Event Notification Report for May 21, 2026

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STUCK RADIOGRAPHY SOURCE

The following is a summary of information provided by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) via email:

On April 1, 2026, KDHE was notified of a source retrieval incident which occurred on March 31, 2026, involving Innovative Plant Consulting at the Babcock and Wilcox Chanute facility. A 55.4 Ci Ir-192 source from a QSA Global 880D radiography camera became non-retrievable after a wind-driven welding screen struck and displaced the magnetic stand supporting the guide tube assembly. The radiography crew and radiation safety officer (RSO) established boundaries, and the RSO performed a manual source retrieval using shielding and hand tools, successfully returning the source to the fully shielded position. Reported doses were 158 mR to the RSO, 50 mR to the radiographer, and 8 mR to the assistant radiographer.

KDHE's investigation determined that the event met the reporting criteria of 10 CFR 34.101(a)(2), requiring a 24-hour notification, but Kansas initially submitted only a 30-day report based on the licensee's interpretation. The inspector verified the event timeline, ensured the damaged guide tube was removed from service, and identified a violation because the RSO who performed the retrieval was not certified as required by the license.

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST LOCALIZATION SEED

The following is a summary of information provided by the New York City Office of Radiological Health via email:

The licensee reported that three I-125 seeds were implanted in a patient on March 11, 2026, and explanted on March 12, 2026. On March 17, 2026, during an inventory check, one of the seeds could not be located. They believe the seed was inadvertently discarded with the specimen in the bio waste. The seed activity was estimated as 98 microcuries on the date of use and 89 microcuries on the date it was discovered missing.

New York Incident Number: NY260002

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