Event Notification Report for April 07, 2010

FITNESS FOR DUTY REPORT

A non-licensed contract employee had a confirmed positive for alcohol during a fitness-for-duty test. The contractor's access to the facility has been terminated. Contact the Headquarters Operations Officer for further details.

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

AGREEMENT STATE - RADIOGRAPHY TRUCK INVOLVED IN AUTO ACCIDENT

"On April 7, 2010 at approximately 1430 CST the Incident Investigation Program was notified by the licensee's Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) that one of the licensee's trucks carrying a camera with a 24 curie Iridium (Ir) 192 source had been involved in a car accident around 1300 CST that same day. The RSO stated that the radiography truck had collided head on with a tractor-trailer on a highway approximately 8-10 miles east of Kosse, Texas. One of the radiographers was fatally wounded and the other was rushed to the hospital. Consequently, no one was able to perform a survey to verify the source was intact in the camera as well as secure the camera. The RSO stated that the Robinson County Emergency Management Coordinator was on the scene along with police and fire personnel, as well as Texas Department of Transportation. The RSO stated that none of the emergency personnel responding were equipped with a radiation survey meter to verify the source locale. The RSO stated that the Site Radiation Safety Officer was en route to the scene to perform a survey and retrieve the camera, but he was almost two hours away. The Emergency Management Coordinator had cordoned off the area around the radiography camera. I contacted an Agency investigator who was near the area performing field work, and he agreed to go by the location and perform a survey because he could be there within 45 minutes. At approximately 1630, the investigator arrived on the scene and performed his survey. The investigator stated that it appeared the source was still housed in the camera and that the highest dose rate was 2.2 millirems/hour near the camera. The site RSO arrived on the scene, and the investigator briefed him on the survey. The information was passed to the RSO and he agreed to submit a report to the Agency."

Texas Incident #: I-8728

AGREEMENT STATE - DEPLETED URANIUM FOUND IN SCRAP METAL

A scrap yard located in Seguin, TX was processing a rail car loaded with scrap metal when their radiation detectors alarmed. When the load was investigated a Varian Linear Accelerator was found (serial number 71). The source of radiation was determined to be from approximately 100 lbs. depleted Uranium contained in the unit.

The shipment originated from Austin, TX.


* * * RETRACTION FROM RAY JISHA TO CHARLES TEAL ON 4/8/10 AT 1302 * * *

Additional investigation determined that the Varian CLINAC 18 accelerator does not contain depleted Uranium. The shields in this model are made of tungsten.

SPILL OF WATER CONTAINING TRITIUM

"Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN) is notifying state and local agencies of a spill of water containing tritium as specified in section 2.2.a.iii, of Nuclear Energy Institute document NEI 07-07 entitled 'Industry Groundwater Protection Initiative.' On April 7, 2010 from 02:30 to 03:00, BFN operations personnel were transferring water from one Condensate Storage Tank (CST 3) to another Condensate Storage Tank (CST 5). At 08:25, an operator conducting rounds noticed water flowing from an open test valve near the top of CST 5. The estimated flow rate from the test valve was approximately two gallons per minute (gpm). Attempts to isolate the open test valve by plant operations personnel were unsuccessful. Plant operations personnel lowered level in CST 5 and water flowing from the test valve stopped at 10:35.

"The volume of water spilled to ground is estimated to be approximately 1,000 gallons. At 16:10, laboratory analysis results indicated this water contained 2.05 E-03 uCi/ml tritium. Mitigative actions will be developed and implemented. BFN Procedure: SPP 5.14 requires that state and local agencies be notified within one business day of verification of a discovery when: ' the spill or leak has or can potentially migrate to groundwater: 1. An unmonitored and inadvertent contaminated leak or spill of liquids of unknown volume and reasonably determined to be greater than 100 gallons to the environment occurs '

"This event is reportable as a 4-hour non-emergency notification report in accordance with 10 CFR 50.72(b)(2)(xi), 'Any event or situation, related to the health and safety of the public or onsite personnel, or protection of the environment, for which a news release is planned or notification to other government agencies has been or will be made.'"

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.