Event Notification Report for July 1, 2010

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
06/30/2010 - 07/01/2010

** EVENT NUMBERS **


46049 46050 46056 46057

To top of page
General Information or Other Event Number: 46049
Rep Org: SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: F&ME CONSULTANTS
Region: 1
City: NORTH CHARLESTON State: SC
County:
License #: SC-293
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: MELINDA BRADSHAW
HQ OPS Officer: ERIC SIMPSON
Notification Date: 06/28/2010
Notification Time: 10:58 [ET]
Event Date: 06/28/2010
Event Time: 08:00 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 06/28/2010
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
JAMES DWYER (R1DO)
ANGELA MCINTOSH (FSME)
ILTAB via email ()

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

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE - MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE STOLEN FROM JOB SITE

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

"The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC) was notified on Monday, June 28, 2010 at 8:00 a.m. that a Humboldt Model 5001 B, SN 2508, portable moisture density gauge had been stolen from a job site storage unit in North Charleston, SC. The gauge contained 11 milliCuries maximum of Cesium 137 and 44 milliCuries maximum of Americium 241:Be. [An] F&ME employee, notified the SC DHEC that a gauge technician arrived for work Monday morning and discovered that the job site storage trailer had been broken into. [The site RSO] was notified immediately and he in turn called local police and fire department personnel. He also notified SC DHEC of the occurrence. The RSO indicated that the trailer had been secured on Friday evening (June 25) with the gauge locked in its storage container in the locked storage cabinet within the trailer. No work was performed over the weekend. The theft was discovered, as outlined above, early Monday morning. There were a few other items stolen as well - a GPS unit and a computer. An inventory was still underway at the time of this notification. The local police responders were made well aware of what type of gauge this was and were in the process of filling out the police report. The RSO was advised to fax the police report to SC DHEC once he obtained it."

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

To top of page
General Information or Other Event Number: 46050
Rep Org: OK DEQ RAD MANAGEMENT
Licensee: STANDARD TESTING AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
Region: 4
City: TULSA State: OK
County:
License #: OK-17054-03
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: MIKE BRODERICK
HQ OPS Officer: ERIC SIMPSON
Notification Date: 06/28/2010
Notification Time: 17:23 [ET]
Event Date: 06/28/2010
Event Time: 08:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 06/28/2010
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
RICK DEESE (R4DO)
MARK THAGGARD (FSME)
ILTAB via email ()

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

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STOLEN TROXLER GAUGE

The following report was received via email from the State of Oklahoma:

"On June 28, 2010, the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) received notification from Standard Testing and Engineering Company (Standard) of Oklahoma City operating under license number OK-17054-03 that one of Standard's nuclear gauges was stolen from the home of an employee living in Tulsa, OK. The gauge is a Troxler Model 3411B moisture/density gauge, serial number 16968. The gauge contained a 0.30 GBq 137-Cs source serial number 506707 and a 1.48 GBq 241-Am source serial number 4712391. Standard stated that it is against company policy to store gauges at employee residences and that the employee has been terminated. It is unclear at this time if the gauge was properly stored within the gauge restraints that are installed in all Standard company vehicles.

"There is no reason to believe that this is anything other than a common theft. The licensee has notified local law enforcement. The ODEQ is notifying the FBI. The company has not issued a press release. ODEQ will seek to either issue a press release, or have the company issue a press release to help raise public awareness of the appearance of the gauge and the level of risk it poses, in case it is abandoned in a public place."

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

To top of page
Power Reactor Event Number: 46056
Facility: KEWAUNEE
Region: 3 State: WI
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-2-LP
NRC Notified By: MIKE TERRY
HQ OPS Officer: JOE O'HARA
Notification Date: 06/30/2010
Notification Time: 15:37 [ET]
Event Date: 06/30/2010
Event Time: 09:10 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 06/30/2010
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
26.719 - FITNESS FOR DUTY
Person (Organization):
ROBERT DALEY (R3DO)

Unit SCRAM Code RX CRIT Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode
1 N Y 100 Power Operation 100 Power Operation

Event Text

FITNESS FOR DUTY REPORT - CONFIRMED POSITIVE TEST FOR ALCOHOL

A licensed senior operator had a confirmed positive test for alcohol during a random test. The employees access has been suspended. Contact the headquarters Operations Officer for additional details.

To top of page
Power Reactor Event Number: 46057
Facility: SUSQUEHANNA
Region: 1 State: PA
Unit: [1] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4
NRC Notified By: MARTIN LICHTNER
HQ OPS Officer: JOE O'HARA
Notification Date: 06/30/2010
Notification Time: 16:03 [ET]
Event Date: 06/30/2010
Event Time: 09:55 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 06/30/2010
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
Person (Organization):
RAY POWELL (R1DO)

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 Y 100 Power Operation 100 Power Operation

Event Text

OFFSITE NOTIFICATION DUE TO SULFURIC ACID SPILL ONSITE

"At 0955 on June 30, 2010, the Control Room was notified that sulfuric acid was leaking from a temporary acid containment berm onto a gravel surface area adjacent to the containment berm. The quantity of this leak was <5 gallons of approximately 93% concentrated sulfuric acid. The leak was in the non-radiologically controlled area of the plant, associated with a temporary acid injection system for cooling tower water treatment.

"Spill response personnel responded to contain and neutralize the leakage. No material was directly released to any waterway or offsite area. The quantity of material released is below any environmental regulatory limits. Actions are ongoing in removal of the acid from the leaking tank inside the containment berm area. An offsite company with expertise in the handling of this material has been contacted and will be providing assistance with the response efforts.

"A courtesy call was made to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency for an event of potential public interest at 1530 on June 30, 2010."

The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified.

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, March 24, 2021