Event Notification Report for February 10, 2020

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
2/7/2020 - 2/10/2020

** EVENT NUMBERS **

 
54501 54504 54505

Agreement State Event Number: 54501
Rep Org: ARIZONA DEPT OF HEALTH SERVICES
Licensee: TALLPINES ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING
Region: 4
City: FLAGSTAFF   State: AZ
County:
License #: 13-019
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: BRIAN GORETZKI
HQ OPS Officer: ANDREW WAUGH
Notification Date: 01/30/2020
Notification Time: 16:04 [ET]
Event Date: 01/29/2020
Event Time: 00:00 [MST]
Last Update Date: 01/30/2020
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
JOHN DIXON (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
ILTAB (EMAIL)
- CNSNS (MEXICO) (FAX)
This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material.

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STOLEN SOURCE

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

"The Department received notification from the licensee that they reported their RMD XRF Lead-Based Paint Analyzer, serial number 1115, stolen on January 29, 2020. The analyzer possesses approximately 1 milliCurie of Co-57. The licensee shipped the equipment to Protec Instrument Corporation in Waltham, MA for resourcing. It was received by Protec Instruments on September 11, 2019. Since that date, the licensee stated that they have not heard from the company and have called and left messages for months with no response.

"The licensee contacted their equipment insurance company to process a claim and were told that they would need to report the equipment stolen. They reported the equipment stolen to the Flagstaff Police Department and the report number is P20-01171. The Department has requested additional information and continues to investigate the event."

Arizona Incident: 20-001

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

Agreement State Event Number: 54504
Rep Org: FLORIDA BUREAU OF RADIATION CONTROL
Licensee: BDJL ENTEPRISES LLC DBA BLUE WATER SPA COVERS
Region: 1
City: Apopka   State: FL
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: MATTHEW SENISON
HQ OPS Officer: KERBY SCALES
Notification Date: 01/31/2020
Notification Time: 14:56 [ET]
Event Date: 01/31/2020
Event Time: 00:00 [EST]
Last Update Date: 02/03/2020
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
MARK HENRION (R1DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
OIP_Notifications Resource (EMAIL)

Event Text

GAMMA ALARM FIXED RADIATION PORTAL MONITOR

The following was received from the state of Florida Bureau of Radiation Control via fax:

"[Customs and Border Protection] CBP called the [Bureau of Radiation Control Incident Response Center] BRC IRC to report that at 1105 EST, CBP had a gamma alarm from a fixed radiation portal monitor for a 20 ft. sea container manifested as containing PVC Leather, Buckles, and Grommets. A CBP officer inspected the container using a RadSeeker DL RIID (1.5x1.5in LaBr3). The RIID identified Th-232, and this was confirmed manually by CBP lab personnel using PeakEasy gamma spectroscopy software. The highest reported dose rate was 103 microR/hr at contact with the sea container (1034 cps at contact); this is approximately 9-10 times the average background dose rate for this location. The radiation was distributed throughout the entire length of the container. Guidance requested as to whether or not CBP should refuse entry on the shipment, or if it is acceptable to release it into commerce. There are concerns as to whether or not this product may contain one-twentieth of one percent (0.05 percent) or more by weight of Th-232, violate other radiological regulations, or pose additional concerns."

Notified R1DO (Henrion), NMSS Events (email), OIP Notifications Resource (email)

Florida Incident Number: FL20-011

* * * UPDATE ON 2/3/20 AT 1400 EST FROM MATTHEW SENISON TO KERBY SCALES * * *

"This morning between 0800 and 0900 EST, [BRC IRC] inspector went to the Blount Island Marine Terminal in Jacksonville, FL to inspect a container that US Customs and Border Protection had identified as having higher than background levels of radiation. The container was opened for [the inspector], and [the inspector] found the items in the container did match the information that was reported to the Bureau of Radiation Control (BRC). Specifically, spools of faux-leather, and boxes that contained plastic grommets and buckles. These items were manufactured or assembled in China for delivery to a pool cover supply company in Apopka, FL. The boxes did not contain radiation levels above background. The spools of faux-leather had slightly higher than background levels of radiation when unrolled. Their spindles were made of cardboard and did not have higher than background levels of radiation. When the faux-leather was rolled up, the radioactivity increased.

"The BRC has given the guidance that the container and its contents may be released, but this has not happened yet. If it is released, the BRC is of the opinion that the intended recipient should be surveyed for radiation, in case this is a common occurrence."

Notified R1DO (Henrion), NMSS Events (email), and OIP Notifications Resource (email)

Agreement State Event Number: 54505
Rep Org: ARIZONA DEPT OF HEALTH SERVICES
Licensee: VANN ENGINEERING
Region: 4
City: PHOENIX   State: AZ
County:
License #: 07-263
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: BRIAN GORETZKI
HQ OPS Officer: DONALD NORWOOD
Notification Date: 01/31/2020
Notification Time: 15:35 [ET]
Event Date: 01/31/2020
Event Time: 00:00 [MST]
Last Update Date: 01/31/2020
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
RAY AZUA (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE RUN OVER BY VEHICLE

The following information was received via E-mail:

"The Department [Arizona Department of Health Services] received notification from the licensee that a technician had backed up over a portable moisture density gauge with their truck. The gauge is a Troxler 3430, Serial Number 35062, containing approximately 8 milliCuries of cesium-137 and 40 milliCuries of americium-241:beryllium. The Department has requested additional information and continues to investigate the event.

Arizona Incident: 20-002

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, March 24, 2021