| U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center Event Reports For
02/03/2011 - 02/04/2011 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
 | Agreement State | Event Number: 46577 | Rep Org: MA RADIATION CONTROL PROGRAM
Licensee: MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
Region: 1
City: BOSTON State: MA
County: SUFFOLK
License #: RCN01762
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ANTHONY CARPENITO
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN SHOEMAKER | Notification Date: 01/31/2011
Notification Time: 13:59 [ET]
Event Date: 01/13/2011
Event Time: [EST]
Last Update Date: 01/31/2011 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
JAMES DWYER (R1DO)
RICHARD TURTIL (FSME)
| Event Text AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - POTENTIAL DOSE EXCEEDING ANNUAL OCCUPATIONAL DOSE LIMIT FOR ADULTS
The following was received via email:
"On 1/13/11, the licensee reported to the Agency [Massachusetts Radiation Control Program] a potential dose exceeding the adult occupational total effective dose equivalent limit of 5 rem. The situation causing this event occurred during late December 2010, when a number of emergency repairs within a cyclotron were conducted over several days. The potential for overexposure was suspected on 1/5/11. A dosimeter exposure readings report of the [Optically Stimulated Luminescence OSL) was received by the licensee from the dosimeter service, after quick read, on 1/13/11. Affected individual's annual TEDE reported at 5457 mrem. Exposure (1596 mrem) obtained by official [OSL) dosimeters worn during cyclotron repair operations differed significantly from exposure (620 mrem) obtained by electronic dosimeter worn simultaneously during cyclotron repair operations. Electronic dosimeters are used by individuals for real-time readings during the repair operations. The licensee removed affected individual from any potentially high exposure operations.
"Investigation ongoing. Intermediate and draft reports have been received. Awaiting final written report by licensee.
"The Agency considers this event to still be OPEN."
Massachusetts Event # 01-9454.
Notified R1DO (Dwyer) and FSME (McIntosh). |
| Agreement State | Event Number: 46579 | Rep Org: MA RADIATION CONTROL PROGRAM
Licensee: QSA GLOBAL, INC.
Region: 1
City: BURLINGTON State: MA
County: MIDDLESEX
License #: 12-8361
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: JOSH DAEHLER
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN SHOEMAKER | Notification Date: 02/01/2011
Notification Time: 10:07 [ET]
Event Date: 01/26/2011
Event Time: [EST]
Last Update Date: 02/01/2011 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
JAMES DWYER (R1DO)
ANGELA MCINTOSH (FSME)
|
| This material event contains a "Category 3" level of radioactive material. | Event Text MISSING RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL SHIPMENT
The following Agreement State Report was received via email:
"On Wednesday January 26, 2011 QSA shipped a radioactive [High Dose Rate] HDR source to Memorial Hospital SW Cancer Center in Houston, TX. It was scheduled to deliver on Friday January 28. On Monday January 31, the [common carrier] tracking website still showed it as ''At dest sort facility" in Houston, TX. The [common carrier] was called to track the package, and we [Massachusetts Radiation Control Program] were told that it was actually still in Memphis, TN. A trace was requested. The [common carrier] said they would inform us with any new information. As of this morning Tuesday February 1, there was no news, so the [common carrier] was called. We were informed that the package was indeed LOST. We gave the [common carrier] a physical description of the package, and informed them of the importance of locating this package due to the fact that it was radioactive. They will call with any results.
"The specifics of the package are as follows:
Isotope - Ir-192
Activity - 10.951 Ci / 405.2. GBq
Container s/n - 81C6
Source s/n - D36C-6084
Surface reading - 26.0 mr/hr
Transport Index - 0.4"
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "CATEGORY 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Category 3 sources, if not safely managed or securely protected, could cause permanent injury to a person who handled them, or were otherwise in contact with them, for some hours. It could possibly - although it is unlikely - be fatal to be close to this amount of unshielded radioactive material for a period of days to weeks. These sources are typically used in practices such as fixed industrial gauges involving high activity sources (for example: level gauges, dredger gauges, conveyor gauges and spinning pipe gauges) and well logging. 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 |
| Agreement State | Event Number: 46580 | Rep Org: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Licensee: CENTURY GEOPHYSICAL CORPORATION
Region: 4
City: HENDERSON State: TX
County: HENDERSON
License #: 35-04017-04
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ART TUCKER
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN SHOEMAKER | Notification Date: 02/01/2011
Notification Time: 14:15 [ET]
Event Date: 02/01/2011
Event Time: [CST]
Last Update Date: 02/02/2011 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
| Person (Organization):
LINDA HOWELL (R4DO)
ANGELA MCINTOSH (FSME)
DARYL JOHNSON (ILTA)
MEXICO ()
|
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material. | Event Text STOLEN LOGGING TOOL WITH CESIUM-137 SOURCE
"On February 1, 2011, the Agency [Texas Department of State Health] was notified by the licensee operating with reciprocity in the State of Texas, that a well logging tool containing a 125 millicurie (original activity) Cesium (Cs) - 137 source was stolen from their vehicle. The source was manufactured by Gulf Nuclear. The tool was removed from its storage location without the shielding for the source. The tool is about ten feet in length and is less than four inches in diameter. The licensee stated that the dose from the source is collimated. The local sheriff was notified of the event. The licensee's representative was in Tyler, Texas and was driving to the location to search for the device. The Radiation Safety Officer stated that the source was approximately 30 years old and the current activity would be about 65 millicuries. The location where the source was stolen is rather remote and heavily wooded. The licensee does not believe that there is a health risk to members of the general public from the source. The source housing is marked with the trefoil symbol and has the words "Radioactive Materials" engraved in it. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300."
* * * UPDATE FROM ART TUCKER TO JOHN KNOKE AT 1522 EST ON 02/01/2011 * * *
The following information was provided by the state in an email:
"On February 1, 2011, at 1400 hours, the licensee reported that they had completed a visual search and radiological survey in the area the source had been stored and did not find it. He [licensee] stated that he was going to search the roads in the area and stated that he would notify the Agency [State of Texas] if the source was found. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300."
Notified R4DO (Linda Howell), FSME (Jack Foster), ILTAB (Daryl Johnson), Mexico (Fax)
* * * UPDATE FROM ART TUCKER TO S. SANDIN AT 1651 EST ON 02/02/2011 * * *
The following information was provided by the state in an email:
"On February 2, 2011 an Agency inspector [the State of Texas] contacted a scrap yard in Longview, Texas who [scrap yard employee] stated that he had received the source on February 1, 2011. The licensee was contacted and at 1515, confirmed the source was the one that was stolen and had not been damaged. The licensee has taken control of the source. Additional information will be provided as it is received."
Notified R4DO (Howell), FSME (Foster), ILTAB (via email) and Mexico (via fax).
Texas Incident # I-8816
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
Although IAEA categorization of this event is typically based on device type, the staff has been made aware of the actual activity of the source, and after calculation determines that it is a Less than Cat 3 event.
Note: the value assigned by device type "Category 3" is different than the calculated value "Less than Cat 3" |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 46585 | Facility: CLINTON
Region: 3 State: IL
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-6
NRC Notified By: JAMES FORMAN
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN SHOEMAKER | Notification Date: 02/02/2011
Notification Time: 10:08 [ET]
Event Date: 02/02/2011
Event Time: 07:00 [CST]
Last Update Date: 02/03/2011 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(xiii) - LOSS COMM/ASMT/RESPONSE
| Person (Organization):
RICHARD SKOKOWSKI (R3DO)
LINDA HOWELL (R4DO)
|
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX CRIT | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode | | 1 | N | Y | 97 | Power Operation | 97 | Power Operation | Event Text PARTIAL LOSS OF EMERGENCY SIRENS DUE TO SEVERE WINTER STORM
"February 2, 2011, at approximately 0600 hours (CST), a Severe Winter Ice Storm was experienced causing a loss of 11 of 40 emergency sirens (approximately 28 percent) for Clinton Power Station. At 0700 hours (CST), since the sirens were not restored to operation within one hour, this event was determined to be a major loss of emergency assessment capability. Currently, 29 of 40 sirens are operational and no estimated return to service has been provided for the remaining sirens.
"DeWitt County, Illinois Emergency Management Agency, and the NRC Resident Inspector have been informed of this information."
Unit operation is not affected by the storm. No additional contingency actions have been planned. No press release is planned.
Also notified R4DO (Howell) due to weather issue at Region 3.
* * * UPDATE AT 1245 EST ON 2/3/11 FROM ALAN DARELIUS TO S. SANDIN * * *
"At 0700 [CST] on February 3, 2011, 39 of 40 sirens are in service. Ten of the eleven sirens [that were out of service] have been restored to service following power restoration. The one siren remaining will sound, however it does not rotate as designed. Troubleshooting and repair continues on that siren.
"The DeWitt County, Illinois Emergency Management Agency, and the NRC Resident have been informed of this updated information."
Notified R3DO (Skokowski). |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 46590 | Facility: FORT CALHOUN
Region: 4 State: NE
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: (1) CE
NRC Notified By: ERICK MATZKE
HQ OPS Officer: DONALD NORWOOD | Notification Date: 02/03/2011
Notification Time: 17:40 [ET]
Event Date: 01/27/2011
Event Time: 16:23 [CST]
Last Update Date: 02/03/2011 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(v)(D) - ACCIDENT MITIGATION
| Person (Organization):
LINDA HOWELL (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 | Event Text UNSEALED PENETRATIONS DISCOVERED IN THE INTAKE STRUCTURE
"During a walkdown of the Intake Structure conducted on January 27, 2011, to identify any penetrations in the exterior envelope of the building, four unsealed conduit penetrations [each penetration was four inches in diameter] were identified. These penetrations are concealed within a junction box on the northwest corner of the building. The penetrations are at an elevation of approximately 1006 ft. - 1007 ft. mean sea level (MSL). Flooding through the penetrations could have impacted the ability of all the station raw water pumps to perform their design accident mitigation functions.
"This eight-hour notification is being made pursuant to 10CFR50.72(b)(3)(v). This report should have been made on January 27, 2011, and is late. Subsequent review of the issue determined this reportability.
"The river level has been less than 990 ft MSL since January 27, 2011. There have not been any indications of conditions that might result in a flood. The penetrations have been temporarily plugged. A permanent modification is in progress."
The penetrations were plugged on February 2, 2011. The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. |
| Power Reactor | Event Number: 46591 | Facility: COOPER
Region: 4 State: NE
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-4
NRC Notified By: JERRY BEBB
HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN | Notification Date: 02/03/2011
Notification Time: 17:54 [ET]
Event Date: 02/03/2011
Event Time: 08:58 [CST]
Last Update Date: 02/03/2011 | Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
26.719 - FITNESS FOR DUTY
| Person (Organization):
LINDA HOWELL (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 | Event Text FITNESS FOR DUTY REPORT INVOLVING A NON-LICENSED SUPERVISOR
A non-licensed employee supervisor had a confirmed positive for alcohol during a for cause fitness-for-duty test. The employee's access to the plant has been suspended. Contact the Headquarters Operations Officer for additional details.
The licensee informed the NRC Resident Inspector. | |