PNO-IV-97-023, on 970423,worker Picked Up 5 Ci Am-241/Be Neutron Source Used for Well Logging & Put Source in Pocket. Licensee RSO Presently Investigating Incident.State Plans to Have Insp Team Onsite to Begin Reactive Insp
| ML20137Z430 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 04/24/1997 |
| From: | Hackney C, Linda Howell NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PNO-IV-97-023, PNO-IV-97-23, NUDOCS 9704240164 | |
| Download: ML20137Z430 (1) | |
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4 April 24,1997 ij PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE PNO-IV-97-023 1
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 IV staff in Arlington, Texas on this date.
1 Facility Licensee Emeroency Classification l
Western Atlas Logging Services Notification of Unusual Event 1
Western Atlas Logging Services Alert Broussard, Louisiana Site Area Emergency 1
License No: LA-2187-LO1 General Emergency X Not Applicable
Subject:
NONRADIATION WORCER EXPOSURE IN AN AGREEMENT STATE Region IV was notified by the state of Louisiana on April 23,1997, that a worker had j
picked up a 5 curie Americium-241/ Beryllium ne; tron source used for welllogging and put the source in his pocket. The worker, a temporary employee of a contractor for Western Atlas Logging Services (a licensee of the State of Louisiana and the NRC), was cleaning a
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welllogging tool at the licensee's Brous:;ard, Louisiana field office. (It is not presently known why the contract employee was cleaning the tool.) While he was cleaning the tool, the worker upparently noted that the source was stillloaded in the tool. He removed the j
source from the tool and placed it in his pocket. The worker was not a radiation worker j
and had no knowledge of what the object was.
The licensee's Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) is presently investigating the incident.
Western Atlas has contacted Oak Ridge National Laboratory for additional assistance.
Preliminary calculations performed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory indicate that the individual may have received a dose of 4 to 6 Rems (40 to 60 mSv). Acting on advice from experts at Oak Ridge, the licensee sent the individual to a local hospital to have blood samples drawn for analysis at Oak Ridge.
The incident occurred on April 17, and the state Department of Environmental Quality was i,
notified of the incident on April 18. The state plans to have an inspection team onsite today to begin a reactive inspection. The state of Louisiana has not requested any assistance from NRC.
This information has been discussed with the state and is current as of 8:30 a.m., CDT, April 24,1997.
Region IV has notified OSP, and NMSS.
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Contact:
Charles A. Hackney Linda L. Howell l
(817)860-8267 (817)860-8213 g(9g
\\m 9704240164 970424 PNO-IV-97-023 PDR v
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