ML20128M446
| ML20128M446 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 10/01/1996 |
| From: | Costello F, Penny Lanzisera NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20128M441 | List: |
| References | |
| REF-QA-99900001 NUDOCS 9610160094 | |
| Download: ML20128M446 (5) | |
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U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION I INSPECTION REPORT Report No. 9990001/96-008 Docket No. 9990001 License No. General License Facility:
Technicut 32 Gramar Avenue Prospect. Connecticut Inspection Conducted: Auaust 27. 1996 ID 9C Inspector:
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j P@ ny Lanzisefa d&te H @lth Physicist Approved By:
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6 hu@ lear Materials Safety Branch 3 Fr cis M. Costbllo, Chief
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Division of Nuclear Materials Safety Inspection Summary:
Special inspection conducted on August 27, 1996 to review the events surrounding the loss of a 10 millicurie polnnium-210 sealed source contained in a static eliminator.
(Inspection Report No. 9990001/96-008)
Areas Inspected:
Scope of operations; facility investigation; styrofoam waste processing; inspector's confirmatory surveys; and discovery of the source.
Results:
Licensee's correspondence dated September 20, 1996 indicated that the sealed source was located in an area of the block storage room that is not frequented by employees.
9610160094 961004 PDR GA999 E*******
99900001 PDR
4 DETAILS
- 1. Persons Contacted Ronald Lucksinger, Vice President Roy Mathers, Plant Manager i
Victor Aviles, Cutting Manager
- 2. Oraanization and Scope of Operations Technicut is a subsidiary of Foam Plastics of New England.
Foam Plastics produces styrofoam for various companies.
Technicut is a specialty company i
focusing on cutting styrofoam into various shapes requested by clients.
Foam Plastics also recently sold a subsidiary, Glacier Cooler Company. All Glacier employees left with the transaction a few months ago.
During the cutting of styrofoam, Technicut utilizes a static eliminator.
The source is used on the end of a nozzle attached to an air hose for j
blowing off styrofoam dust from cut styrofoam. The device contains a 10 j
millicurie polonium-210 source (Amersham Model No. PDM 1002H4, Serial No.
7547KA) that was received on February 6, 1996. The source is leased from Amersham Corporation and the lease is renewed, with a replaced source, every year. The leak test frequency for the source is 14 months, therefore i
the source is returned to Amersham every year prior to requiring a leak test.
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l On August 22, 1996, the source and device was reported missing to the Vice I
President.
The Vice President immediately initiated a search for the source and reported the lost source to Amersham Corporation. Amersham i
instructed the Vice President to notify the Nuclear Regulatory Commission j
(NRC). The Region I office was notified on August 27, 1996.
- 3. Facility InvestiaatioJ1 l
The Plant Manager and Vice President conducted an investigation.
The investigation included: 1) searching for the source; 2) interviewing the employee who works with the source; and 3) posting a notice offering a reward for information on the source (attached). As of the date of the inspection, the source had not been located.
- 4. Styrofoam Waste Processina The waste from the cutting process ends up as either dust or small blocks of styrofoam material. The dust is vacuumed into a bag which is dumped into a bin with a mesh screen prior to compacting.
The vacuum does not appear to have enough power to pick up an air nozzle, nor is the nozzle small enough to pass through the mesh screen on the compactor. The blocks of waste material are sent to a shredder.
The shredder is equipped with a screen with approximately one quarter inch holes. Again, the nozzle is too large to pass through the screen.
Inspection Report No. 999001.961
. 5. Confirmatory Surveys The inspection included surveying the work area, interviewing the sole worker in the cutting area, and determining the route of the waste material from cutting operations.
The inspector conducted surveys with a 1 inch by 1 inch sodium iodide probe of the area where the source was routinely used.
The source was not located.
The worker in the area indicated that he was on vacation until about July 25, 1996, and that when he returned, the source was still located in the cutting area. The worker stated that about one week after his vacation, the source was missing. The worker indicated that he searched for the source around the machine where the source is normally used.
The worker notified the plant manager of the missing source about two weeks prior to the inspection.
The worker also stated that the source is only used in the immediate area of one particular cutting machine and that when he detaches the nozzle with the source to attach a stronger air pressure nozzle to the hose for cleaning the area, he places the nozzle with the source on top of the cutting machine.
The inspector also questioned whether other employees assist in the cutting area or whether the device is used in any other location of the plant. The Vice President stated that all of the 35 permanent employees and 20 temporary employees are trained to perform work in the cutting area.
The Vice President indicated that no designated individual is assigned to help out in the cutting area, and that any of the employees may have assisted in cutting around the time when the source was noticed missing.
- 6. Location of Source On September 20, 1996, the licensee's Vice President informed Region I that on September 19, 1996, they located the static eliminator containing the 10 millicurie polonium-E10 source that they had reported missing.
The static eliminator was located when workers were cleaning a portion of the block storage room that is not frequented by employees.
The licensee is in the process of returning the device to Amersham Corporation, the manufacturer.
- 7. Exit Interview The inspector discussed the results of the inspection with the Vice President at the conclusion of the inspection.
Inspection Report No. 999001.961
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J if OOOOO P.O. Box 7075 Prospect, Connecticut 06712 Telephone: (203)758-6651 umuuuuuuummun musummmmmmmmmmmun ammmmmmmmmmmmmmmme TECHNICUT 9-20-96 United States Nuclear Regulator) Commission Region No.1 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia. PA 19405-1415 l
Attn; Eric Reber i
1 On 8-27-96 we reported to you that we were rnissing an Amersham static eliminator air gun that we use on our production floor.
The purpose of this letter is to inform you that we did find this air gun in our plant today and will be returning to Amersham; which is the company that we lease the air gun from.
The air gun we found is a ;
PO-210 Static eliminator air gun Model No. PDM 1002H4 Amersham ProductCode: PDV01313 Activity 10 mci on Jan. 31,1996 Serial No. 7547KA Reference letter; # nrc82796, dated 8-27-96 I will notify the State of Connecticut that we found the air gun. Please advise if any further information is required.
Regar s.)
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j Ron Luc singer CC Cindy Heiberger. Amersham Corp.
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