Event Notification Report for May 11, 2022

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - RADIOGRAPHY SOURCE DISCONNECT

The following was received from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (the Agency) via email:

"The Agency was contacted at 0830 CDT on 5/3/22 to advise that a radiography crew had a 55 Ci Ir-192 source disconnect from the drive cable while working at a site in Bradley, Illinois over the evening. The crew contacted their RSO and the source was successfully retrieved and placed into a shielded position. As the work was done after hours, there are reportedly no concerns over public exposures. Three MISTRAS staff recorded maximum exposures of 65 mrem on their [direct reading dosimeters] DRDs from the operation and have overnighted dosimetry for processing."


Illinois Event Number: IL220013

NON-AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STUCK SHUTTER

The following information was provided by the licensee via email:

" Marathon Pipe Line LLC and the Manufacturer, VEGA Americas, Inc., evaluated a [fixed gauge] device [OHMART/Vega Corporation Model SR-1A, S/N M5965. Cs-137 80 mCi ] on 05/02/22 to verify the operation of the shutter mechanism.
" During the evaluation of the device the VEGA FS Technician confirmed that the shutter mechanism would not close.
" The cause is internal mechanism failure of the shutter device.
" The shutter is in the Open position and won't close.
" The Open position is the normal operating position.
" There was and is no radiation exposure concern for Marathon Pipe Line LLC employees, contractors, visitors or the general public.
" Vega Americas, Inc. has been contacted for a path forward to order and install a replacement device as well as develop a plan and assist in the safe removal, isolation and disposal of this gauge."

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST I-125 BRACHYTHERAPY SEEDS

The following was received from the California Department of Public Health Radiologic, Health Branch via email:

"The Radiation Safety Officer for UCSD [(University of California, San Diego)] contacted the Radiologic Health Branch regarding the loss of I-125 sealed sources. He also reported the loss to the CA State Warning Center (control no. 22-2532).

"A medical physicist at the Moore's Cancer Center at UCSD received a box that contained 4 packs of I-125 sealed sources instead of his expectation of 3 packs. The medical physicist removed 3 packs and set the packing box outside for recycling, believing it was empty. The cardboard box was taken away by environmental services staff and has possibly been taken to the on-campus recycling center. The pack contains approximately 6-7 I-125 medical brachytherapy seeds with combined activity of 2.3 millicuries. The seeds are sealed in a shielded, sterile pack. The expected exposure level is close to background radiation level outside of the shielded pack. UCSD sent health physicists to the recycling center to search for the missing package."

5010 Number: 050322

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 REPORT - LOST GD-153 LINE SOURCES

The following was received from the California Department of Public Health, Radiologic Health Branch via email:

"On May 4, 2022, the Radiation Safety Officer for Eckert & Ziegler Isotope Products, Inc. (EZIP) contacted Los Angeles County Radiation Management regarding two missing sources. Pennsylvania licensee Abington Jefferson Health, located in North Wales, PA, shipped a package on October 21, 2021, and [the common carrier] tracking information indicated the package was delivered to EZIP with no receipt signature on October 22, 2021. Abington Jefferson Health contacted EZIP on November 10, 2021, requesting a receipt for confirmation of the returned sources. The sources were two gadolinium-153 line sources, with approximately 13 millicuries (mCi) each (greater than 1000 times the Appendix C value of 10 microCi). EZIP did not have a record of receipt of the package, and a search of the EZIP facility did not find the sources.

"The notification to Los Angeles County Radiation Management by EZIP was delayed due to confusion by EZIP regarding whether the package had been returned to Abington Jefferson Health by [the common carrier]."

5010 Number: 050422

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