ENS 47963
ENS Event | |
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05:00 May 25, 2012 | |
Title | Agreement State Report - Uranium Source Found at Metal Check Recycling Facility |
Event Description | On May 22, 2012 we [Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (OKDEQ)] were contacted by the Director of Radiology at INTEGRIS Southwest Medical Center in Oklahoma City. The Director informed us that an individual had presented at their Emergency Room complaining that he had been exposed to radiation at the Metal Check, Inc. scrap metal yard located at 5700 South High Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK. According to [the Director], the individual was a heavy equipment mechanic who had been sent to Metal Check to repair a piece of their equipment. While working there he was told by some of the Metal Check employees not to enter a certain part of the facility because it contained radioactive pipe. The mechanic immediately left Metal Check and went to the Medical Center.
That afternoon [an inspector with OKDEQ] went to Metal Check and spoke with the owner and the manager. They agreed to allow [the inspector] to survey the pipe in question and showed [the inspector] the area where it was stored and where the mechanic was working. It appeared to [the inspector] that the pipe was located approximately 40 feet from where the equipment was being repaired, making it impossible for the mechanic to receive any significant dose from this material. [The manager] showed [the inspector] a small bin approximately six feet long by four feet high by four feet deep filled with miscellaneous pieces of scrap metal. The top of the bin was surveyed with a Ludlum Model 19 microR meter (S/N 70537, cal. Aug. 18, 2011) which produced a reading of approximately 1100 microR/hr. This was very high for NORM [naturally occurring radioactive material] pipe and [the inspector] also noted that the radiation level was not uniform along the length of the bin, having a definite spike approximately two feet from the left end. This led [the inspector] to conclude that there was a localized source somewhere in the bin at that point. [The inspector] then contacted [his supervisor] and related what [he] had found at the facility. [The inspector] suggested returning the next day with an additional person and additional instruments, and attempting to locate the postulated radiation source. The following morning [the inspector and an associate] returned to Metal Check and began to unload the bin. Almost immediately [they] found what appeared to be a badly corroded metal bucket which had been crushed around an object inside it. A survey of the object with the same Model 19 used the previous day produced a reading of 2.2 mR/hr on contact with the bucket. A Thermo Fisher Interceptor portable gamma spec was used to collect a gamma spectrum from the object, which the instrument identified as shielded Uranium. A second spectrum was collected through a hole in the bucket surrounding the object; this was identified as natural Uranium. A portion of the object was wiped through a hole in the bucket; analysis of the wipe by the DEQ Environmental Lab confirmed the presence of U-235 and U-238, and their daughters. The object was roughly disk-shaped, approximately 12 inches in diameter and one inch thick. One side had a second, smaller disk, approximately 10 inches in diameter, centered on the larger and approximately 2 inches thick. No markings or labels were visible. [The inspectors] estimate the weight of the object at approximately 40 lbs. Three pieces of NORM pipe were also found with high radiation levels (1 mR/hr). All four objects were removed from the bin which was then surveyed again, producing readings of approximately 300 to 400 microR/hr. Rachel Browder and Michelle Hammond of the NRC were informed of the situation later that day by phone. The uranium object was placed in a locked room at the Metal Check facility pending further guidance from NRC. |
Where | |
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Unknown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (NRC Region 4) | |
License number: | N/A |
Organization: | Ok Deq Rad Management |
Reporting | |
Agreement State | |
Time - Person (Reporting Time:+6.53 h0.272 days <br />0.0389 weeks <br />0.00894 months <br />) | |
Opened: | Kevin Sampson 11:32 May 25, 2012 |
NRC Officer: | Howie Crouch |
Last Updated: | May 25, 2012 |
47963 - NRC Website | |
Unknown with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 572262024-07-15T12:59:00015 July 2024 12:59:00
[Table view]Agreement State Suspected Radioactive Material Found ENS 561482022-10-05T04:00:0005 October 2022 04:00:00 Agreement State Two Abandoned Sources ENS 556972022-01-07T05:00:0007 January 2022 05:00:00 Agreement State Found Moisture Density Guage ENS 544262019-12-06T06:00:0006 December 2019 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Density Gauge Found at Scrap Yard ENS 529712017-09-08T18:53:0008 September 2017 18:53:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Orphan Source Discovery ENS 529292017-08-24T04:00:00024 August 2017 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Damaged Packaging - Source Intact ENS 528322017-06-28T04:00:00028 June 2017 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Orphaned Cs-137 Source Recovered ENS 525592017-02-16T21:00:00016 February 2017 21:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Cpn Instrotek Notified California of Missing Cpn Nuclear Gauge Location ENS 524672016-12-29T05:00:00029 December 2016 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Apparent Uncontained Radiation Source Detected ENS 520892016-07-12T04:00:00012 July 2016 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Fixed Gauge Found at Metal Recycling Faculty ENS 520882016-07-11T04:00:00011 July 2016 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Fixed Gauge Found at Metal Recycling Faculty ENS 518762016-04-21T05:00:00021 April 2016 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Radiation Level on Package Greater than Limits ENS 518662016-04-11T07:00:00011 April 2016 07:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Ra-226 Source Found in Garbage Truck ENS 517532016-02-22T05:00:00022 February 2016 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Unplanned Contamination at Metal Recycling Facility ENS 513842015-09-08T05:00:0008 September 2015 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Orphan Ra-226 Source ENS 513272015-08-15T04:00:00015 August 2015 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Orphan Source Found in a Garbage Truck ENS 513222015-08-11T05:00:00011 August 2015 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Orphaned Source Discovered / Possible Overexposure Involved ENS 513152015-07-13T13:45:00013 July 2015 13:45:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Ndc Gauge Recovered from Landfill ENS 511962015-06-01T06:00:0001 June 2015 06:00:00 Agreement State Colorado Agreement State Report - Radium-226 Discovered at Scrap Yard ENS 509862015-04-15T19:15:00015 April 2015 19:15:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Source Discovered at a Transfer Station ENS 511012015-04-14T05:00:00014 April 2015 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Cs-137 Found in Waste Entering a Landfill ENS 509722015-04-10T04:00:00010 April 2015 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Radium-226 Source Found in Load of Scrap Metal ENS 502282014-06-23T07:00:00023 June 2014 07:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Damaged Fixed Gauge Found in Scrap Metal Shipment ENS 499642014-03-26T04:00:00026 March 2014 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Y-90 Sir-Spheres Treatment Dose Less than Prescribed ENS 498432014-02-07T06:00:0007 February 2014 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Unknown Radioactive Material Discovered in Garbage Truck at Landfill ENS 495132013-10-31T05:00:00031 October 2013 05:00:00 Agreement State Orphan Sealed Source Recovered at a Scrap Yard ENS 491462013-06-24T18:30:00024 June 2013 18:30:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Scrap Metal Shipment Found to Contain Unidentified Radioactive Material ENS 490352013-04-24T06:00:00024 April 2013 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Found Radium 226 Source ENS 487992013-03-01T05:00:0001 March 2013 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Shipment Containing Cesium-137 Found ENS 487532013-02-14T08:00:00014 February 2013 08:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Discovery of Gas Chromatograph in Building Attic ENS 488152013-02-14T04:00:00014 February 2013 04:00:00 Agreement State Blackout Button Found in Load of Scrap Metal ENS 487282013-01-28T05:00:00028 January 2013 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Smoke Detectors Found at Scrap Metal Recycling Facility ENS 491182012-11-19T07:00:00019 November 2012 07:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Illegal Transfer of a Device Containing Americium-241 ENS 479632012-05-25T05:00:00025 May 2012 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Uranium Source Found at Metal Check Recycling Facility ENS 477922012-03-28T20:35:00028 March 2012 20:35:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - a Moisture Density Gauge Was Found in Building ENS 476132012-01-19T05:00:00019 January 2012 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Radium-226 Sources Discovered at Waste Transfer Station ENS 475592011-12-28T07:00:00028 December 2011 07:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Two Nuclear Gauges Found at Metal Recycling Facility ENS 473972011-10-28T17:00:00028 October 2011 17:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Orphaned Source Discovered at a Scrap Metal Facility ENS 473962011-10-13T16:00:00013 October 2011 16:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Dose Misadministration ENS 462132010-08-03T06:00:0003 August 2010 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Radioactive Material Found in Scrap Shipment ENS 461472010-08-02T05:00:0002 August 2010 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report Involving a Source Found in a Load of Scrap ENS 460612010-06-24T16:00:00024 June 2010 16:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report Involving a Found Ra-226 Source ENS 459542010-05-21T04:00:00021 May 2010 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Lost Source Found in Scrap Metal ENS 458192010-04-07T05:00:0007 April 2010 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State - Depleted Uranium Found in Scrap Metal ENS 458022010-03-29T06:00:00029 March 2010 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Found Portable Density Gauge ENS 456102010-01-04T06:00:0004 January 2010 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State - Moisture Density Gauge Found in Scrap Metal ENS 446902008-11-22T19:00:00022 November 2008 19:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Radium Vials Discovered in Home ENS 444642008-08-08T07:00:0008 August 2008 07:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report Involving a Lost or Stolen Tritium Exit Sign ENS 440582008-03-12T18:30:00012 March 2008 18:30:00 Agreement State Agreement State - Unidentified Radioactive Material Received at Metal Recycling Facility ENS 438112007-11-28T01:11:00028 November 2007 01:11:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material Found at a School ENS 436812007-09-28T17:00:00028 September 2007 17:00:00 Agreement State Wisconsin Agreement State Report - Ndc Gauge Found in Scrap Yard ENS 436202007-09-06T15:30:0006 September 2007 15:30:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - California - Strontium 90 Source of Unknown Origin Found ENS 435452007-08-02T04:00:0002 August 2007 04:00:00 Agreement State Ten Tritium Exit Signs Stolen from Construction Site ENS 434432007-06-19T04:00:00019 June 2007 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report Involving Higher than Prescribed Dose Delivered ENS 432372007-03-12T19:00:00012 March 2007 19:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Lost/Stolen Exit Signs ENS 432132007-02-20T13:30:00020 February 2007 13:30:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Abandoned Industrial Gauge Found in Scrap Yard ENS 431202007-01-24T20:00:00024 January 2007 20:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report from Washington - Radiation Monitors at a Recycling Facility Detected Radioactivity Coming from an Incoming Load of Scrap Metal ENS 427272006-07-21T05:00:00021 July 2006 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Radioactive Material Identified in Arc Furnace Ash ENS 427092006-07-15T05:00:00015 July 2006 05:00:00 Agreement State Louisiana Agreement State Report of Radioactive Source Found at Old Texaco Site ENS 419492005-08-26T05:00:00026 August 2005 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State - Tritium Exit Signs Found in Recyclables ENS 419302005-08-15T04:00:00015 August 2005 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Source of Unknown Origin Found in Railcar ENS 409302004-08-05T05:00:0005 August 2004 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State - Recovered Device Containing Radioactive Material ENS 408512004-06-30T22:30:00030 June 2004 22:30:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report from the New York City Bureau of Rad Health ENS 402392003-10-10T04:00:00010 October 2003 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report Involving Discovery of Nuclear Gauge in Scrapyard ENS 401542003-09-09T07:00:0009 September 2003 07:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report Involving a Recovered Source 2024-07-15T12:59:00 | |