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Event Notification Report for September 10, 2020

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
9/9/2020 - 9/10/2020

** EVENT NUMBERS **

!!!!! THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED. THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RETRACTED !!!!!
Non-Agreement State	Event Number: 54227
Rep Org: USAF DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Licensee: UNITED STATES AIR FORCE Region: 1 City: FORT EUSTIS State: VA County: License #: GL Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: SCOTT NEMMERS HQ OPS Officer: JEFFREY WHITED	Notification Date: 08/19/2019 Notification Time: 12:31 [ET] Event Date: 07/11/2019 Event Time: 00:00 [EDT] Last Update Date: 09/09/2020
Emergency Class: Non Emergency 10 CFR Section: 20.2201(a)(1)(ii) - Lost/Stolen Lnm>10x	Person (Organization): CALE YOUNG (R4DO) ILTAB (EMAIL) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)

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

Event Text

EN Revision Imported Date : 9/10/2020

EN Revision Text: NI-63 SOURCE INADVERTENTLY SENT TO DISPOSAL FACILITY

The following is a summary of a phone call with the licensee:

The U.S. Air Force Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) received report of a source which they believe has been inadvertently sent to a waste disposal facility.

The source (Ni-63, 15 mCi, S/N 30306) was housed in a desktop chemical scanner, and has been in use for some time. On 4/26/2019, the scanner was sent to the U.S. Air Force Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office (DRMO). On 5/13/2019, DRMO then sent the scanner to DLA as scrap/waste, after which it was likely sent to a disposal facility. On 7/11/19, it was determined that the source has been inadvertently disposed of. DLA is currently working to determine which waste facility received the source, so recovery can be attempted.

The source was last leak tested on 10/01/2018, with no leaks detected. No exposures were expected from the disposal of the source.

The licensee has contacted NRC RIV (Poston-Brown).

* * * RETRACTION ON 09/09/2020 AT 1418 EDT FROM RAMACHANDRA BHAT TO CATY NOLAN * * *

The following is a summary of a letter received from the licensee:

The IONSCAN 400B device is an exempt item as it was sold under an exempt distribution license. Since it is not a Generally Licensed (GL) item and does not meet the requirements for isotope and activity, the licensee has retracted this event notification.

Notified RIV (Bolger), R4DO (Warnick), and ILTAB and NMSS (via email).

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: 54861
Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM Licensee: Mistras Group, Inc. Region: 4 City: Torrance State: CA County: License #: 4832-19 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: Robert Greger HQ OPS Officer: Donald Norwood	Notification Date: 08/26/2020 Notification Time: 23:49 [ET] Event Date: 07/07/2020 Event Time: 00:00 [PDT] Last Update Date: 08/27/2020
Emergency Class: Non Emergency 10 CFR Section: Agreement State	Person (Organization): RAY KELLAR (R4DO) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - RADIOGRAPHY CAMERA SOURCE RETRACTION FAILURE

The following information was received via E-mail:

"The Radiation Safety Officer with Mistras Group, Inc. contacted the Radiologic Health Branch regarding an incident with an Ir-192 radiography source that was determined to be locked out of its exposure device. The source was an Industrial Nuclear Model 32 Ir-192 source, Serial Number 550F, with an activity of 63.4 Curies. The device was an Industrial Nuclear Ir-100, Serial Number 4358. The incident occurred during radiography operations at a refinery in El Segundo.

"After a routine exposure, the radiographer retracted the source. The radiographer then proceeded with the radiation survey that showed a dose rate of 80 mR/hr approximately 2 feet from the exposure device, indicating that the source was not in the locked and shielded position. The radiographer contacted the RSO who instructed them to readjust the restricted area boundary to maintain 2 mR/hr dose rate.

"After the RSO arrived at the site, they placed shielding to reduce the dose rate while performing retrieval and returning the source to the locked and secured position. The device was then red tagged and placed out of service until it could be evaluated by the manufacturer. The highest dose received by Mistras Personnel (RSO) was 20 mrem, as read by a self-reading pocket dosimeter. The licensee's investigation into this event is ongoing and will be reviewed further by the California Department of Public Health."

California 5010 Number: 070820

Agreement State	Event Number: 54872
Rep Org: TEXAS DEPT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES Licensee: Solvay Specialty Polymers USA LLC Region: 4 City: Borger State: TX County: License #: L06719 Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: Art Tucker HQ OPS Officer: Thomas Herrity	Notification Date: 09/01/2020 Notification Time: 11:03 [ET] Event Date: 08/31/2020 Event Time: 00:00 [CDT] Last Update Date: 09/01/2020
Emergency Class: Non Emergency 10 CFR Section: Agreement State	Person (Organization): RICK DEESE (R4DO) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT- SHUTTER STUCK IN OPEN POSITION

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

"On September 1, 2020, the Agency received a report from the licensee's radiation safety officer (RSO) indicating the shutter on an Ohmart Vega model SH-F1B nuclear gauge was stuck in the open position. Open is the normal operating position of this gauge. The gauge contains a 100 milliCurie (original activity) cesium-137 source. The stuck shutter was found during routine inspections. The licensee has contacted a service provider to repair the gauge. The gauge does not create an exposure risk to any individual. Additional information will be provided in accordance with SA-300."

Texas Incident Number: 9791

Agreement State	Event Number: 54873
Rep Org: OHIO BUREAU OF RADIATION PROTECTION Licensee: Cincinnati Papperboard Region: 3 City: Cininnati State: OH County: License #: N/A Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: Micheal Snee HQ OPS Officer: Thomas Herrity	Notification Date: 09/01/2020 Notification Time: 13:53 [ET] Event Date: 08/28/2020 Event Time: 00:00 [EDT] Last Update Date: 09/01/2020
Emergency Class: Non Emergency 10 CFR Section: Agreement State	Person (Organization): DAVID HILLS (R3DO) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - SHUTTER MECHANISM MALFUNCTION

The following was received from the Ohio Dept. of Health via e-mail:

"During a routine inspection of a generally licensed device a broken spring on the basis weight shutter was discovered. This spring is a fail-safe that closes the shutter in the event of the loss of air pressure. A temporary repair to the spring was made and the shutter was tested. The shutter is now working properly and a replacement spring is on order with a plan to install the spring as soon as possible after it arrives.

"Until the spring is replaced, the scanner will be taken off-line daily and observations made that the shutter closes.

"The device contains a 400 mCi, Kr-85 source. No personnel were exposed due to the spring failure."

Ohio Item Number: OH200005

Ohio Reference Number: OH2020-037

Fuel Cycle Facility	Event Number: 54875
Facility: Global Nuclear Fuel - Americas RX Type: Uranium Fuel Fabrication Comments: Leu Conversion (Uf6 To Uo2) Leu Fabrication Lwr Commerical Fuel Region: 2 City: Wilmington State: NC County: New Hanover License #: SNM-1097 Docket: 07001113 NRC Notified By: Phillip Ollis HQ OPS Officer: Donald Norwood	Notification Date: 09/02/2020 Notification Time: 16:52 [ET] Event Date: 09/02/2020 Event Time: 10:27 [EDT] Last Update Date: 09/02/2020
Emergency Class: Non Emergency 10 CFR Section: PART 70 APP A (c) - Offsite Notification/News Rel	Person (Organization): MARK MILLER (R2DO) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)

Event Text

CONCURRENT REPORT FOR OFFSITE NOTIFICATION

"At approximately 1027 EDT on September 2, 2020, the New Hanover County Deputy Fire Marshall was notified per State code requirements that the fire suppression system encompassing a part of the Fuel Manufacturing Operation (FMO) was impaired due to planned sprinkler head modifications. Additional compensatory measures were enacted. The system was restored at approximately 1300 EDT today (9/2/2020) and the Deputy Fire Marshall informed of restoration. Because the New Hanover County Deputy Fire Marshall was notified, a concurrent notification to the NRC Operations Center is being made per 10 CFR 70, Appendix A(c)."

The licensee will notify Region 2.

Fuel Cycle Facility	Event Number: 54890
Facility: Global Nuclear Fuel - Americas RX Type: Uranium Fuel Fabrication Comments: Leu Conversion (Uf6 To Uo2) Leu Fabrication Lwr Commerical Fuel Region: 2 City: Wilmington State: NC County: New Hanover License #: SNM-1097 Docket: 07001113 NRC Notified By: Phillip Ollis HQ OPS Officer: Thomas Herrity	Notification Date: 09/09/2020 Notification Time: 09:09 [ET] Event Date: 09/08/2020 Event Time: 10:15 [EDT] Last Update Date: 09/09/2020
Emergency Class: Non Emergency 10 CFR Section: PART 70 APP A (c) - Offsite Notification/News Rel	Person (Organization): MARK MILLER (R2DO) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)

Event Text

REPORT OF OFFSITE NOTIFICATION DUE TO IMPAIRMENT OF FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM

"At approximately 1015 (EDT) on September 8th, 2020, the New Hanover County Deputy Fire Marshal was notified per State code requirements that the fire suppression system encompassing a part of the Fuel Manufacturing Operation (FMO) was impaired due to planned piping replacement. Additional compensatory measures were enacted. The system was restored at approximately 1750 (EDT) yesterday (9/8/2020) and the Deputy Fire Marshal informed of restoration. Because the New Hanover County Deputy Fire Marshal was notified, a concurrent notification to the NRC Operations Center is being made per 10 CFR 70, Appendix A(c)."

NRC Region 2 and the State of North Carolina will be notified by the licensee.

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, March 24, 2021