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 April 14, 2009

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
04/13/2009 - 04/14/2009

** EVENT NUMBERS **

44977

44980

General Information or Other	Event Number: 44977
Rep Org: MA RADIATION CONTROL PROGRAM Licensee: THERMO NITON ANALYZERS Region: 1 City: BILLERICA State: MA County: License #: 55-0238 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: JOHN SUMARES HQ OPS Officer: DAN LIVERMORE	Notification Date: 04/08/2009 Notification Time: 14:45 [ET] Event Date: 04/06/2009 Event Time: 13:20 [EDT] Last Update Date: 04/08/2009
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE	Person (Organization): LAWRENCE DOERFLEIN (R1) MARK DELLIGATTI (FSME)

Event Text

CONTAMINATED SEALED SOURCES RECEIVED IN TWO SHIPMENTS

The following information was provided by the state via fax:

"On 4/6/09, the Agency [MA Radiation Control Program] received written notification from Thermo NITON Analyzers that they had received 2 shipments of Isotope Products Laboratory Model XFB-3 Cd-109 sources, both of which contained a few contaminated sealed sources. On 9/9/08, NITON received a shipment of 45 sealed sources containing 40 mCi of Cd-109 each and 3 of the sources were found to be contaminated. On 10/13/08, NITON received a shipment of 30 sealed sources containing 10 mCi of Cd-109 each and 3 of the sources were contaminated. The licensee, NITON, returned the sources to IPL for evaluation. IPL's evaluation concluded the sources were contaminated and not leaking. The licensee stated that a notification was drafted in October 2008, however, an oversight occurred and inadvertently the notification was not submitted."

Massachusetts Docket No.: 04-8408

General Information or Other	Event Number: 44980
Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM Licensee: BECKMAN INSTRUMENTS Region: 4 City: FULLERTON State: CA County: License #: 1313-30GL Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: KATHLEEN HARKNESS HQ OPS Officer: DAN LIVERMORE	Notification Date: 04/09/2009 Notification Time: 17:07 [ET] Event Date: 12/09/2008 Event Time: [PDT] Last Update Date: 04/09/2009
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE	Person (Organization): LAWRENCE DOERFLEIN (R1) MARK DELLIGATTI (FSME) BLAIR SPITZBERG (R4)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LEAKING CS-137 SCINTILLATION COUNTER CHECK SOURCE

Received the following information via fax:

"On April 2, 2009, [deleted] Radiation Safety and Control Services, a New Hampshire Health Physics company [located in Stratham, NH] reported that a Beckman scintillation counter (model 3801, # 7014048) owned by them is believed to have a leaking Cs-137 check source. The instrument was not operating properly. In December 2008, a technical support person was called, who determined the source was not reaching the sample. During an inspection of the source mechanism, a smear of the exposed spring that push[e]s the source revealed 500 cpm of removable contamination by direct frisk of the Q-tip. More smears were taken and two near the spring indicated 4,285 and 5,586 dpm beta when counted on a LSC on December 10, 2008. This LSC contains a 40 microCi cesium 137 check source, part number 598860, # 60219005-A originally dated August 18, 1986. The device was taken out of service immediately and labeled as internally contaminated. Follow-up with Beckman Instruments will take place regarding replacement of the source and decontamination efforts."

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