Event Notification Report for February 23, 2021

EN Revision Imported Date: 3/4/2021

EN Revision Text: AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST SOURCE

The following was received from the Massachusetts Radiation Control Program (the Agency) via email:

"The licensee (QSA Global, Inc., License No. 12-8361) reported at 1400 [EST], on February 23, 2021 that it discovered on same day (February 23, 2021) at 1200 [EST], that a package (Yellow-III, T.I. 1.5, Type B, UN 2916) containing one sealed source (Co-60, 62.6 Ci, SN 88647G) in a Sentry radiographic exposure device (SN P01017) was missing.

"The package was shipped by QSA Global, Inc. on January 29, 2021 for export to their customer Acuren Group, based in Canada. On February 23, 2021 at 1200 [EST], Acuren Group reported to QSA Global, Inc. that the package was not received. On February 23, 2021 at 1400 [EST], QSA Global, Inc. reported the event to the Massachusetts Radiation Control Program.

"The [common] carrier indicated that the package was at their Memphis facility on January 31, and that since then the location is unknown.

"The reporting requirement is immediate and is of 105 CMR 120.281(A)(1), missing licensed radioactive materials in aggregate quantity equal to or greater than 1,000 times quantity specified in 105 CMR 120.297, Appendix C. The four-hour reporting requirement of 105 CMR 120.077(B), missing shipment of Category 2 quantity of radioactive material, also applies.

"The Agency considers this event to be open."


* * * UPDATE ON 03/03/2021 AT 1417 EST FROM ROBERT LOCKE TO THOMAS HERRITY * * *

The following was received from the Agency via email:

"Licensee reports that they were notified at 1645 (EST) on March 2, 2021 that the missing package had been located in the Memphis. The wooden crate containing the Type B Package was damaged, however, the Type B package itself was not damaged. The licensee is sending materials to [common carrier] in Memphis to repair the crate before continuing with export to the customer in Canada."

Notified R1DO (BURKET), NMSS (RIVERA-CAPELLA), IR MOC (GOTT), and ILTAB (RICHARDSON) and via email NMSS EVENTS NOTIFICATION, INES NATIONAL OFFICER (MILLIGAN), AND CNSC (CANADA). Also notified DHS-SWO, FEMA-OC, USDA-OC, HHS-OC, DOE-OC, DHS CISA Central, and EPA-EOC and via email FDA- EOC, Nuclear SSA, FEMA-NWC, and CWMD-Watch Desk.

THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "CATEGORY 2" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL

Category 2 sources, if not safely managed or securely protected, could cause permanent injury to a person who handled them, or were otherwise in contact with them, for a short time (minutes to hours). It could possibly be fatal to be close to this amount of unshielded radioactive material for a period of hours to days. These sources are typically used in practices such as industrial gamma radiography, high dose rate brachytherapy and medium dose rate brachytherapy. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION DEVIATION

"On February 23, 2021, it was discovered that two licensed operators had manipulated the plant between April 30, 2020 and July 20, 2020, without being fully qualified; having exceeded the due date for their annual operating test. This constitutes a deviation from the facility's Technical Specification 6.1.3.1 - 'Minimum staffing'. During that period the reactor was operated normally, there were no unusual occurrences and at no time did the loss of qualifications cause the existence or development of an unsafe condition with regard to reactor operations. Both operators performed and passed their operating test on July 20, 2020.

"The cause of this event is under investigation.

"The licensee has notified their NRC Project Manager."