Event Notification Report for November 17, 2014

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
11/14/2014 - 11/17/2014

** EVENT NUMBERS **


50599 50602 50614 50618

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Agreement State Event Number: 50599
Rep Org: OK DEQ RAD MANAGEMENT
Licensee: HI-TECH TESTING SERVICE
Region: 4
City: MUSTANG State: OK
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: MIKE BRODERICK
HQ OPS Officer: DONG HWA PARK
Notification Date: 11/06/2014
Notification Time: 15:23 [ET]
Event Date: 11/05/2014
Event Time: [CST]
Last Update Date: 11/06/2014
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
GEOFFREY MILLER (R4DO)
FSME EVENTS RESOURCE (EMAI)
NMSS EVENTS RESOURCE (EMAI)
ILTAB (EMAI)

This material event contains a "Category 2 " level of radioactive material.

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST AND RECOVERED RADIOGRAPHY CAMERA

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

"Hi-Tech Testing Service, an Oklahoma industrial radiography licensee based in Mustang, Oklahoma, reports that they temporarily lost custody of an industrial radiography camera containing an iridium source. At about 1:40 PM today, the Hi-Tech RSO reported by phone to DEQ [Department of Environmental Quality] that while doing radiography overnight at a compressor station near Perkins, Oklahoma, radiographers unintentionally left the radiography camera (with source inside) at the site. The error was discovered this morning when an inspector from Hi-Tech's client found the camera at the site. The client contacted Hi-Tech, who recovered the camera and have it in their possession. They report no evidence that the camera was tampered with or that there was an overexposure involved. DEQ will do an investigation of the incident.

"The above is very preliminary, based on phone reports from the licensee. It is basically all the information known to DEQ at this time. It will be updated as more information becomes available."

THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "CATEGORY 2" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL

Category 2 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 a short time (minutes to hours). It could possibly be fatal to be close to this amount of unshielded radioactive material for a period of hours to days. These sources are typically used in practices such as industrial gamma radiography, high dose rate brachytherapy and medium dose rate brachytherapy. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf

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Agreement State Event Number: 50602
Rep Org: WA OFFICE OF RADIATION PROTECTION
Licensee: ASSOCIATED EARTH SCIENCES
Region: 4
City: KIRKLAND State: WA
County:
License #: WN-I0298
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: CRAIG LAWRENCE
HQ OPS Officer: DONG HWA PARK
Notification Date: 11/07/2014
Notification Time: 14:02 [ET]
Event Date: 11/06/2014
Event Time: 19:00 [PST]
Last Update Date: 11/07/2014
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
GEOFFREY MILLER (R4DO)
FSME EVENTS RESOURCE (EMAI)
NMSS EVENTS RESOURCE (EMAI)
CANADA (FAX)
ILTAB (EMAI)

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

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STOLEN TROXLER MOISTURE/DENSITY GAUGE

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

"Associated Earth Sciences reported to the State of Washington, Department of Health, Office of Radiation Protection that a Troxler portable gauge, model 3411, serial number 11272, containing 0.1 Ci Cs-137 and .005 Ci Am/Be, was stolen from the back of a pickup while parked overnight at a gauge user's resident apartment complex in Bothell, Washington. The gauge was last seen at 1900 PST the previous night and discovered missing at 0730 PST on November 7.

"The gauge was located in a locked black plastic tool box secured in the bed of the pickup. The tool box containing the portable gauge was stolen from the bed of the truck. Two cables and locks were reported used to secure each side of the tool box to the bed of the truck. It was unclear how the tool box was removed from the truck bed. The licensee reported no cut lock or cable was left behind. It was also unclear if the tool box lid was locked with the same locks and cables used to secure the tool box to the truck. The licensee was asked to provide a photo of their system used to secure the gauge and tool box to the truck. The gauge transport box inside the tool box was reported locked with a single lock. The handle of the gauge was also reported locked.

"The gauge user was asked why the gauge was not returned to the licensed storage location at the end of the day per the condition in the license. The user reported the job site was close to his house and he wanted to avoid the hour and a half drive to the licensed facility to check out a gauge. The theft was reported to the Bothell Police Department and police report #14-25445 was made.

"A follow-up with the licensee will be conducted to investigate possible citations for not returning the gauge for overnight storage in the licensed storage location and proper security for transporting the gauge in a vehicle."

State of Washington Incident Number: WA-14-045.

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

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Fuel Cycle Facility Event Number: 50614
Facility: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC.
RX Type: URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE PRODUCTION
Comments: UF6 CONVERSION (DRY PROCESS)
Region: 2
City: METROPOLIS State: IL
County: MASSAC
License #: SUB-526
Agreement: Y
Docket: 04003392
NRC Notified By: ROSS LINDBERG
HQ OPS Officer: MARK ABRAMOVITZ
Notification Date: 11/14/2014
Notification Time: 13:18 [ET]
Event Date: 11/13/2014
Event Time: 15:12 [CST]
Last Update Date: 11/14/2014
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
40.60(b)(3) - MED TREAT INVOLVING CONTAM
Person (Organization):
EUGENE GUTHRIE (R2DO)
NMSS EVENTS RESOURCE (E-MA)

Event Text

MEDICAL TREATMENT OF CONTAMINATED INDIVIDUAL

"An employee with a chemical burn on his left wrist reported to the onsite dispensary located within the restricted area. First aid was administered. A whole body radiological survey of the employee and plant clothing was performed; the maximum amount of contamination present was on the lower legs of the employee's plant issued coveralls, 2,300 dpm/100cm2. The employee was able to return to work following treatment. The employee remained inside the Restricted Area over the entire course of the event."

The licensee notified NRC Region-2 (Hickey).

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Power Reactor Event Number: 50618
Facility: FARLEY
Region: 2 State: AL
Unit: [ ] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] W-3-LP,[2] W-3-LP
NRC Notified By: BRANNON PAYNE
HQ OPS Officer: DONG HWA PARK
Notification Date: 11/15/2014
Notification Time: 08:14 [ET]
Event Date: 11/15/2014
Event Time: 03:53 [CST]
Last Update Date: 11/15/2014
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) - VALID SPECIF SYS ACTUATION
Person (Organization):
EUGENE GUTHRIE (R2DO)

Unit SCRAM Code RX CRIT Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode
2 N N 0 Startup 0 Hot Standby

Event Text

VALID ACTUATION OF THE REACTOR PROTECTION SYSTEM FOR ABNORMAL ROD POSITION INDICATION

"This notification is being made as required by 10CFR 50.72(b)(3)(iv)(A) due to control room operators opening the Farley Nuclear Plant Unit 2 reactor trip breakers via the main control board hand switch during reactor startup procedures. This is a valid actuation of the reactor protection system. The reactor was not critical at the time the reactor trip breakers were opened.

"While withdrawing control rods for reactor startup and low power physics testing with control bank C at approximately 50 steps, Digital Rod Position indication for one of the control rods (M12) changed to 90 steps. The control room operators stopped withdrawing rods and entered FNP-2-AOP-19 (Malfunction of the Rod Control System). The reactor trip breakers were opened at 0353 CST. All rods inserted as expected. All other systems functioned normally. The plant is stable at normal operating pressure and temperature.

"The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified."

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