Event Notification Report for August 15, 2023
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
08/14/2023 - 08/15/2023
Agreement State
Event Number: 56750
Rep Org: Texas Dept of State Health Services
Licensee: Texas Instruments
Region: 4
City: Dallas State: TX
County:
License #: L05048
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Marvin Earles
HQ OPS Officer: Lawrence Criscione
Licensee: Texas Instruments
Region: 4
City: Dallas State: TX
County:
License #: L05048
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Marvin Earles
HQ OPS Officer: Lawrence Criscione
Notification Date: 09/20/2023
Notification Time: 16:14 [ET]
Event Date: 08/15/2023
Event Time: 00:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 09/20/2023
Notification Time: 16:14 [ET]
Event Date: 08/15/2023
Event Time: 00:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 09/20/2023
Emergency Class: Non Emergency
10 CFR Section:
Agreement State
10 CFR Section:
Agreement State
Person (Organization):
Groom, Jeremy (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
ILTAB, (EMAIL) (EMAIL)
CNSNS (Mexico), - (FAX)
Groom, Jeremy (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
ILTAB, (EMAIL) (EMAIL)
CNSNS (Mexico), - (FAX)
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST EXIT SIGN
The following was received from the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Department) via email:
"On September 6, 2023, the Department was notified of a lost exit sign but did not get detailed information regarding the lost source until September 19, 2023. The licensee reported a tritium exit sign was removed to accommodate a facility renovation, placed in a construction staging area for later disposition, and subsequently was unable to be located on August 15, 2023. The licensee conducted an internal investigation which concluded on September 6, 2023, at which point the Radiation Safety Officer declared that the tritium exit sign was lost. The sign was purchased in 1998 with an initial activity of 25 curies. It is a Betalux, Model SRB S/N 237918. The licensee reported that the integrity of the sign was not compromised and that there is no exposure risk. The Department has requested additional information from the licensee. The investigation into this event is on-going. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300."
Texas Incident Number: 10051
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
The following was received from the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Department) via email:
"On September 6, 2023, the Department was notified of a lost exit sign but did not get detailed information regarding the lost source until September 19, 2023. The licensee reported a tritium exit sign was removed to accommodate a facility renovation, placed in a construction staging area for later disposition, and subsequently was unable to be located on August 15, 2023. The licensee conducted an internal investigation which concluded on September 6, 2023, at which point the Radiation Safety Officer declared that the tritium exit sign was lost. The sign was purchased in 1998 with an initial activity of 25 curies. It is a Betalux, Model SRB S/N 237918. The licensee reported that the integrity of the sign was not compromised and that there is no exposure risk. The Department has requested additional information from the licensee. The investigation into this event is on-going. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300."
Texas Incident Number: 10051
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
Event Number: 56681
Rep Org: NJ Rad Prot And Rel Prevention Pgm
Licensee: Non-licensee
Region: 1
City: Hillsborough State: NJ
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Joseph Power
HQ OPS Officer: Brian P. Smith
Licensee: Non-licensee
Region: 1
City: Hillsborough State: NJ
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Joseph Power
HQ OPS Officer: Brian P. Smith
Notification Date: 08/16/2023
Notification Time: 15:16 [ET]
Event Date: 08/15/2023
Event Time: 00:00 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 08/16/2023
Notification Time: 15:16 [ET]
Event Date: 08/15/2023
Event Time: 00:00 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 08/16/2023
Emergency Class: Non Emergency
10 CFR Section:
Agreement State
10 CFR Section:
Agreement State
Person (Organization):
Arner, Frank (R1DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
Arner, Frank (R1DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - CONTAMINATION EVENT
The following information was received via email from the New Jersey Department (NJDEP) Bureau of Environmental Radiation:
"On 6/28/2023, NJDEP Bureau of Environmental Radiation (BER) was notified by its NRC Regional State Agreements Officer of an allegation made by a concerned citizen regarding a powder being sold by an online marketplace. The company address is in New Jersey. The citizen believed the powder contained Thorium-232 (Th-232). BER subsequently followed up with a site investigation and confirmed that Th-232 was present. The individual on-site stated that the powder had been mixed into paint, which was used to paint the walls in his basement and bathroom. The investigation is ongoing.
"On 7/8/2023, BER staff visited the seller's residence to perform an interview and contamination survey. The survey confirmed the presence of alpha and beta contamination in the residence. A sample of the powder was also collected and sent for gamma spectrometry analysis by a certified laboratory. Results of the analysis were received on 8/14/2023, and indicated concentrations of Th-232 as 14,800 pCi/g. On 8/15/2023, an estimate on the total activity present was made, and it was determined that this was a reportable event."
New Jersey Event Report Number: Not yet assigned
The following information was received via email from the New Jersey Department (NJDEP) Bureau of Environmental Radiation:
"On 6/28/2023, NJDEP Bureau of Environmental Radiation (BER) was notified by its NRC Regional State Agreements Officer of an allegation made by a concerned citizen regarding a powder being sold by an online marketplace. The company address is in New Jersey. The citizen believed the powder contained Thorium-232 (Th-232). BER subsequently followed up with a site investigation and confirmed that Th-232 was present. The individual on-site stated that the powder had been mixed into paint, which was used to paint the walls in his basement and bathroom. The investigation is ongoing.
"On 7/8/2023, BER staff visited the seller's residence to perform an interview and contamination survey. The survey confirmed the presence of alpha and beta contamination in the residence. A sample of the powder was also collected and sent for gamma spectrometry analysis by a certified laboratory. Results of the analysis were received on 8/14/2023, and indicated concentrations of Th-232 as 14,800 pCi/g. On 8/15/2023, an estimate on the total activity present was made, and it was determined that this was a reportable event."
New Jersey Event Report Number: Not yet assigned