ENS 56751
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
04:00 Jul 12, 2023 | |
| Title | Lost Radioactive Material |
| Event Description | The following information was provided by the Maryland Department of the Environment via email:
On July 12, 2023, the Maryland Department of the Environment Radiological Health Program (MDE/RHP) was contacted via email from a Tesla employee who reported the loss of a device with NRD model number P-2021 Z705 from a Tesla Body and Paint facility located in Maryland. The lost device is manufactured by NRD, LLC with model number P-2021-Z705, serial number A2MF439. The device contains 10 mCi of Polonium-210. No reference date is associated with it, but the device was shipped to Tesla, Inc. on March 16, 2021. These devices are generally-licensed and sold to Tesla by NRD, LLC. Tesla, Inc. Maryland Site, NA-US-MD-Owings Mills-Body is located at 9430 Reisterstown Road, Owings Mills, Maryland 21117. On July 14, 2023, the Maryland Department of the Environment Radiological Health Program (MDE/RHP) investigation showed that the Po-210 radioactive material is used for alpha ionizer applications at the Tesla paint and body shop to stop dust from clinging to the body panels prior to painting. As per the company's procedure, when the device is no longer in use, the radioactive 'barrel' cartridges will be returned to NRD (or suitable disposer). The device had the 'gun' separated from the 'barrel' cartridge. The 'barrel' cartridge was returned to NRD as per procedure and the non-radioactive 'gun' part was lost or misplaced. In this process, the Po-210 source was not accounted for by NRD, LLC and reported as lost. This information is not conclusive as a lost source and needs to be further confirmed. Information on the current activity is required. MDE/RHP will finalize a reactive investigation. THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A 'Less than Cat 3' LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Tesla Owing Mills, Maryland (NRC Region 1) | |
| License number: | General |
| Organization: | Maryland Dept Of The Environment |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+1693.63 h70.568 days <br />10.081 weeks <br />2.32 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Atnatiwos Meshesha 17:38 Sep 20, 2023 |
| NRC Officer: | Lawrence Criscione |
| Last Updated: | Sep 20, 2023 |
| 56751 - NRC Website | |
Tesla with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 566742023-07-12T07:00:00012 July 2023 07:00:00
[Table view]Agreement State Lost Radioactive Source ENS 566402023-07-12T04:00:00012 July 2023 04:00:00 Agreement State Missing Static Eliminator ENS 567512023-07-12T04:00:00012 July 2023 04:00:00 Agreement State Lost Radioactive Material 2023-07-12T07:00:00 | |