Event Notification Report for January 28, 2022
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
01/27/2022 - 01/28/2022
EVENT NUMBERS
55731
55731
Agreement State
Event Number: 55731
Rep Org: Ohio Bureau of Radiation Protection
Licensee: Thermo Eberline LLC
Region: 3
City: Oakville Village State: OH
County:
License #: 03214180002
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Stephen James
HQ OPS Officer: Brian Lin
Licensee: Thermo Eberline LLC
Region: 3
City: Oakville Village State: OH
County:
License #: 03214180002
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Stephen James
HQ OPS Officer: Brian Lin
Notification Date: 02/04/2022
Notification Time: 17:23 [ET]
Event Date: 01/28/2022
Event Time: 00:00 [EST]
Last Update Date: 02/04/2022
Notification Time: 17:23 [ET]
Event Date: 01/28/2022
Event Time: 00:00 [EST]
Last Update Date: 02/04/2022
Emergency Class: Non Emergency
10 CFR Section:
Agreement State
10 CFR Section:
Agreement State
Person (Organization):
Orth, Steve (R3)
NMSS_Events_Notification, (EMAIL)
ILTAB, (EMAIL)
CNSC (Canada), - (FAX)
Orth, Steve (R3)
NMSS_Events_Notification, (EMAIL)
ILTAB, (EMAIL)
CNSC (Canada), - (FAX)
EN Revision Imported Date: 3/4/2022
EN Revision Text: AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - MISSING SOURCE
The following information was received from the state of Ohio via email:
"On 1/28/22 a verification of source inventory indicated a sealed source was missing. The source is an Sr-90 sealed source, activity of 0.32 milliCi, used in a Model 2210 irradiator. Subsequent surveys were performed in the area where the source should be and where it may have been handled, as well as a visual search of the entire facility was conducted and the source could not be located. A voicemail was left with the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) as a "heads up" of the ongoing investigation. A follow-up call was made to ODH on the morning of 1/31/22 to ensure that the message had been received.
"An investigation was conducted including interviews with personnel who have access to the locked cabinet the 2210 irradiator was stored in. The previous inventory check conducted on 7/20/2021 indicated the 2210 irradiator was stored in a secure cabinet. Access is limited to 3 employees only. The employee who indicated he most likely handled the irradiator last in the August 2021 timeframe could not remember if he removed the source holder and cap from the irradiator or not. There was also no communication to the Radiation Safety Officer to indicate movement of the source took place.
"It was also determined that a radioactive waste shipment was made on 12/6/2021 (Veolia Environmental Services/Alaron Nuclear Services). Alaron was called to determine if the shipment was still available. The shipment is still at the Alaron facility and the contents will be verified the week of 2/7/2022. There is a chance the source was included in the shipment since it is an old source with an assay date of approximately 2003. The employee who handled the source last also assisted in determining and gathering the older sources for disposal.
"To insure employee safety and find the missing source, surveys of all areas of the building were started utilizing a calibrated Bicron Microrem. Employees of all departments were asked to search their areas for the missing source and irradiator. Additional discussions and a meeting were conducted to further investigate what could have happened. The employee cannot be sure if he disassembled the irradiator or not. If the source holder and cap were removed, he would have placed it in a white plastic pig and applied a label with the serial number on it. The source capsule is received from our source supplier already in the holder and cap. We do not remove the actual source capsule from the holder and cap. Photos of the source holder and cap as well as the white plastic pig have been sent to Alaron for their reference when they inventory the waste shipment.
"Surveys of all bench tops and storage areas have been conducted and all are at their normal background levels.
"As of this writing, the source has not been located."
OH report no.: OH220002
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
EN Revision Text: AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - MISSING SOURCE
The following information was received from the state of Ohio via email:
"On 1/28/22 a verification of source inventory indicated a sealed source was missing. The source is an Sr-90 sealed source, activity of 0.32 milliCi, used in a Model 2210 irradiator. Subsequent surveys were performed in the area where the source should be and where it may have been handled, as well as a visual search of the entire facility was conducted and the source could not be located. A voicemail was left with the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) as a "heads up" of the ongoing investigation. A follow-up call was made to ODH on the morning of 1/31/22 to ensure that the message had been received.
"An investigation was conducted including interviews with personnel who have access to the locked cabinet the 2210 irradiator was stored in. The previous inventory check conducted on 7/20/2021 indicated the 2210 irradiator was stored in a secure cabinet. Access is limited to 3 employees only. The employee who indicated he most likely handled the irradiator last in the August 2021 timeframe could not remember if he removed the source holder and cap from the irradiator or not. There was also no communication to the Radiation Safety Officer to indicate movement of the source took place.
"It was also determined that a radioactive waste shipment was made on 12/6/2021 (Veolia Environmental Services/Alaron Nuclear Services). Alaron was called to determine if the shipment was still available. The shipment is still at the Alaron facility and the contents will be verified the week of 2/7/2022. There is a chance the source was included in the shipment since it is an old source with an assay date of approximately 2003. The employee who handled the source last also assisted in determining and gathering the older sources for disposal.
"To insure employee safety and find the missing source, surveys of all areas of the building were started utilizing a calibrated Bicron Microrem. Employees of all departments were asked to search their areas for the missing source and irradiator. Additional discussions and a meeting were conducted to further investigate what could have happened. The employee cannot be sure if he disassembled the irradiator or not. If the source holder and cap were removed, he would have placed it in a white plastic pig and applied a label with the serial number on it. The source capsule is received from our source supplier already in the holder and cap. We do not remove the actual source capsule from the holder and cap. Photos of the source holder and cap as well as the white plastic pig have been sent to Alaron for their reference when they inventory the waste shipment.
"Surveys of all bench tops and storage areas have been conducted and all are at their normal background levels.
"As of this writing, the source has not been located."
OH report no.: OH220002
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