Event Notification Report for March 09, 2021

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STUCK GAUGE SHUTTER

The following was received by email from the Texas Department of State Health Services:

"On March 1, 2021, the [Texas Department of State Health Services] was contacted by a licensee stating that during routine testing, the shutter on a nuclear gauge was found stuck in the open position. The gauge is an Ohmart Vega model SH-F2-30, containing a 100 milliCurie (original activity) cesium-137 source. Source serial number is 1965CG and the manufacturer is Ohmart. The licensee reported there is no risk of radiation exposure to members of the general public or workers at the facility due to the failure. The licensee stated they were working on a plan to repair the gauge and would provide that information once the plan is completed. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300."

TX Incident #: 9829

This material event contains a "Category 2" level of radioactive material.

EN Revision Imported Date: 3/8/2021

EN Revision Text: AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - CATEGORY 2 PACKAGE CONTAINING SEVEN SEALED SOURCES LOST IN TRANSIT

"The licensee reported to the Agency [Massachusetts Radiation Control Program] at 1400 EST on March 1, 2021, that it discovered on March 1, 2021 at 1200 EST that a package (Yellow-III, T.I. 2.6, Type B, UN 2916) containing seven sealed sources (Ir-192; 59.9 Ci, 59.2 Ci, 58.1 Ci, 59.9 Ci, 59.5 Ci, 59.8 Ci, and 69.2 Ci) in a model 976C source changer was missing.

"The package was shipped by QSA Global, Inc. on February 12, 2021, for export to their customer NDT Instruments, based in Singapore. On March 1, 2021 at 1200 EST, QSA Global, Inc. discovered that the package had not been received.

"The carrier indicated that the package had been at their Memphis, TN facility on 2/13/2021, 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 the 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.

Notified: DHS-SWO, FEMA-OC, USDA-OC, HHS-OC, DOE-OC, DHS CISA Central, and EPA-EOC, Notified via E-mail: FDA- EOC, Nuclear SSA, FEMA-NWC, and CWMD-Watch Desk.

* * * UPDATE ON 3/5/2021 AT 1534 EST FROM ROBERT LOCKE TO JOANNA BRIDGE * * *

The following was received via e-mail from the Radiation Control Officer, Massachusetts Radiation Control Program:

"Licensee reports that they were notified on [5 March, 2021] that the missing package had been located in Memphis. The package was found undamaged and will continue for export to Singapore."

Notified R1DO (BURKET), NMSS (RIVERA-CAPELLA), IR MOC (GOTT), and ILTAB (RICHARDSON) and via email NMSS EVENTS NOTIFICATION, and INES NATIONAL OFFICER (MILLIGAN). 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