Event Notification Report for September 12, 2023
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
09/11/2023 - 09/12/2023
Agreement State
Event Number: 56736
Rep Org: Texas Dept of State Health Services
Licensee: Braskem America, Inc.
Region: 4
City: Freeport State: TX
County:
License #: TX230041
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Marvin Earles
HQ OPS Officer: Thomas Herrity
Licensee: Braskem America, Inc.
Region: 4
City: Freeport State: TX
County:
License #: TX230041
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Marvin Earles
HQ OPS Officer: Thomas Herrity
Notification Date: 09/13/2023
Notification Time: 15:44 [ET]
Event Date: 09/12/2023
Event Time: 00:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 09/13/2023
Notification Time: 15:44 [ET]
Event Date: 09/12/2023
Event Time: 00:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 09/13/2023
Emergency Class: Non Emergency
10 CFR Section:
Agreement State
10 CFR Section:
Agreement State
Person (Organization):
Warnick, Greg (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
Warnick, Greg (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STUCK OPEN SHUTTER
The following was received from the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Department) via email:
"On September 13, 2023, the Department was notified by Braskem Inc. that during routine testing, the shutter on two Vega model SH-F2 gauges failed to close. Shutters in the open position is the normal operating position. Both gauges contain 200 millicuries of Cesium-137. There is no risk of additional radiation exposure to members of the general public or radiation workers due to this event. Additional information has been requested of the licensee. Additional information will be provided in accordance with SA-300."
Texas Incident Number: 10050
The following was received from the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Department) via email:
"On September 13, 2023, the Department was notified by Braskem Inc. that during routine testing, the shutter on two Vega model SH-F2 gauges failed to close. Shutters in the open position is the normal operating position. Both gauges contain 200 millicuries of Cesium-137. There is no risk of additional radiation exposure to members of the general public or radiation workers due to this event. Additional information has been requested of the licensee. Additional information will be provided in accordance with SA-300."
Texas Incident Number: 10050
Agreement State
Event Number: 56734
Rep Org: Illinois Emergency Mgmt. Agency
Licensee: IRISNDT, Inc.
Region: 3
City: Robinson State: IL
County:
License #: IL-02481-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Gary Forsee
HQ OPS Officer: Thomas Herrity
Licensee: IRISNDT, Inc.
Region: 3
City: Robinson State: IL
County:
License #: IL-02481-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Gary Forsee
HQ OPS Officer: Thomas Herrity
Notification Date: 09/12/2023
Notification Time: 16:27 [ET]
Event Date: 09/12/2023
Event Time: 16:27 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 09/12/2023
Notification Time: 16:27 [ET]
Event Date: 09/12/2023
Event Time: 16:27 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 09/12/2023
Emergency Class: Non Emergency
10 CFR Section:
Agreement State
10 CFR Section:
Agreement State
Person (Organization):
Szwarc, Dariusz (R3DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
Szwarc, Dariusz (R3DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - FAILURE OF SOURCE TO RETRACT TO SAFE POSITION
The following was reported by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (the Agency) via email:
"The Agency was contacted by IRISNDT, Inc. the morning of 9/12/23 to advise of a stuck radiography source and successful source retrieval that occurred the previous morning at the Phillips 66 Refinery in Wood River, IL. Reportedly, the guide tube came in contact with a hot pipe, partially melted, and prohibited the 46 Ci Ir-192 source from returning to the shielded position. The radiation safety officer reports no overexposures to workers or members of the public as a result of this incident (maximum 12 mrem occupational). The source was reportedly not damaged and the impacted guide tube has been taken out of service.
"Limited additional details are available at this time. Agency staff are conducting a reactionary inspection tomorrow, 9/13/23, to review dosimetry, gather incident details, perform a time-motion study and evaluate the adequacy of the licensee's actions."
Illinois Incident Number: IL230025
The following was reported by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (the Agency) via email:
"The Agency was contacted by IRISNDT, Inc. the morning of 9/12/23 to advise of a stuck radiography source and successful source retrieval that occurred the previous morning at the Phillips 66 Refinery in Wood River, IL. Reportedly, the guide tube came in contact with a hot pipe, partially melted, and prohibited the 46 Ci Ir-192 source from returning to the shielded position. The radiation safety officer reports no overexposures to workers or members of the public as a result of this incident (maximum 12 mrem occupational). The source was reportedly not damaged and the impacted guide tube has been taken out of service.
"Limited additional details are available at this time. Agency staff are conducting a reactionary inspection tomorrow, 9/13/23, to review dosimetry, gather incident details, perform a time-motion study and evaluate the adequacy of the licensee's actions."
Illinois Incident Number: IL230025
Agreement State
Event Number: 56738
Rep Org: California Radiation Control Prgm
Licensee: A3GEO, Inc.
Region: 4
City: Berkeley State: CA
County:
License #: 7895-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Robert Greger
HQ OPS Officer: Thomas Herrity
Licensee: A3GEO, Inc.
Region: 4
City: Berkeley State: CA
County:
License #: 7895-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Robert Greger
HQ OPS Officer: Thomas Herrity
Notification Date: 09/13/2023
Notification Time: 17:02 [ET]
Event Date: 09/12/2023
Event Time: 14:45 [PDT]
Last Update Date: 09/13/2023
Notification Time: 17:02 [ET]
Event Date: 09/12/2023
Event Time: 14:45 [PDT]
Last Update Date: 09/13/2023
Emergency Class: Non Emergency
10 CFR Section:
Agreement State
10 CFR Section:
Agreement State
Person (Organization):
Warnick, Greg (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
ILTAB, (EMAIL) (EMAIL)
CNSNS (Mexico), - (EMAIL)
Warnick, Greg (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
ILTAB, (EMAIL) (EMAIL)
CNSNS (Mexico), - (EMAIL)
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STOLEN MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE
The following was reported by the California Department of Public Health, Radiologic Health Branch (RHB) via email:
"On 09/12/2023, RHB received a call from [the] Principal Engineer, and President of A3GEO, Inc., regarding the loss of their moisture density gauge. They stated that on 09/12/2023 at 1445 PDT, the radiation safety officer (RSO) of A3GEO parked his 2001 Dodge Dakota Pickup Truck, containing InstroTek Model 3500 Xplorer with serial number 503 moisture density gauge, at the corner of Ridge Road and Euclid Avenue in Berkeley, CA. The RSO went into the corner market, and as he was exiting the corner store, he saw a man driving away his truck. He tried to stop him by running behind the truck, but he was unable to stop him from driving off. He immediately reported the incident to the Berkeley Police Department. RHB advised the licensee to place an ad in a local Berkeley newspaper offering a reward for return of the stolen gauge."
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 reported by the California Department of Public Health, Radiologic Health Branch (RHB) via email:
"On 09/12/2023, RHB received a call from [the] Principal Engineer, and President of A3GEO, Inc., regarding the loss of their moisture density gauge. They stated that on 09/12/2023 at 1445 PDT, the radiation safety officer (RSO) of A3GEO parked his 2001 Dodge Dakota Pickup Truck, containing InstroTek Model 3500 Xplorer with serial number 503 moisture density gauge, at the corner of Ridge Road and Euclid Avenue in Berkeley, CA. The RSO went into the corner market, and as he was exiting the corner store, he saw a man driving away his truck. He tried to stop him by running behind the truck, but he was unable to stop him from driving off. He immediately reported the incident to the Berkeley Police Department. RHB advised the licensee to place an ad in a local Berkeley newspaper offering a reward for return of the stolen gauge."
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