[The Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration (
VHA) National Health Physics Programs] has a master materials license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. License number is 03-23853-01VA.
Per 10 CFR 20.1906(d), [the VA] is reporting receipt of a package of radioactive material with removable surface contamination on the outside of the package greater than NRC reporting limits.
The package was received today (February 15, 2013) at around 7 AM ET by Carl Vinson VA Medical Center, Dublin, Georgia. The package was checked-in and surveyed around 8:30 AM ET. This medical center holds permit number 10-09569-01 under the VHA master materials license.
Wipe tests performed on the external surface of the package indicated a removable contamination level of 4190 dpm/cm2 as compared to the regulatory limit of 220 dpm/cm2 for beta-gamma emitters.
The package contained eight unit dosages of radiopharmaceuticals ranging between 6 and 40 millicuries each of Technetium-99m and was shipped from Cardinal Health in Augusta, Georgia. The inner packaging materials were also found to be contaminated.
The VA facility Nuclear Medicine Technologist who surveyed the packages immediately notified the vendor/shipper, who serves as the final delivery carrier, about the contaminated package at about 9 AM ET. [The VA National Programs] office was not notified until about 4 PM ET.
As corrective actions: the packaging materials were bagged and set aside in a restricted area at the VA Medical Center and were reclaimed later in the day by the radiopharmacy.
[The VA has also] notified NRC Region III Project Manager (K. Null) ...
HOO Note: A similar incident at the same facility was reported on 02/11/13 - see
EN#48742.