The following report was received from the
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality via facsimile:
On October 4, 2016, at approximately 0910 CDT, the Radiation Safety Office of CB&I Walker LA, LLC notified LDEQ [Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality] of a potential excessive exposure to a radiographer working in the licensee's permanent radiographic facility. After making a proper radiation survey, the above radiographer moved his exposure device with 100.6 Ci of Ir-192 and then noticed the rear fitting had come loose from the crank-out control, which showed approximately three inches of drive cable exposed. The radiographer pushed the fitting forward and tightened it back into the connector of the crank-out control. The licensee believes that at this point the source was inadvertently pushed out of the front of the camera approximately three to four inches. The radiographer did not notice this at the time and continued setting up for the next exposure.
Upon exiting the shooting cell, the radiographer observed the red revolving warning light. The radiographer also observed sounding of the shooting cell alarm upon his exiting the cell. The radiographer stated that he was inside the shooting cell for a period of between five to seven minutes. The radiographer read his direct reading pocket dosimeter and observed an off-scale reading. The radiographer immediately notified his RSO [Radiation Safety Officer], who immediately sent his whole body badge in for rush processing subsequent to the dosimetry processor being notified by the RSO. The RSO used the radiographer's information of occupancy time and his statement that he was standing while the exposure device was stationed on the shooting cell floor throughout the incident to estimate the radiographer's whole body exposure of between 5 and 25 R. The radiographer was then immediately sent to a local medical laboratory to have his blood drawn. There is no potential for off-site exposure. The licensee was advised by this inspector to contact the REAC/TS facility for guidance on blood chromosomal analysis. This is a preliminary report in an on-going investigation.
Louisiana Event Report ID No.: LA160010
- * * UPDATE AT 1648 EDT ON 10/19/16 FROM RUSSELL S. CLARK TO S. SANDIN * * *
The State of Louisiana corrected the licensee to show CB & I Walker, LLC.
Notified R4DO (Kramer),
NMSS Events Notification,
NMSS (Collins) and
NSIR (Milligan) via email.