ENS 44075
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
07:00 Mar 17, 2008 | |
| Title | Agreement State Report - Shipping Container Arrived Damaged with Source Outside of Pig and Container |
| Event Description | The State of California Radiologic Health Branch provided the following information via email:
The licensee shipped a nominal 123 mCi Co-60 source via FedEx in a Type A package from a temporary job site in the State of Washington to their office in Paramount, CA. Upon arrival at the Paramount office, the Type A shipping container was observed to have been damaged, and the Co-60 source was found out of its shielded pig, and outside of the Type A container. Calculation assuming a point source shows that the radiation levels would have been ~170 mr/hr at one meter, ~1.8 R/hr at one foot, and ~1700 R/hr at one centimeter from the source. The Type A container is constructed of steel, with an inner lead storage pig, and was secured to a wooden shipping pallet. The Type A container has a collar that extends above the lead pig. The cover for the lead pig is secured by a rod that fits through the steel collar. The rod is secured in place by a lock on the rod. Upon receipt of the Type A container at the Paramount, CA facility, the wooden pallet was missing, the lock on the securing rod was missing, the securing rod was not inserted in the holes in the steel collar (therefore it was not securing the cover to the lead pig), and although the inner lead pig cover was in place, the source was found lying on top of the lead pig within the steel collar portion of the Type A container. It is surmised that the Type A container was dropped on the lock during transportation, such that the lock broke, the securing rod was displaced, the cover came off the lead pig, and the source came out of the lead pig. Either the Co-60 source lodged in the steel collar at that time, or the source fell out and someone picked it up and placed it on top of the lead pig within the steel collar of the Type A container (the latter appears more likely). The source is located at one end of an ~3 inch long rod. The licensee notified FedEx of the event. FedEx's consultant is investigating to determine where and how the damage to the Type A container occurred, and to evaluate the exposures to FedEx personnel. Transportation occurred exclusively on FedEx conveyances, so no significant non-FedEx personnel exposure is expected to have resulted during transportation. A licensee employee reinserted the source in the lead pig before removing the Type A container from the FedEx delivery truck. In doing so he handled the non-source end of the source rod with his bare fingers, while wearing extremity dosimetry. Calculated extremity dose is 100 to 200 mrem based on a 5-10 second handling time. CA Report Number 031708 |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Tracerco Paramount, California (NRC Region 4) | |
| License number: | 5474-07 |
| Organization: | California Radiation Control Prgm |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+35.28 h1.47 days <br />0.21 weeks <br />0.0483 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Robert Greger 18:17 Mar 18, 2008 |
| NRC Officer: | Bill Huffman |
| Last Updated: | Mar 18, 2008 |
| 44075 - NRC Website | |
Tracerco with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 513502015-08-25T05:00:00025 August 2015 05:00:00
[Table view]Agreement State Agreement State Report - Contamination in an Uncontrolled Area ENS 511022015-05-27T05:00:00027 May 2015 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Leaking Cs-137 Source ENS 440752008-03-17T07:00:00017 March 2008 07:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Shipping Container Arrived Damaged with Source Outside of Pig and Container 2015-08-25T05:00:00 | |