| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
03/24/2010 - 03/25/2010 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | General Information or Other | Event Number: 45777 | Rep Org: ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: NUCOR-YAMATO STEEL
Region: 4
City: BLYTHEVILLE State: AR
County:
License #: N/A
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: KAYLA AVERY
HQ OPS Officer: DONALD NORWOOD | Notification Date: 03/19/2010
Notification Time: 12:26 [ET]
Event Date: 03/17/2010
Event Time: [CDT]
Last Update Date: 03/19/2010 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
WAYNE WALKER (R4DO)
ANGELA MCINTOSH (FSME)
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - DISCOVERY OF A SEALED SOURCE IN A LOAD OF SCRAP METAL
The following information was received via E-mail:
"The following are the findings of the Arkansas Department of Health, Radioactive Materials Program, concerning Event Number 03-10-01 involving an unknown radioactive source at Nucor-Yamato Steel in Blytheville, Arkansas. The Department was contacted on March 17, 2010 indicating that a sealed source had been discovered in a load of scrap metal. The isotope/activity of the sealed source is unknown at this time. It was also stated that survey readings were 50 mR/hr. Health Physicists from the Arkansas Department of Health went to Nucor-Yamato Steel. [Upon discovery], the cylinder-shaped source had been placed in a metal bucket and then put in a 55 gallon metal drum. Readings inside the barrel with the survey meter probe close to the source, the actual readings were 100-140 mR/hr. After all the shielding was in place, a survey was taken with the highest reading being 0.7 mR/hr at the surface of the drum, and the T.I. index [transport index] was 0.2 mR/hr. The drum containing the source was secured in the back of the state vehicle and transported to the Arkansas Department of Health, Radiation Control in Little Rock, Arkansas.
"The source is awaiting pickup by American Radiation Services for transport to their storage location in New Orleans, Louisiana. Further information and identification of the isotope and activity are pending the report from the vendor.
"The State of Louisiana has been notified."
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "NOT RECORDED" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
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 |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 45778 | Rep Org: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: STRUCTURAL METALS, INC.
Region: 4
City: SEGUIN State: TX
County:
License #: LO-2188
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ANNIE BACKHAUS
HQ OPS Officer: DONALD NORWOOD | Notification Date: 03/19/2010
Notification Time: 12:50 [ET]
Event Date: 03/19/2010
Event Time: [CDT]
Last Update Date: 03/22/2010 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
WAYNE WALKER (R4DO)
ANGELA MCINTOSH (FSME)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STUCK SHUTTER ON FIXED PROCESS GAUGE
The following information was received via E-mail:
"On March 19, 2010, at 1130 hours, the Agency [Texas Department of State Health Services] received a telephone call from the licensee [Structural Metals, Inc. DBA: CMC Steel Texas] stating that the shutter on one of their gauges was stuck. The gauge houses a Cobalt (Co)-60 source. The shutter stuck in the open position, [which is] the normal operating position. Dose rates taken in the area were normal, and the licensee has contacted a repair company to have the shutter fixed sometime next week. The licensee will not be using the gauge until it is fixed, and has agreed to update the Agency as information is received.
"Texas Incident #: I-8725"
* * * UPDATE ON 3/22/10 AT 1442 FROM TEXAS (ROBERT FREE) TO HUFFMAN * * *
The following information was received from the State of Texas via e-mail:
"A Co-60 gauge [was reported by the licensee to have been] damaged by molten steel during a pouring operation. The area was secured from personnel entry until the licensee authorized to conduct recovery operations arrives on site today to begin recovery operation. No model or serial number is available at this time. [The Texas Dept. of Health Radiation Branch] will provide an update as more complete information is available."
* * * UPDATE ON 3/22/10 AT 1744 FROM TEXAS (ROBERT FREE) TO HUFFMAN * * *
The following information was received from the State of Texas via e-mail:
"The event description should indicate that there was molten metal splashed or poured over the gauge. The gauge shutter mechanism remained open. The company, Structural Metals (CMC), did not know the status of the gauge until today. The gauge was recovered by a licensed contractor and the shielding was found to be intact. The only damage to the gauge was the mechanism used to open and close the shutter. The gauge will be repaired or replaced."
R4DO (Deese) and FSME EO (Luehman) notified. |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 45781 | Rep Org: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: PROTECHNICS
Region: 4
City: ALICE State: TX
County: JIM WELLS
License #: 03835
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ART TUCKER
HQ OPS Officer: VINCE KLCO | Notification Date: 03/20/2010
Notification Time: 01:35 [ET]
Event Date: 03/19/2010
Event Time: 23:20 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 03/20/2010 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
WAYNE WALKER (R4DO)
JIM LUEHMAN (FSME)
LANCE ENGLISH (ILTA)
MEXICO VIA FAX ()
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material. | Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - THEFT OF LICENSED MATERIALS
The following information was received by e-mail:
"On March 19, 2010 at 2350 hours, the Agency [Texas Department of State Health Services-Radiation Branch] was notified by the licensee's Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) that 120 milliCuries of Iridium (Ir)-192 was stolen from one of their trucks parked at a Wal-Mart parking lot in Alice, Texas at about 2320 hours. The Ir-192 was contained in six, 20 milliliter vials each containing 20 millicuries (15 grams) of Ir-192 in the form of zero wash [isotope tracer]. Each vial was placed into a labeled lead pig and each pig was then shrink wrapped. The six pigs were then placed into a zip lock bag. The zip lock bag was placed into a tool box in the back of the pick up truck. The licensee stated that the employee had stopped at the Wal-Mart on their way to a job site in south Texas. The RSO stated that the tool box was not locked and other items were stolen from the tool box. The tool box did not have any labeling on it. The RSO stated that the employee did not perform a radiation survey of the pigs, but he estimated the dose rate to be about 100 millirem per hour on the outside of the tool box. Local law enforcement was notified of the theft. Additional information will be provided as it is received."
Texas Incident Number: I-8730
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. 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 |
| General Information or Other | Event Number: 45782 | Rep Org: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: WEATHERFORD US LP
Region: 4
City: BENBROOK State: TX
County:
License #: L-00747
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: BOB FREE
HQ OPS Officer: BILL HUFFMAN | Notification Date: 03/22/2010
Notification Time: 17:36 [ET]
Event Date: 03/19/2010
Event Time: [CDT]
Last Update Date: 03/22/2010 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
RICK DEESE (R4DO)
JIM LUEHMAN (FSME)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - WELL LOGGING TOOL EJECTED DURING WELL BLOW-OUT
The following information was received from the State of Texas via e-mail:
"Weatherford personnel were logging a well in Howard County, Texas when a blow out occurred. The logging tool was at 3500 feet when the tool and wireline were ejected from the well bore. The blow out preventer did not stop the tool and wireline from being ejected onto the surface. The crew evacuated the drilling rig due to the hazards associated with the high downhole pressure. Initially it was unknown whether the logging tool was still in the hole. A logging company manager conducted radiation surveys and found the tool, with the sources still in place near the logging truck. The sources were secured in their transport shields and returned to the company office for leak testing. At this point, there is no estimate of exposures to personnel at the well site."
Texas Report # I-8726 | |