.9 R/hr. The licensee wipe tested the package and found no removable contamination. The package has been placed in a secured area and has not been opened.

"The RSO has contacted the shipper's contact person at LAC + USC and the courier. The package is approximately 10 inches x 10 inches x 10 inches in size. The State of Wisconsin will continue to monitor the situation, provide assistance as needed to address any jurisdictional issues, and perform independent dose assessments as the public dose limit may have been exceeded."

Wisconsin Event Report ID No.: WI09004

* * * UPDATE AT 1646 EDT ON 03/20/09 FROM CHERYL K. ROGERS TO S. SANDIN * * *

The following information was provided as an update via fax:

"On March 19, 2009 the department received a telephone notification that UW-Madison had received a Yellow II package that exceeded the limits of the external radiation levels permitted for this type of package. The RSO stated that the contents are two sealed sources of Cs-137 with a combined activity of 52 millicuries. The package was not delivered to the Radiation Safety Office as required, but was shipped directly to the University Calibration Lab on March 18, 2009. It was received and signed for at the Wisconsin Institute for Medical Research (WIMR) loading dock at around 9:00 am and delivered to the calibration lab at 9:52 am. An area monitor in the lab shipping/receiving room alarmed when the package was delivered. A student worker immediately notified the Technical Director of the UW Calibration Lab.

"The Director used a meter to identity the package and noted that the exposure rate on one package exceeded 50 mR/hr on contact. The package was placed on a cart and transported to a secure location. The TI on the package stated 0.2, however, the radiation levels at one meter were 20 mR/hr. The highest reading on contact was 0.9 R/hr. The package was approximately 10 inches x 10 inches x 10 inches in size. The licensee conducted a thorough wipe test and confirmed that there was no removable contamination on the outside of the package. He then left a message for UW Safety.

"The call was returned about noon and the Safety Office staff arrived around 2 pm. The RSO and Assistant RSO concluded that the two sealed sources were outside of the lead shielded container due to the high radiation readings on contact with the package. The RSO called the shipper's contact person named on the shipping papers at LA County, University of Southern California and the courier. The individual who had prepared the package stated that the package must have been opened either in transport or by the Calibration Lab. The UW-Madison RSO emphatically stated that the package had not been opened.

"The State of Wisconsin was notified on the morning of March 19, 2009 and made an immediate notification to the NRC Operations Center. Contact was established with the California jurisdiction for the shipper/licensee in order to facilitate contact with the licensee's radiation safety office. The State of Wisconsin inspector made arrangements to be present on the morning of March 20, 2009 to monitor and video the package opening.

"On March 20, 2009, the Director of the UW Radiation Calibration Laboratory carefully opened the package and conducted multiple wipe tests to assure there was no contamination inside the package. The package contained an open lead pig. The sources were loose in the box. One source was located under the bottom of the styrofoam tray and one source was stuck in the styrofoam tray. There were multiple problems with the packaging, markings and shipping paperwork. The main problems were that the lead pig was not adequately taped shut and the inner packaging was not sufficient to hold the pig in place, thus, the pig moved about in the package. It does not appear that this was an approved shipping container. The sealed sources were wipe tested and were not leaking, however, the Director would like to take a closer look at the sources to assure that they were not damaged.

"The State of Wisconsin will continue to monitor the situation, provide assistance as needed to address any jurisdictional issues, and perform independent dose assessments as the public close limit may have been exceeded."

Notified R3DO (Ring) and FSME (Camper).

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General Information or Other Event Number: 44919
Rep Org: PA BUREAU OF RADIATION PROTECTION
Licensee: SAY PLASTICS, INC.
Region: 1
City: McSHERRYSTOWN State: PA
County:
License #: GL
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: DAVID J. ALLARD
HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN
Notification Date: 03/19/2009
Notification Time: 19:32 [ET]
Event Date: 03/04/2009
Event Time: [EDT]
Last Update Date: 03/19/2009
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
ANNE DEFRANCISCO (R1)
LARRY CAMPER (FSME)
ILTAB VIA EMAIL ()

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

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT INVOLVING A MISSING GENERAL LICENSED SOURCE

The following information was received from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania via fax:

"PA DEP Bureau of Radiation Protection [BRP] was notified in writing, dated March 9, 2009, by the Purchasing / Customer representative of Say Plastics. The device has not been found but they will continue to search for it. To prevent future incidents, they have created a sign out sheet that is to be signed when a worker checks the device out and returns the device.

"The State has an inspection scheduled for March 19, 2009 and will continue to keep NRC informed of the status of our investigation.

"Event description: Lost a model P2021 Nuclecel Static Eliminator
"City, State: McSherrystown, PA
"Description: (Serial Number A2GB696) (Manufacturer NRD, LLC) Device was discovered missing on March 4, 2009.
"Eliminator containing Po-210 (originally 10 mCi; decayed to approximately 1.4 mCi)

"PA Event Report ID No: PA090012"

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.

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Thursday, March 25, 2021