PNO-III-97-020A, on 970310,Cs-137 Source Found on Property of Marion Steel Co,Marion Oh,Update Made.Oh Marion Steel Employees Found Source on 970307,under Eight Inches of Dirt Near Co Roadway During Routine Radiation Survey of Rail Car
| ML20138F543 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 03019814 |
| Issue date: | 03/12/1997 |
| From: | Madera J, Wiedeman D NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PNO-III-97-020A, PNO-III-97-20A, NUDOCS 9705050435 | |
| Download: ML20138F543 (2) | |
-.. - -. - - - -. - - - -
.. ~,
RECEIVED pg jg l3 kli 8: (Fch 12,1997 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT g@@MlMOGElMENCE PNO-III-97-020A p
i This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The information is as initially received without verification or evaluation, and is basically all that is known by Region III staff (Lisle, Illinois) on this date.
Faciliti Licensee Emergency Classification MARION JfEEL COMPANY Notification of Unusual Event Marion Steel Company Alert J
Marion,0hio Site Area Emergency License No: 34-21123-01 General Emergency X Not Applicable i
Subject:
CESIUM-137 SOURCE FOUND (UPDATE)
At 1:00 p.m. on March 10, 1997, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) informed NRC Region III (Chicago) that a 500 millicurie (18.5 gigabequerel (GBq)) cesium-137 source was found on the property of Marion Steel Company, Marion. Ohio. Marion Steel employees found the source on March 7, 1997, under eight inches of dirt near a company roadway during a routine radiation survey of an empty rail car. On March 10, 1997, the licensee contacted the Ohio Department of Health (0DH).
ODH dispatched health physicists to the location with radiation detection and shielding equipment. The ODH health physicists found the source to be reading approximately 60 rem per hour (.6 sieverts (Sv)) on contact and proceeded to place the source into a lead shielding container.
On March 11, 1997, two NRC inspectors arrived at the licensee's facility and reviewed the cucumstances surrounding the event. From interviews l
with licensee representatives it was learned that two individuals manipulated the source during it's transfer to secured storage. One individual may have been exposed to the source for a maximum of 20 seconds and the other individual may have been exposed for approximately one minute and twenty seconds. During the handling operations one of the l
individuals was able to identify the markings on the source as: [500 j
millicuries, cesium -137, serial number M0580].
i Based on the information identified on the source, NRC representatives 9f05050435 970312 U
PDR I&E PNO-III-97-020 PDR
\\
q 4
c> {(
PNO-III-97-020A i i
i t
were able to gather additional information concerning source manufacturer and source activity at time of the event. Region III and Headquarters health physicists peaformed dose calculations based on this information and determined that the individuals involved with the source manipulations did not receive any exposures greater than 10 CFR Part 20 i
limits for occupational workers. One of the individual's personal dosimeter has been returned to the vendor for immediate processing.
From the review of licensee radioactive material transportation manifests. NRC inspectors identified what appears to be a transfer document involving the source in question. Preliminary indications are that this source belonged to the licensee since the documentation indicates that this source was transferred to an NRC licensed waste disposal company on March 1, 1988. The waste. disposal company has been l
contacted by the licensee to make arrangements for disposal of the source and to trace the whereabouts of the source described on the i
transportation manifest. The circumstances surrounding the transportation manifest and the apparent loss of this material will be i
l reviewed by Region III during a special inspection of the waste disposal company.
The NRC office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards has been notified. The information in this preliminary notification has been L
reviewed with licensee management.
l This information is current as of 8:00 a.m. (CST) on March 12, 1997.
l
Contact:
JOHN MADERA DARREL WIEDEMAN (630)829-9834 (630)829-9808 l
3 l
.-