The following information was received from the State of
Washington via email:
This incident is a report of a broken fixed gauge shutter handle which originally was reported to [Washington Division of Radiation Protection] as a GL [General Licensed] device. This incident is a failure of the on/off (shutter) mechanism with the shutter stuck in the closed (safe) position when the handle broke off. [Washington Division of Radiation Protection] learned later that this was not a GL device as reported . . . but a specific license gauge. [Washington Division of Radiation Protection] acted upon the reporting criteria as this meets 10 CFR 31.5 (c)(5) criteria that applies to general license radioactive material and a report within 30 days with a description and remedial action of actual or indicated failure to the on-off mechanism. This report falls into that 30 day time frame but the device is a specifically licensed device.
Licensee informed Washington Department of Health (WA DOH) on 14 May 2014 that a shutter handle broke off a fixed gauge during shutdown for routine operations on 8 April 2014. Surveys by radiation safety officer and by health physics service provider consultant confirmed dose rates were within acceptable ranges and consistent with gauge SS&D sealed source and device data. The gauge manufacturer is scheduled to be onsite 23 May 2014 to assess and repair. An investigation continues and corrective actions are pending.
WA DOH incident number WA-14-019.
One
Ohmart fixed
gauge, model
SH-F1, serial 2860GK. 100 millicuries original activity [Cs-137] in November 1996; now 67 millicuries today 20 May 2014. Source model pending, source serial believed same as device serial. Source and shutter and device conditions unknown, but believed to be undamaged and intact (dose rates similar to SS&D data). Problem with source and device to be determined by
gauge manufacturer scheduled to be onsite 23 May 2014 to assess and repair.