PNO-IV-97-070, on 971120,provided Notification to Region IV Ofc of Two Missing Exit Signs Containing Tritium.Searched Bldg & Contacted Contractors to Verify Contractors Had Not Removed Signs.Further Actions Are Pending

PNO-IV-97-070:on 971120,provided Notification to Region IV Ofc of Two Missing Exit Signs Containing Tritium.Searched Bldg & Contacted Contractors to Verify Contractors Had Not Removed Signs.Further Actions Are Pending

ML20199F147
Person / Time
Site:	03028641
Issue date:	11/20/1997
From:	Cain C, Gaines A NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV)
To:
References
PNO-IV-97-070, PNO-IV-97-70, NUDOCS 9711240122
Download: ML20199F147 (1)

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1- N::vember 20,1997 PEILIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURHENCE PNO IV 97 070 This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE s,afety 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.

Facility Licensee Emeroency Classification U.S. Air Force Notification of Unusual Event Dover Air Force Base- Alert Dover AFB - Site Area Emergency Dover, Delaware General Emergency Dockets: 03028641 License No: 42 23539:01 AF X Not Applicable ,

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Subject:

LOSS OF GENERALLY LICENSED EXIT SIGNS On November 20,1997, a representative of the U.S. Air Force Radioisotope Committee (RIC) provided telephone notification to the Region IV office of two missing exit signs that contained tritium. Information known for one of the signs indh:ated that, allowing for

' decay, the sign would currently contain approximately 12 curies of tritium. No information was currently availab!e for the activity of the other sign, in late July 1997, the Dover Air Force Base Radiation Safety Office.-(RSO) discovered that the first exit sign, slated for disposal through Wright Patterson AFB, never arrived at that base, inquiries to Federal Express showed that the package was delivered to the Dover AFB Supply Squadror ' stood of Wright Patterson. An airman from the Dover AFB Supply Squadron signed for the exit sign bu: could not remember what he did with the sign. A thorough search of the supply warehouse, medical supply, and the Aerial Port was made, and the search did not locate the exit sign. The licensee stated that further actions were pending.

During the RSO's inventory of exit signs on October 20,1997,. he noted that a second sign was missing from Building 501. Civil Engineering Squadron personnel, the building manager, and the RSO searched building 501 without locating the sign. The RSO contacted contractors who worked in building 501 who verified tnat they had not removed the sign. - The licensee stated that further actions were pending.

Region I and the state will be informed.

Region IV received notification of this occurrence by telephone from the Air Force Radioisotope Committee at 11 a.m. (CST) on November 20,1997. Region IV will inform NMSS, This information has been discussed with the licensee and is current as of 4 p.m. (CST),

November 20,-1997.

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Contact:

Anthony D. Gaines Chuck Cain ,

(817)860-8252 (817)860-8186 9711240122 971120 PDR IEE .

PNO-IV 'iP7-070 PDR _ _

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