ENS 41757
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
06:00 Jun 3, 2005 | |
| Title | Colorado Agreement State Report - Instrument Source Failure and Source Material Placed in Uncontrolled Storage Location |
| Event Description | The State provided the following information via facsimile:
On Monday, June 6, 2005, the Department received a call from the RSO for Martek Biosciences Boulder. He was reporting an incident that occurred at his facility on Friday, June 3, 2005. Martek Biosciences is a small research laboratory authorized to used milliCurie quantities of P-32, C-14, and H-3. Martek has a Beckman model 3801 liquid scintillation counter. The counter contains an internal 30 microCurie Cs-137 calibration source. The licensee's RSO reported that the liquid scintillation counter had been producing unusual results and a request for service was made to Beckman. A Beckman serviceman arrived at the facility on Friday to replace the 30 microCurie Cs-137 source. He came without survey equipment and did not have a lab coat. On disassembly of the device for source removal and replacement, it was determined that the source had disintegrated. The licensee RSO surveyed his facility and found contamination on the floor and the lab coat he had loaned to the Beckman serviceman. He decontaminated the areas where he found contamination. The Department contacted the Beckman serviceman by phone to discuss the incident. He indicated that the remains of the source and some of the contaminated lead shielding had been packaged and removed from the facility. This package was being stored in a rented storage facility pending return to Beckman. The Beckman serviceman did not know the exact address of the storage facility. At the time of the phone conversation, the Beckman serviceman was on vacation and was heading out of state. He was confident that there was no concern for contamination of the package or himself due to the surveys conducted by the licensee RSO. The Department contacted Beckman to obtain additional information on the 3801 liquid scintillation counter. He indicated that this device is generally licensed and is equivalent to the model 5801. The Beckman representative provided a copy of his California license and a copy of the request to amend the device registry sheet for the liquid scintillation counter. Apparently, Beckman is aware of other source failures for the liquid scintillation counter and has asked for a limited operational life of the source. The Beckman representative was not able to provide the actual address for the storage facility and he could not provide the names of any other service representatives in Colorado who might have access to the storage shed. He indicated that he would provide that information the next day. Tuesday, June 7, 2005: In phone messages from the Beckman representative the Department received the address of the storage facility and name of the regional service manager for Beckman. Wednesday, June 8, 2005: The Department received a call from the Beckman service manager. He indicated that there are two service representatives who have the key to the storage shed. The two Colorado service representatives are the only persons with the keys to the storage shed. One of the Beckman service representatives is out of state and a second is currently in Albuquerque, NM. The Beckman service manager indicated that the Beckman serviceman should not have removed the source from the Martek facility. He also indicated that the shed did not contain any other sources and that it was only used for the storage of parts. One of the Beckman service representative is expected to return to Denver on Thursday morning. He will open the shed for inspection by the Department. Additional data to be provided to complete this report pending the inspection at Martek and the storage facility. |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Martek Biosciences Boulder, Colorado (NRC Region 4) | |
| License number: | 1080-01 |
| Organization: | Colorado Dept Of Health |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+126 h5.25 days <br />0.75 weeks <br />0.173 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Thomas Pentacost 12:00 Jun 8, 2005 |
| NRC Officer: | Mike Ripley |
| Last Updated: | Jun 8, 2005 |
| 41757 - NRC Website | |
Martek Biosciences with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 417572005-06-03T06:00:0003 June 2005 06:00:00
[Table view]Agreement State Colorado Agreement State Report - Instrument Source Failure and Source Material Placed in Uncontrolled Storage Location 2005-06-03T06:00:00 | |