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Event Notification Report for August 13, 2019

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
8/12/2019 - 8/13/2019

** EVENT NUMBERS **

Agreement State	Event Number: 54194
Rep Org: TEXAS DEPT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES Licensee: OILPATCH NDT LLC Region: 4 City: HOUSTON State: TX County: License #: L026718 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: ARTHUR TUCKER HQ OPS Officer: BRIAN P. SMITH	Notification Date: 08/02/2019 Notification Time: 11:27 [ET] Event Date: 08/01/2019 Event Time: 00:00 [CDT] Last Update Date: 08/02/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE	Person (Organization): JEREMY GROOM (R4DO) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STUCK RADIOGRAPHY SOURCE

The following was received via e-mail from the Texas Department of State Health Services:

"On August 2, 2019, the Agency was notified by the licensee's radiation safety officer (RSO) that a radiography crew was unable to retract a 56 Curie iridium - 192 source into a INC R100 exposure device. The radiographers set up a 2 millirem boundary and contacted the RSO. The RSO went to the scene and found that the guide tube had a sharp bend in it and would not let the source pass through the bend. The RSO straightened the guide tube and was able to return the source to the exposure device. No overexposures occurred. The guide tube has been removed from use."

Texas Event Report No: 9698

Agreement State	Event Number: 54195
Rep Org: GEORGIA RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL PGM Licensee: BASF Region: 1 City: State: GA County: License #: GA 178-1 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: IRENE BENNETT HQ OPS Officer: BRIAN P. SMITH	Notification Date: 08/02/2019 Notification Time: 15:49 [ET] Event Date: 08/01/2019 Event Time: 00:00 [EDT] Last Update Date: 08/02/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE	Person (Organization): FRED BOWER (R1DO) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL) ILTAB (EMAIL)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - FIRE IN BUILDING CONTAINING RADIOACTIVE SOURCES

We received the following notification via email from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division:

"On August 2, 2019, our program [Georgia Environmental Protection Division] received a call from [the licensee] RSO, reporting a fire in a building at their facility that stored 6 radioactive sources. The fire occurred on August 1, 2019, is believed to have been caused by an electrical fire which resulted the building to burn to the ground.

"The licensee searched the area, which is approximately 8'X10', in hopes to recover the sources. Only 2 of the 6 sources were recovered. However, the 2 sources are unidentifiable. The 2 sources are currently stored in a bag in a secured building. They are assuming the 4 sources were burned in the fire. The licensee did a general survey of the area but were only able to detect microrem readings.

"Until the area has been determined free of contamination, the area will remain secured. The licensee will collect sample debris and wipe samples to determine if there is any contamination in the area. The samples will be sent off for analysis.

"The Fire Department will not be able to enter the area to determine the cause of the fire until the area is considered free from contamination.

"The licensee will be sending a follow-up report describing the incident, a current inventory of the sources damaged/lost, and current plan to determine the extent of the contamination and disposition of the sources."

THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "NOT RECORDED" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL

Agreement State	Event Number: 54196
Rep Org: TEXAS DEPT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES Licensee: MISTRAS GROUP IMC Region: 4 City: BEAUMONT State: TX County: License #: L06369 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: ARTHUR TUCKER HQ OPS Officer: THOMAS KENDZIA	Notification Date: 08/02/2019 Notification Time: 17:00 [ET] Event Date: 08/02/2019 Event Time: 00:00 [CDT] Last Update Date: 08/02/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE	Person (Organization): JEREMY GROOM (R4DO) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - DRIVE CABLE ON RADIOGRAPHY CAMERA SOURCE FAILED

The following was received via e-mail from the Texas Department of State Health Services:

"On August 2, 2019, the Agency [Texas Department of State Health Services] was notified by the licensee's radiation safety officer (RSO) that a radiography crew working at a field site had experienced a source disconnect. The radiographers were using an INC IR-100 exposure device containing a 27 Curie iridium - 192 source. After one of their exposures, they could not return the source to the shielded position. The RSO stated a source recovery team was sent to the site and recovered the source. The RSO stated no overexposures occurred. The RSO stated the recovery team found that the drive cable had broken just behind the drive end connector. The RSO stated they are still investigating the event. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300."

Texas Event Report No: 9699

Non-Agreement State	Event Number: 54200
Rep Org: IDAHO TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT Licensee: IDAHO TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT Region: 4 City: NAMPA State: ID County: License #: 11-27076-01 Agreement: N Docket: NRC Notified By: JOHN ARAMBARRI HQ OPS Officer: ANDREW WAUGH	Notification Date: 08/05/2019 Notification Time: 15:00 [ET] Event Date: 08/04/2019 Event Time: 00:00 [MDT] Last Update Date: 08/05/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 20.2201(a)(1)(i) - LOST/STOLEN LNM>1000X	Person (Organization): GREG WARNICK (R4DO) ILTAB (EMAIL) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL) CNSC (CANADA) (EMAIL)

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

Event Text

STOLEN AND RECOVERED GAUGE

On 8/4/2019, a private citizen found a gauge belonging to the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) in the middle of the road in Caldwell, Idaho. ITD was notified and promptly sent a Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) to recover the gauge. The gauge was housed in a Type A Category 2 container. Locks to the container were cut, but there appeared to be no tampering with the gauge itself. The RSO performed surveys, all of which came back normal. The gauge was then secured and is back in ITD's possession.

ITD determined the gauge had been stolen from one of their trailers at a job site in Nampa, Idaho. ITD reported this incident to the Idaho State Police and will be reaching out to local law enforcement for the criminal investigation. No other material is believed to have been stolen at this time.

The gauge is a Troxler 3440 moisture density gauge with an 8 mCi Cs-137 and a 40 mCi Am-241/Be source. The source serial numbers are 7710838 and 78-7073 respectively.

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

Part 21	Event Number: 54215
Rep Org: FLOWSERVE Licensee: FLOWSERVE FLOW CONTROL DIVISION Region: 1 City: RALEIGH State: NC County: License #: Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: KEVIN WORTH HQ OPS Officer: CATY NOLAN	Notification Date: 08/12/2019 Notification Time: 17:47 [ET] Event Date: 08/12/2019 Event Time: 00:00 [EDT] Last Update Date: 08/12/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: 21.21(d)(3)(i) - DEFECTS AND NONCOMPLIANCE	Person (Organization): JONATHAN GREIVES (R1DO) GERALD MCCOY (R2DO) HIRONORI PETERSON (R3DO) RAY KELLAR (R4DO) - PART 21/50.55 REACTORS (EMAIL)

Event Text

PART 21 - NON-DESTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION PERFORMANCE OF COMPONENTS BY AN UNQUALIFIED EMPLOYEE

The following is a summary of the information received from Flowserve via facsimile:

Contrary to the requirements of ASME Section III & ASME NQA-1 Requirement 2, an employee of Flowserve was found to have performed Non-Destructive Examinations (Liquid Penetrant Testing - PTs) without the required certificate in accordance with ASNT SNT-TC-1A, and Flowserve's written practice. The employee was trained and tested in accordance with the written practice and ASNT requirements. Although the individual section scores were found to pass the (70 percent) minimum, the composite test requirements failed to meet the minimum 80 percent requirement. Actual composite score achieved was 79.176 percent.

The extent of exposure to this condition was on examinations completed between 10/22/18 and 11/21/18. There were ten examinations, totaling 22 pieces that were completed by the employee without oversight/signature by another certified individual.

The scope of impacted valves/components encompasses body, stem, cover, yoke, pin wedge, and disk. Licensees affected include Exelon Company, Pinnacle West Capital Corp, Bruce Power, Xcel Energy, Alabama Power, Entergy Nuclear Operations Inc., and FirstEnergy.

Flowserve issues a corrective action, and is currently in the process of determining the root cause and prevention action measures. This will include identifying the affected valves via communications with affected customers.

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, March 24, 2021