The following is a summary of a report received via email by the
North Carolina Division of Radiation Protection Radioactive Material Branch concerning a source that became stuck while using a radiography camera at a
Flowserve facility in Raleigh, NC.
On December 28, 2012 at 3:15 pm during radiographic operations with a Co-60 projector model number 741AE s/n A218 containing a Co-60 source, a stuck source equipment incident occurred when the source failed to retract into the shielded position at the permanent radiographic facility located at Flowserve Flow Control Division in Raleigh, NC.
The licensee implemented its source retrieval procedures and successfully retrieved the source back into the projector without exposure to the staff involved.
Inspection of the guide tube setup identified that the connector that connected the flexible guide tubes was not fully engaged.
All radiographers and assistants were briefed on the stuck source equipment incident and all conditions found. The importance of daily checks was stressed along with the need to perform an inspection of your guide tube setup when making any type of change. All radiographers and assistants were involved in the inspection of the two flexible guide tubes and comparison to our other guide tubes and nothing was identified as a potential problem.
The incident was monitored by the RSO at each stage from beginning to end to ensure that all possible safety and security concerns were adequately addressed.
It is the determination of the
RSO that at no time was the safety of the employees, radiographers or the public at risk as a result of this incident.