Event Notification Report for August 27, 2024
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
08/26/2024 - 08/27/2024
Agreement State
Event Number: 57294
Rep Org: Illinois Emergency Mgmt. Agency
Licensee: Weaver Consultants Group North Centra, LLC
Region: 3
City: East St. Louis State: IL
County:
License #: IL-02007-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Whitney Cox
HQ OPS Officer: Robert A. Thompson
Licensee: Weaver Consultants Group North Centra, LLC
Region: 3
City: East St. Louis State: IL
County:
License #: IL-02007-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Whitney Cox
HQ OPS Officer: Robert A. Thompson
Notification Date: 08/27/2024
Notification Time: 16:49 [ET]
Event Date: 08/27/2024
Event Time: 00:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 09/03/2024
Notification Time: 16:49 [ET]
Event Date: 08/27/2024
Event Time: 00:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 09/03/2024
Emergency Class: Non Emergency
10 CFR Section:
Agreement State
10 CFR Section:
Agreement State
Person (Organization):
Hills, David (R3DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
Hills, David (R3DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
EN Revision Imported Date: 9/4/2024
EN Revision Text: AGREEMENT STATE - MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE SOURCE ROD STUCK OPEN
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (the Agency) provided the following information via phone and email:
"Weaver Consultants Group North Centra, LLC (the licensee) notified the Agency of a source rod stuck open on a Troxler 3440 portable density gauge (8 mCi Cs-137, 40 mCi Am-241/Be). The licensee confirmed that the incident took place on August 27, 2024. The source rod was stuck out 3 inches. The [licensee's] consultant came to the jobsite to pick up the gauge for repair the same day. The consultant confirmed that they were able to retract the rod once back at their facility. The gauge is pending repair.
"Agency staff will be on-site August 28, 2024, to perform a reactionary inspection. Updates will be provided as they become available."
Illinois Item Number: IL240019
* * * UPDATE ON 09/03/2024 AT 1524 EDT FROM GARY FORSEE TO ROBERT THOMPSON * * *
The following is a summary of information provided by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (the Agency) via email:
Agency staff conducted a reactive inspection at the site where the gauge failed to function as designed on August 28, 2024. Gauge use was observed and the gauge user was interviewed. It is believed the compacted clay hardened and prohibited retraction of the source rod. Inspection and repair by the licensed consultant evidenced no damage or obvious defects. Notification was timely and a proper written report was received. No occupational or public exposures are anticipated from this incident. Barring any further developments, this matter is considered closed.
Notified R3DO (Hills) and NMSS (email).
EN Revision Text: AGREEMENT STATE - MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE SOURCE ROD STUCK OPEN
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (the Agency) provided the following information via phone and email:
"Weaver Consultants Group North Centra, LLC (the licensee) notified the Agency of a source rod stuck open on a Troxler 3440 portable density gauge (8 mCi Cs-137, 40 mCi Am-241/Be). The licensee confirmed that the incident took place on August 27, 2024. The source rod was stuck out 3 inches. The [licensee's] consultant came to the jobsite to pick up the gauge for repair the same day. The consultant confirmed that they were able to retract the rod once back at their facility. The gauge is pending repair.
"Agency staff will be on-site August 28, 2024, to perform a reactionary inspection. Updates will be provided as they become available."
Illinois Item Number: IL240019
* * * UPDATE ON 09/03/2024 AT 1524 EDT FROM GARY FORSEE TO ROBERT THOMPSON * * *
The following is a summary of information provided by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (the Agency) via email:
Agency staff conducted a reactive inspection at the site where the gauge failed to function as designed on August 28, 2024. Gauge use was observed and the gauge user was interviewed. It is believed the compacted clay hardened and prohibited retraction of the source rod. Inspection and repair by the licensed consultant evidenced no damage or obvious defects. Notification was timely and a proper written report was received. No occupational or public exposures are anticipated from this incident. Barring any further developments, this matter is considered closed.
Notified R3DO (Hills) and NMSS (email).
Non-Agreement State
Event Number: 57376
Rep Org: NOAA
Licensee: NOAA
Region: 4
City: Seattle State: WA
County:
License #: 46-23463-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Lucia Upchurch
HQ OPS Officer: Ian Howard
Licensee: NOAA
Region: 4
City: Seattle State: WA
County:
License #: 46-23463-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: Lucia Upchurch
HQ OPS Officer: Ian Howard
Notification Date: 10/11/2024
Notification Time: 15:12 [ET]
Event Date: 08/27/2024
Event Time: 08:00 [PDT]
Last Update Date: 10/11/2024
Notification Time: 15:12 [ET]
Event Date: 08/27/2024
Event Time: 08:00 [PDT]
Last Update Date: 10/11/2024
Emergency Class: Non Emergency
10 CFR Section:
20.2201(a)(1)(ii) - Lost/Stolen LNM>10x
10 CFR Section:
20.2201(a)(1)(ii) - Lost/Stolen LNM>10x
Person (Organization):
Gaddy, Vincent (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
ILTAB, (EMAIL) (EMAIL)
CNSC (Canada), - (EMAIL)
Gaddy, Vincent (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
ILTAB, (EMAIL) (EMAIL)
CNSC (Canada), - (EMAIL)
LOST SOURCE
The following is a summary of information provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) via phone:
A current authorized user was on site in August to test and calibrate systems. They verbally notified the radiation safety officer (RSO) on August 26, 2024, that the spare Ni-63 electron capture detector (ECD) was not in the respective gas chromatograph (GC) which is normally located in the sea-going CFC van. On August 27, the authorized user and the RSO began a search for the missing ECD. The RSO contacted the previous authorized user on August 27, 2024, and they reported that they did not recall reinstalling the spare ECD in March 2020 due to the cruise being cancelled due to COVID. On September 1st, 2024, that authorized user sent a photo of the box used for shipping the ECD, noting that the photo was from July 14, 2021, and the box was present in the sea-going van in Seattle, Washington. A further search was conducted in the sea-going van by the RSO, and the other authorized user, but the ECD and the shipping box have not been located. This search was suspended on October 10, 2024. The licensee will continue looking for the missing ECD.
The following additional information was obtained from the licensee in accordance with Headquarters Operations Officers Report Guidance:
Device Information:
Manufacturer: Shimadzu
Model: GC-8A
Source S/N: 2191
Activity: 8.3 mCi
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 is a summary of information provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) via phone:
A current authorized user was on site in August to test and calibrate systems. They verbally notified the radiation safety officer (RSO) on August 26, 2024, that the spare Ni-63 electron capture detector (ECD) was not in the respective gas chromatograph (GC) which is normally located in the sea-going CFC van. On August 27, the authorized user and the RSO began a search for the missing ECD. The RSO contacted the previous authorized user on August 27, 2024, and they reported that they did not recall reinstalling the spare ECD in March 2020 due to the cruise being cancelled due to COVID. On September 1st, 2024, that authorized user sent a photo of the box used for shipping the ECD, noting that the photo was from July 14, 2021, and the box was present in the sea-going van in Seattle, Washington. A further search was conducted in the sea-going van by the RSO, and the other authorized user, but the ECD and the shipping box have not been located. This search was suspended on October 10, 2024. The licensee will continue looking for the missing ECD.
The following additional information was obtained from the licensee in accordance with Headquarters Operations Officers Report Guidance:
Device Information:
Manufacturer: Shimadzu
Model: GC-8A
Source S/N: 2191
Activity: 8.3 mCi
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