Event Notification Report for March 30, 2023

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST EXIT SIGNS

The following is a synopsis of information provided by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment via email:

The licensee discovered twelve tritium exit signs were lost. The exit signs are SRB Technologies Model BXU10GS containing 9.21 Ci of tritium (H-3) each. This is being reported under Colorado Regulations Section 4.51.1.1 (10 CFR 20.2202(a)(1)(i)).

Event Report ID No.: CO230008

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 - BROKEN NUCLER GAUGE SHUTTER

The following information was received from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection via email:

"On March 21, 2023, the licensee discovered a broken shutter on one of its devices, a Berthold, LB8010, Serial number 10094, with 20 mCi of cesium 137. The licensee reported the shutter is in the closed position and cannot be moved. The device has been removed from service and secured at the licensee's storage facility in Mill Hall, PA. The manufacturer has been contacted. The gauge will be returned for repair or replacement. No personnel overexposure has occurred."

PA Event Report Id NO: PA230012

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LEAKING SEALED SOURCE

The following information was received from the Georgia Radioactive Materials Program via email:

"Radionuclide: Cs-137 Vial; Serial Number: 1360-12-8; Current Activity: 0.035 mCi

"During a routine sealed source inventory check on March 17, 2023, a physicist identified a damaged spot on the referenced Cs-137 vial. The source was wiped and then immediately placed back into its shielded container. The outer area of the container was sealed with tape, and all potentially contaminated items (e.g., gloves, tape, wipes, etc.) were triple bagged, sealed, labeled, and placed in a storage cabinet in the hot lab. Area surveys and wipe tests performed in the location where the source was located showed no signs of contamination. As such, the leaking source has been fully contained and is currently secure in the hot lab. The leak test samples were acquired and analyzed on March 17, 2023.

"We [the licensee] are currently in the process of obtaining quotes from various hazardous waste disposal companies in our region. Once the source has been properly disposed of, we [the licensee] will notify your department [Georgia Radioactive Materials Program] and provide relevant documentation."

Georgia Incident Report No.: 63

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - POSSIBLE OVEREXPOSURE OF RADIOGRAPHER

The following information was received from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (the Department) via email:

"On March 23, 2023, Nondestructive & Visual Inspection, L.L.C. notified the Department that there was a possible overexposure. The event occurred on March 21, 2023. The industrial radiography crew was working with a SPEC 150 (serial number: 2256) with 80 Ci of Ir-192. The source serial number was EA1810. The industrial radiography crew was working on a pipeline in Red River Parish, Louisiana.

"The industrial radiographer was not wearing his dosimetry badge, pocket ion chamber, and rate alarm meter when he realized the radiation source had not been cranked back into a shielded condition and was out to the end of the source guide tube with a collimator.

"The radiographer has had bloodwork done to send to REACT for testing. The calculation for exposure ranged from 1.8 rem to 21 rem. The industrial radiography source is now secured and properly shielded within the SPEC 150 camera."

Louisiana Event Report ID No.: LA20230005

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - FOUND SOURCE

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

"On March 16, 2023, SA Recycling reported the discovery of a radioactive source within a bin of shredded metal from their onsite operations when it was screened at the scale-house radiation detectors. The container was dumped out and the contents sorted using tools by SA Recycling personnel until the source of the radiation was located. RHB was notified of the event after the sorting was completed using a Ludlum 3 with a 44-10 NaI detection probe and the source had been removed to a secure onsite storage area.

"The next day a state inspector visited the site and verified the radioactive source was in a secure location. The source was put in a lead shielded container by the inspector and left in the locked storage area (the dose rate on the lead storage container was approximately 0.25 mR/hr). On March 23, 2023, the source was determined by inspectors to be Gd-153 with an approximate activity of 100 mCi.

"The source will be taken into the custody of the State, and a dose assessment will be made of the SA Recycling personnel involved in the search for the source."

California 5010 Number: 031623

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

FITNESS FOR DUTY REPORT

A non-licensed supervisor had a confirmed positive for a controlled substance during a random fitness-for-duty test. The employee's access to the plant has been terminated.

The NRC Resident Inspector has been notified.