Home NRC Library Document Collections Events, Reports Associated with Event Notification Reports 2019

Event Notification Report for December 05, 2019

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
12/4/2019 - 12/5/2019

** EVENT NUMBERS **

Agreement State	Event Number: 54412
Rep Org: ARIZONA DEPT OF HEALTH SERVICES Licensee: Region: 4 City: GLOBE State: AZ County: License #: Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: BRIAN GORETZKI HQ OPS Officer: KARL DIEDERICH	Notification Date: 11/26/2019 Notification Time: 13:53 [ET] Event Date: 11/26/2019 Event Time: 00:00 [MST] Last Update Date: 11/27/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE	Person (Organization): GREG PICK (R4DO) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)

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

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - POSSIBLE FOUND RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL

The following information was received via phone call:

A member of the public earlier today identified a container on National Forest Service land near Globe, Arizona that is labeled as having radioactive material. Pictures of the container show "B of E permit 681, Serial Number D-8011, Radiation, Return to Dow Chemical Company, Rocky Flats." This is an initial report. Arizona Department of Health Services personnel will investigate presently and provide an update.

* * * UPDATE AT 1403 EDT ON 11/27/19 FROM BRIAN GORETZKI TO JEFF HERRERA * * *

The following update was received from the Arizona Department of Health Services via email:

"The container turned out to be a metal lid based on the orientation of the data plaques and the safety top. We [Arizona Department of Health Services] performed exposure and contamination surveys onsite and everything came back at background."

Notified the R4DO (Pick) and NMSS via email.

Agreement State	Event Number: 54413
Rep Org: PA BUREAU OF RADIATION PROTECTION Licensee: LARSON DESIGN GROUP Region: 1 City: MORGANTOWN State: WV County: License #: 47-35062-01 Agreement: N Docket: NRC Notified By: BENJAMIN SEIBER HQ OPS Officer: JEFF HERRERA	Notification Date: 11/26/2019 Notification Time: 15:00 [ET] Event Date: 11/26/2019 Event Time: 00:00 [EST] Last Update Date: 11/26/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE	Person (Organization): MARK HENRION (R1DO) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL) ILTAB (EMAIL) CNSC (CANADA) (EMAIL)

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

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOSS OF A NUCLEAR DENSITY GAUGE

The following report was received from the Pennsylvania Bureau of Radiation Protection via email:

"On November 26, 2019 a lawyer representing the licensee reported the event via telephone. The licensee is Larson Design Group, USNRC Radioactive Material License No. 47-35062-01, PA reciprocity license PA-R0218. Details are sparse at this time. The lawyer stated an employee wrecked a vehicle carrying a nuclear gauge (with Cesium 137 and Americium 241) in a ditch late Friday night. He had a friend pick him up, leaving the vehicle and gauge unattended. At some point police found the vehicle and impounded it. The police recognized the radioactive material shipping case in the vehicle. They allowed the employee to claim the vehicle only after producing documentation indicating he was authorized to possess it. It is believed the gauge never left the vehicle and it is back in possession of the licensee. The DEP [Department of Environmental Protection] will update this event as soon as more information is provided."

PA Event Report ID No.: 190028

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

!!!!! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED. THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED !!!!!
Agreement State	Event Number: 54414
Rep Org: VIRGINIA RAD MATERIALS PROGRAM Licensee: DUPONT SPECIALTY PRODUCTS USA, LLC Region: 1 City: RICHMOND State: VA County: License #: 041-313-1 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: ASFAW FENTA HQ OPS Officer: JEFF HERRERA	Notification Date: 11/26/2019 Notification Time: 15:04 [ET] Event Date: 11/25/2019 Event Time: 00:00 [EST] Last Update Date: 12/02/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE	Person (Organization): MARK HENRION (R1DO) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - FIXED GAUGE SHUTTER FAILED TO CLOSE DURING SEMI-ANNUAL TESTING

The following report was received from the Virginia Department of Health via email:

"On November 25, 2019 a licensee reported that the shutter of a fixed gauge used to measure the level of material inside a process vessel might have failed to close during the semi-annual radiological testing. The gauge is a Ronan Engineering, Model SA1-F37, serial number M7407, containing 40 mCi of Cs-137. The shutter arm is actuating, but the radiation reading at approximately 3 inches below the source remained the same (0.8 mR/hr) when the shutter was opened and closed. The source is located approximately 10 feet from the ground level and is only accessible by a stepladder. There are no routine activities that bring employees in close proximity to the source. There was no public exposure or environmental release from this event. The licensee has contacted the manufacturer for further investigation.

"The Virginia Office of Radiological Health will review the licensee's written report and determine additional actions to be taken."

Event Report ID No.: VA-19-006

* * * RETRACTION ON 12/2/19 AT 1255 EST FROM ASFAW FENTA TO KERBY SCALES * * *

The following was received from the Virginia Department of Health via email:

"Please retract the incident report that was submitted on November 26, 2019.

"The licensee was advised by Ronan Engineering to take measurements directly from the detector side by closing and opening the shutter instead of taking a reading at approximately 3 inches below the source. On November 27, 2019, the licensee retested the shutter by measuring directly to the detector side and found 0.4 mR/hr when the shutter was opened and 0.2 mR/hr when the shutter was closed. The licensee reported to the agency that the gauge was working properly. There was no problem on the gauge; rather, it was an error on the measurement technique."

Agreement State	Event Number: 54415
Rep Org: NC DIV OF RADIATION PROTECTION Licensee: MOSHER ENGINEERING Region: 1 City: CHAPEL HILL State: NC County: License #: 092-1311-1 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: TRAVIS CARTOSKI HQ OPS Officer: JEFF HERRERA	Notification Date: 11/26/2019 Notification Time: 16:28 [ET] Event Date: 11/26/2019 Event Time: 00:00 [EST] Last Update Date: 11/26/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE	Person (Organization): MARK HENRION (R1DO) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - PORTABLE NUCLEAR GAUGE RUN OVER AT JOB SITE

The following report was received from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services via email:

"RMB [North Carolina Radioactive Materials Branch] received a report of a portable nuclear gauge that was run over at a job site. The gauge was cordoned off and is away from any pedestrian areas. At the time of this report, based on on-site photos provided by the licensee; the source rod is retracted and is undamaged and initial surveys show no leakage. Gauge outer housing appears damaged but intact. Intertek will be arriving to take possession of the gauge to transport for repair. Inspector has been dispatched to conduct an on-site investigation. Additional information will be provided to update, complete & close this report. Our [North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services] investigation is ongoing."

The gauge is a Troxler model number 3430.

NC Event Report ID. NO.: 190041

Non-Power Reactor	Event Number: 54419
Facility: RHODE ISLAND ATOMIC ENERGY COMM RX Type: 2000 KW POOL Comments: Region: 0 City: NARRANGANSETT State: RI County: WASHINGTON License #: R-95 Agreement: Y Docket: 05000193 NRC Notified By: CAMERON GOODWIN HQ OPS Officer: OSSY FONT	Notification Date: 12/04/2019 Notification Time: 14:33 [ET] Event Date: 12/04/2019 Event Time: 14:23 [EST] Last Update Date: 12/04/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: NON-POWER REACTOR EVENT	Person (Organization): ELIZABETH REED (ENC) PATRICK BOYLE (PM) LINH TRAN (BPM)

Event Text

ANNUAL SURVEILLANCE NOT COMPLETED

This is a summary of a call received from the Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center (the facility) as required by Technical Specification (TS) 6.7.2.1.1:

The facility identified a missed annual surveillance for their shim safety blades drop time as required by TS 4.2.1. The facility, a Materials Testing Reactor used for research, was not in operation. The licensee stated the last surveillance was performed in August 2018. Additionally, they stated the reactor will not be operated until the surveillance is completed and meets the shim safety blades requirements in TS 3.2.2.

The licensee also notified the Project Manager and Facility Inspector.

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