Event Notification Report for July 02, 2019

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
7/1/2019 - 7/2/2019

** EVENT NUMBERS **


5412854129


Agreement State Event Number: 54128
Rep Org: TEXAS DEPT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES
Licensee: ACUREN INSPECTION
Region: 4
City: LA PORTE   State: TX
County:
License #: LL01774
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ROBERT FREE
HQ OPS Officer: CATY NOLAN
Notification Date: 06/24/2019
Notification Time: 15:19 [ET]
Event Date: 06/21/2019
Event Time: 00:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 06/27/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
JEREMY GROOM (R4DO)
GRETCHEN RIVERA-CAPELLA (NMSS DAY)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
PATRICIA MILLIGAN (INES)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - OVEREXPOSURE DURING RADIOGRAPHY

The following report was received from the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Agency) via email:

"The licensee called [the Agency] to report an event involving a radiographer and trainee. They were conducting [non-destructive testing] NDT on pipe, shooting 8 second shots with a 76.3 Curie Ir-192 source and a QSA Global D888 camera. The radiographer went to the darkroom to complete some paperwork. The trainee took down film and moved the collimator to the next shot location. It was about then [the trainee] realized [the trainee] had not retracted the source. [The trainee] reported the mistake to the radiographer trainer. The trainee did not have dosimetry and did not conduct a camera survey prior to moving the camera. Both the trainer and trainee were issued RadEye G's so they did not have direct reading dosimeters. [The trainer and trainee] took the trainee's dosimeter that was left in the truck and decided to expose it to the source for a few seconds. Then they reported that [the trainee] received 145 mR on his dosimeter. When the RSO questioned them, they told [the RSO] what had happened and [the RSO] then conducted a time dose study. Based on reenactment, the RSO determined the trainee was exposed to the source about 6 seconds. The calculations indicated the trainee may have received 1456 rem to the hand. [The RSO] didn't take credit for the collimator shielding and used 5.9 R/hr/Curie at 1 foot as the basis for the calculation. The radiographer and trainee have been placed on administrative leave pending a decision from the company's review board. [The Agency] told [the licensee] that it would be investigating this event and that it will want to interview the radiographer and trainee."

The Agency believes the calculated dose may be high but will follow-up during the investigation.

Texas Incident #: 9691


* * * UPDATE ON 06/27/2019 AT 1531 EDT FROM KAREN BLANCHARD TO JEFFREY WHITED * * *

The following report was received from the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Agency) via email:

"During an investigation, the Agency learned there had been a miscommunication in the dose the licensee reported for the radiographer trainee's hand. The dose was not 1456 Rem. The licensee is working with a consultant to make both a hand and whole body dose calculation. With the information provided, it appears the calculated dose to the radiographer trainee's hand should be less than 10 Rem, which is below the regulatory reporting limit. The licensee will continue to monitor the radiographer trainee's hand. More information will be provided as it is obtained in accordance with SA-300."

Notified R4DO (Groom) NMSS (Rivera-Capella) and NMSS Events and INES (Milligan) via e-mail.


Agreement State Event Number: 54129
Rep Org: UTAH DIVISION OF RADIATION CONTROL
Licensee: TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING ALLIANCE
Region: 4
City: SANDY   State: UT
County:
License #: 1800533
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: RYAN JOHNSON
HQ OPS Officer: CATY NOLAN
Notification Date: 06/24/2019
Notification Time: 17:37 [ET]
Event Date: 06/22/2019
Event Time: 00:00 [MDT]
Last Update Date: 06/24/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
JEREMY GROOM (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
LEAH SMITH (ILTAB)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - FOUND SOURCE

The following is a synopsis of a report received from the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (the Agency) via email:

At 1102 [MDT] on June 24, 2019, the Agency received a phone call from an individual who found a yellow box with radiation symbols on the outside of the box. Upon arrival at the individual's home, the Agency saw a yellow Troxler transportation case next to the driveway. The individual stated that the case was found on June 22, 2019.

The Agency inspected the case and measured a contact dose rate of 40 microCuries/hr on the outside with a Bicron dose rate meter. There were no locks on the outside of the case. The Agency then opened the case and found a Troxler Model 3430, Serial Number 64033, containing 8 mCi of Cs-137 and 40 mCi of Am-241/Be. Although the source was in the shielded position, there was no lock to secure the source in the shielded position. The case was not labeled with any name or contact information. The Agency took control of the gauge and brought it back to the office and secured it.

A calibration sheet was found and used to determine the owner of the gauge. It was confirmed that the gauge belonged to Transportation Alliance Engineering. The agency will conduct an inspection.

Utah Event Report ID #: UT190003

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