Event Notification Report for October 20, 2009
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
10/19/2009 - 10/20/2009
General Information or Other
Event Number: 45457
Rep Org: ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: SOUTHERN SCRAP
Region: 4
City: BLYTHEVILLE State: AR
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: KAYLA AVERY
HQ OPS Officer: MARK ABRAMOVITZ
Licensee: SOUTHERN SCRAP
Region: 4
City: BLYTHEVILLE State: AR
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: KAYLA AVERY
HQ OPS Officer: MARK ABRAMOVITZ
Notification Date: 10/23/2009
Notification Time: 11:18 [ET]
Event Date: 10/20/2009
Event Time: 15:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 06/09/2010
Notification Time: 11:18 [ET]
Event Date: 10/20/2009
Event Time: 15:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 06/09/2010
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
10 CFR Section:
Person (Organization):
NEIL OKEEFE (R4DO)
ANGELA MCINTOSH (FSME)
NEIL OKEEFE (R4DO)
ANGELA MCINTOSH (FSME)
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - RADIUM SOURCE FOUND IN SCRAP METAL
The following information was received from the state via e-mail:
"Nucor-Yamato Steel in Blytheville, Arkansas reported to the Arkansas Radiation Control Program on October 20, 2009, that they believed a source had been found in a load of scrap metal received at their facility. The shipper for this load of scrap metal was Southern Scrap, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
"Radiation surveys conducted by steel mill personnel indicated an on contact reading of 5.0 mR/hr.
"Health Physicists from the Arkansas Radiation Control Program responded to Nucor-Yamato Steel in Blytheville, Arkansas on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 arriving at 3:00 p.m.
"The device is 20 inches long and 6 inches square. The only identifying marks are a plate labeled 'MFD BY S.H. COUCH CO INC' and appears to be a type of selector switch containing a Radium-226 backlight. The switch can select 'AFT STA' or 'WHEEL HSE.'
"Survey readings at the selector switch were 5.5 mR/hr. Removable contamination (not quantified) was found on smears of the device taken in the field.
"The device was packaged and transported to the Arkansas Department of Health and is currently in a secured storage area. The Department continues to investigate this incident to determine the identity of the device as well as the owner."
* * * UPDATE FROM KAYLA AVERY TO HOWIE CROUCH VIA EMAIL AT 1627 EDT ON 6/9/10 * * *
"An employee of American Radiation Services, Inc. (ARS) arrived in Little Rock on March 19, 2010 to retrieve the unknown source. The source was packaged and transported to Port Allen, Louisiana where ARS determined that it was a Radium-226 source of approximately 2.4 mCi. The manufacturer, model number and serial number are still unknown. ADCO Services, Inc. picked up the source from ARS on April 30, 2010 and transported it to Tinley Park, Illinois where it is waiting disposal.
"The Arkansas Department of Health considers this incident to be closed."
Notified R4DO (Powers) and FSME (Mauer).
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. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf
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
The following information was received from the state via e-mail:
"Nucor-Yamato Steel in Blytheville, Arkansas reported to the Arkansas Radiation Control Program on October 20, 2009, that they believed a source had been found in a load of scrap metal received at their facility. The shipper for this load of scrap metal was Southern Scrap, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
"Radiation surveys conducted by steel mill personnel indicated an on contact reading of 5.0 mR/hr.
"Health Physicists from the Arkansas Radiation Control Program responded to Nucor-Yamato Steel in Blytheville, Arkansas on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 arriving at 3:00 p.m.
"The device is 20 inches long and 6 inches square. The only identifying marks are a plate labeled 'MFD BY S.H. COUCH CO INC' and appears to be a type of selector switch containing a Radium-226 backlight. The switch can select 'AFT STA' or 'WHEEL HSE.'
"Survey readings at the selector switch were 5.5 mR/hr. Removable contamination (not quantified) was found on smears of the device taken in the field.
"The device was packaged and transported to the Arkansas Department of Health and is currently in a secured storage area. The Department continues to investigate this incident to determine the identity of the device as well as the owner."
* * * UPDATE FROM KAYLA AVERY TO HOWIE CROUCH VIA EMAIL AT 1627 EDT ON 6/9/10 * * *
"An employee of American Radiation Services, Inc. (ARS) arrived in Little Rock on March 19, 2010 to retrieve the unknown source. The source was packaged and transported to Port Allen, Louisiana where ARS determined that it was a Radium-226 source of approximately 2.4 mCi. The manufacturer, model number and serial number are still unknown. ADCO Services, Inc. picked up the source from ARS on April 30, 2010 and transported it to Tinley Park, Illinois where it is waiting disposal.
"The Arkansas Department of Health considers this incident to be closed."
Notified R4DO (Powers) and FSME (Mauer).
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. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf
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
Power Reactor
Event Number: 45448
Facility: PALO VERDE
Region: 4 State: AZ
Unit: [1] [2] [3]
RX Type: [1] CE,[2] CE,[3] CE
NRC Notified By: DANIEL HAUTALA
HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN
Region: 4 State: AZ
Unit: [1] [2] [3]
RX Type: [1] CE,[2] CE,[3] CE
NRC Notified By: DANIEL HAUTALA
HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN
Notification Date: 10/20/2009
Notification Time: 17:36 [ET]
Event Date: 10/20/2009
Event Time: 07:10 [MST]
Last Update Date: 10/20/2009
Notification Time: 17:36 [ET]
Event Date: 10/20/2009
Event Time: 07:10 [MST]
Last Update Date: 10/20/2009
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
26.719 - FITNESS FOR DUTY
10 CFR Section:
26.719 - FITNESS FOR DUTY
Person (Organization):
NEIL OKEEFE (R4DO)
NEIL OKEEFE (R4DO)
| 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 | N | 0 | Refueling | 0 | Refueling |
| 3 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation |
RANDOM FITNESS FOR DUTY FAILURE
A non-licensed contract supervisor had a confirmed positive for illegal drugs during a random fitness-for-duty test. The employees access to the plant has been terminated. Contact the Headquarters Operations Officer for additional details.
The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector.
A non-licensed contract supervisor had a confirmed positive for illegal drugs during a random fitness-for-duty test. The employees access to the plant has been terminated. Contact the Headquarters Operations Officer for additional details.
The licensee has notified the NRC Resident Inspector.