ENS 47519
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
01:00 Dec 11, 2011 | |
| Title | Agreement State Report - Nuclear Gauges Damaged Due to Fire |
| Event Description | The following information was provided from the state via email:
On December 12, 2011, the Agency was notified by a licensee that on Saturday, December 10, 2011, at approximately 1900 CST, there was a fire in the coker unit at their facility in Pasadena, TX. The RSO reported there were 4 fixed nuclear gauges on drums in the area of the fire. The gauges were Ohmart-Vega Model SH1G-1 and each contained a 300 milliCurie Cesium-137 source. Two gauges were directly in the fire and were damaged. The other two gauges were shielded from the fire by the drum they were mounted on and it has not yet been determined if they sustained any damage. The area was barricaded to prevent entry due to unsafe conditions caused by the fire (i.e. structural damage that has to be assessed, heat, ash/hydrocarbons). There were no radiation levels above background found during initial surveys from the barricade line and subsequent surveys conducted under the drums on the ground level and second level (areas where people will begin working). Higher levels will be surveyed prior to entry. The licensee has made arrangements with Ohmart-Vega for service to remove all 4 gauges once the area is safe. Gauge and Source Information: Gauges: All Ohmart-Vega Model SH1G-1 Serial numbers:13543162, 13543163, 13543164 (in fire), 13543165 (in fire) Sources: Cesium-137, 300 milliCuries each, SN same as gauge Gauges installed March, 2010. More information will be provided as it is obtained.
The following information was provided from the state via email: On June 13, 2012, the Agency was notified by the licensee that the four gauges involved in the fire on December 12, 2011, had been removed from the vessel and sent to their service provider. Prior to being shipped a source leak test was performed on all four gauges. The results for all the sources was less than the acceptable limit. A second source leak test was performed on the gauges once they were received at the service providers facility. The results were reported as less than the acceptable limit. On June 19, 2012, the service provider contacted the Agency and stated that while repairing one of the gauges containing 300 milliCuries of cesium - 137, their technician, the floor in the work area, and the work bench became contaminated. The area and the technician were decontaminated to background that same day. The service provider has not provided the contamination levels, but stated that they were low enough that they did not believe there was any risk to the worker of internal contamination. They also reported that the gauge was void of lead shielding. The service provider is trying to determine how the source failed. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA 300. Texas Incident #: I-8909 Notified R1DO (Geoffrey Miller), FSME via email |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Pasadena Refining System, Inc Pasadena, Texas (NRC Region 4) | |
| License number: | 01344 |
| Organization: | Texas Department Of Health |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+37.63 h1.568 days <br />0.224 weeks <br />0.0515 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Karen Blanchard 14:38 Dec 12, 2011 |
| NRC Officer: | John Knoke |
| Last Updated: | Jun 21, 2012 |
| 47519 - NRC Website | |
Pasadena Refining System, Inc with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 475192011-12-11T01:00:00011 December 2011 01:00:00
[Table view]Agreement State Agreement State Report - Nuclear Gauges Damaged Due to Fire 2011-12-11T01:00:00 | |