ENS 41166
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
06:00 Nov 2, 2003 | |
| Title | Missing Depleted Uranium Shipping Shield |
| Event Description | The licensee reported that an empty 18kg depleted uranium shipping shield could not be located. The shield was supposedly shipped from North Carolina Pharmacy in Greensboro, NC to Mallinckrodt (NRC Materials License #24-04206-01 Docket Number 030-00001), however, no record of delivery was found. After one year of searching, Mallinckrodt has declared the material "lost" as of 11/02/04.
Description of the lost source of licensed material Radionuclide: Depleted Uranium shield Physical Form: Solid (Mo-99 generator shielding encased in stainless steel housing) Activity: 18 kilograms Manufacturer: Manufacturing Science Corporation (Oakridge, TN) Model Number: L33200, Serial Number: 002771 The depleted Uranium shield described above was incorporated into a Mo-99 DTE generator and subsequently distributed to the North Carolina Nuclear Pharmacy located in Greensboro, North Carolina (North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources Radioactive Materials license #041-0780-1). As of the date of this letter the shield containing the depleted Uranium has not been located. All efforts, including contacting couriers and searches at both Maryland Heights and the Greensboro pharmacy have been unsuccessful. With the tracking system that is currently in place at Maryland Heights as well as the delinquency notification program, we are able to track the shield when assigned to a shipment and upon its return. Based on these facts, the shield receipt by the customer has been verified, however the shipment from the pharmacy to Maryland Heights could not be verified. The in house tracking system at Maryland Heights shows that the shield was not returned and its disposition at this time is unknown with any degree of certainty. Exposure of individuals and the possible Total Effective Dose Equivalent to persons within unrestricted areas, as a result of the loss of the licensed material, is deemed minimal due to the relatively low activity, and physical nature of the source (i.e., solid, steel-encased source). Site personnel will continue searching for the missing depleted Uranium shield by conducting additional search exercises. In the spirit of ALARA, searching through containers of long-lived radioactive waste materials is not being considered at this time. Additionally, the VP of regulatory affairs for Cardinal Health was contacted concerning this issue. His efforts were also unsuccessful in locating the shield. A full evaluation of the Depleted Uranium accountability and tracking program is in progress through a team approach. This six sigma approach will result in corrective actions that will strengthen the return process and prevent reoccurrence. The scheduled completion of this six sigma project is March 2005. |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Mallinckrodt St Louis, Missouri (NRC Region 3) | |
| License number: | 24-04206-01 |
| Organization: | Mallinckrodt |
| Reporting | |
| 10 CFR 20.2201(a)(1)(ii) | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+8787.75 h366.156 days <br />52.308 weeks <br />12.037 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Roland Sawyer 09:45 Nov 2, 2004 |
| NRC Officer: | John Knoke |
| Last Updated: | Nov 2, 2004 |
| 41166 - NRC Website | |
Mallinckrodt with 10 CFR 20.2201(a)(1)(ii) | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 510482015-04-21T05:00:00021 April 2015 05:00:00
[Table view]10 CFR 20.2201(a)(1)(ii) Indium-111 Source Lost in Transit ENS 504942014-09-18T05:00:00018 September 2014 05:00:00 10 CFR 20.2201(a)(1)(ii) Lost Depleted Uranium Shields ENS 407312004-04-21T05:00:00021 April 2004 05:00:00 10 CFR 20.2201(a)(1)(ii) Missing Depleted Uranium Shipping Shield ENS 411662003-11-02T06:00:0002 November 2003 06:00:00 10 CFR 20.2201(a)(1)(ii) Missing Depleted Uranium Shipping Shield ENS 403382003-10-31T06:00:00031 October 2003 06:00:00 10 CFR 20.2201(a)(1)(ii) Missing Cesium-137 Check Source 2015-04-21T05:00:00 | |