ENS 43869
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
05:00 Dec 6, 2007 | |
| Title | |
| Event Description | The State of Maryland was notified on 12/27/07 by one of its licensees that two Co-57 calibration sources were missing. The two sources were 0.9 mCi and 1.3 mCi (2.2 mCi total) and were used by a mobile nuclear medicine service licensee, DigiRad, to calibrate nuclear imaging cameras before use. The sources were lost in the process of returning them to the manufacturer, International Isotopes, in International Falls, Idaho.
The DigiRad RSO stated that the two Co-57 sources were packaged and shipped via FedEx ground out of Linthicum Heights, Maryland on December 6, 2007. The package arrived at International Isotopes on December 10. For reasons unknown at this time, the package was not opened at International Isotopes until December 21. It was reported by DigiRad that when the package was opened at International Isotopes, the shielded shipping container was inside but no sources were found. Again, for reasons unknown at this time, International Isotopes did not contact DigiRad to report that there were no sources in the shipping container. DigiRad contacted International Isotopes to follow-up on the shipment on December 26 and was informed that the sources were not in the shipping container when it was opened at International Isotopes. The shipping package was reported to have been intact and undamaged and there was no evidence that the package had been opened or tampered with during shipment. DigiRad informed the State that it has interviewed the individual who packaged the sources and there is no indication that he may have inadvertently left them out of the shipping container. A search of the area at DigiRad has not turned up the sources. DigiRad has no information on what International Isotopes has done to confirm that the sources were not actually in the container at the receiving end.
The RSO from DigiRad notified the State of Maryland that the sources have been located at International Isotopes and confirmed by serial numbers. It appears that the sources were actually shipped to DigiRad in November of 2007. The employee that shipped the sources in November is no longer employed at DigiRad and has not been interviewed. It is suspected that the DigiRad employee that shipped what he thought were the sources on December 6 did not actually open the shielded source container to confirm that the sources were present. The DigiRad RSO now believes that the source container shipped to International Isotopes on December 6 was empty. Therefore, based on confirmation between DigiRad and International Isotopes, the two Co-57 calibration sources are no longer missing and have been confirmed (via serial number) to be present at International Isotopes. Investigation into the source tracking and accountability issues will be followed up on by the State. Notified R1DO (Perry), R4DO (Pruett), and FSME (Wastler) have been notified. 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. This source is not amongst those sources or devices identified by the IAEA Code of Conduct for the Safety & Security of Radioactive Sources to be of concern from a radiological standpoint. Therefore is it being categorized as a less than Category 3 source |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Digirad Mobile Nuclear Medicine Services Maryland (NRC Region 1) | |
| License number: | MD03-107-01 |
| Organization: | Maryland Dept Of The Environment |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+518.38 h21.599 days <br />3.086 weeks <br />0.71 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Ray Manley 19:23 Dec 27, 2007 |
| NRC Officer: | Bill Huffman |
| Last Updated: | Dec 28, 2007 |
| 43869 - NRC Website | |
Digirad Mobile Nuclear Medicine Services with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 438692007-12-06T05:00:0006 December 2007 05:00:00
[Table view]Agreement State Agreement State Report - Maryland - Missing Cobalt-57 Calibration Sources 2007-12-06T05:00:00 | |