PNO-IV-98-027A, on 980622,damaged Ir-192 Sealed Source Update Made.Original Rept from Sate noted,Ir-192 Sealed Source Damaged While Performing Radiography of Vessel at Jet Weld, Fabrication Facility in Houston,Tx
| ML20249B674 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 06/23/1998 |
| From: | Linda Howell, Mclean M NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PNO-IV-98-027A, PNO-IV-98-27A, NUDOCS 9806240041 | |
| Download: ML20249B674 (1) | |
I June 23,1998 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE PNO-IV-98-027A 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.
Facility Licensee Emeroency Classification Radiographic Specialists, Inc Notification of Unusual Event Jet Weld (Fabrication Facility)
Alert Houston, Texas Site Area Emergency General Emergency X Not Applicable
Subject:
UPDATE - DAMAGED IRIDIUM-192 RADIOGRAPHY SOURCE This is an update to a report received by NRC on June 22,1998, from the Texas Department of Health (TDH) regarding a damaged iridium (Ir)-192 sealed source.
The original report from the Sate noted that an Ir-192 sealed source was damaged while performing radiography of a vessel at Jet Weld, a fabrication facility in Houston, Texas. The incident occurred on June 19,1998.
A TDH inspector performed an inspection at Jet Weld and the licensee's facility on June 22, 1998, to review potential health and safety consequences and the extent of contamination at both facilities. The inspector reported that five workers, some of whom are licensee employees, were found contaminated: four of the workers had contamination on their shoes and hands, and the fifth (the radiographer) had contamination on his clothing, shoes, and hands. Workers were believed to have been contaminated as a result of walking through localized areas of contamination where the radiography device had been placed, or by handling the device after the source was retracted and following its retum to the licensee's facility. All five workers have provided urine specimens and are scheduled to have a whole body count this week. Contamination identified at the fabrication facility was limited to localized areas in the plant where the device was placed after the incident (due to contamination on the surface of the device) and to two offices where contamination was tracked on workers' shoes. In addition, contamination was found at the licensee's facility on a work surface where the device was placed upon its return. All areas were cleaned to undetectable levels with the assistance of the licensee's consultant. Quantitative information regarding contamination levels is not yet known since the State's review is ongoing. The highest dose rate measurement reported for contaminated surfaces was 20 millirem per hour on contact. Following decontamination efforts, the licensee retumed the exposure device, a model IR-100, with the damaged source to Industrial Nuclear Corporation, the device and source manufacturer. State representatives expect to receive information regarding examination of the source with the licensee's written report of the event.
This information is current as of 2:30 p.m. (CDT) on June 22,1998.
Region IV received notification of this occurrence by telephone from TDH and the NRC Operations Center on June 22,1998. Region IV has informed OSP and NMSS.
Contact:
Linda L. Howell (817)860-8213; M. Linda McLean (817)860-8116
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