Event Notification Report for August 20, 2024

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LEAKING SOURCE

The following information was provided by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) via email:

"NYSDOH Bureau of Environmental Radiation Protection (BERP) received an email from the radiation safety officer (RSO) of NYSDOH Wadsworth laboratories on August 12, 2024, to report a leaking Ni-63 electron capture device (ECD) contained within a decommissioned gas chromatograph. This sample was collected on August 6, 2024, and was analyzed (and quality control tested) following collection.

"Device Make: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
"Device Model: 19233
"Device Serial Number: L2075
"Isotopes: Ni-63 (18 mCi at time of manufacture)

"NYSDOH Wadsworth laboratory staff were conducting a leak test and wipe of a decommissioned gas chromatography unit that had not been used for over 20 years. The ECD housing within the unit did have removable contamination detected at 30,000 disintegrations per minute (approximately 0.015 micro Ci) when analyzed using a liquid scintillation counter. The gas chromatograph was isolated, and an enhanced survey showed that the gas chromatograph chamber (which sits below the ECD housing) had removable contamination consistent with the ECD housing. Other areas of the gas chromatograph were surveyed and showed levels indistinguishable from background. Furthermore, checks of areas around the gas chromatograph were surveyed as well as personnel and personal protective equipment and no levels exceeding background were discovered. The extent of contamination appears to be isolated to the open port of the ECD, which has been sealed.

"The entire gas chromatograph is isolated pending disposal. NYSDOH Wadsworth staff contacted the RSO for Agilent [Technologies] and confirmed that the device may be sent to them for disposal."

"The cause of this leaking source is unknown as the device had been removed from service for several decades. Routine surveys have indicated that the extent of contamination was localized to areas of the chromatograph that would not be touched or in contact with any laboratory equipment or personnel.

"NYSDOH BERP is actively monitoring this event under Incident No. 1497. Additional information will be provided to the Nuclear Material Events Database (NMED) once available."

Event Report ID No. NY-24-08
NYSDOH Incident Number: 1497

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST/STOLEN PORTABLE GAUGE

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

"The radiation safety officer for Giles Engineering contacted the RHB in Sacramento to report a lost/stolen CPN portable nuclear gauge, model MC-1, serial number MD71003961. This gauge contains two radioactive sealed sources: 370 MBq (10 mCi) of Cs-137 and 1.9 GBq (50 mCi) of Am-241.

"The loss / theft occurred about on Friday August 9, 2024, while in Palm Springs at a job project. The CPN [brand] gauge was secured in the rear of the company pickup truck, locked inside the locked case. The gauge operator got stuck in deep sand at the job site, so he removed the security chain to get pulled out. He failed to re-secure the portable gauge to the pick-up truck and noticed it was missing while he was stopped at a local gas station. A police report was filed with Palm Springs police department. Maurer Technical Services and Instrotek were also notified."

California 5010 Number: 081224

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

The following information was provided by the licensee via phone call and email:

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

The NRC Senior Resident Inspector has been notified.