Press Release-I-03-041, NRC Proposes $3,000 Fine Against Washington, D.C. Hospital

Press Release-I-03-041: NRC Proposes $3,000 Fine Against Washington, D.C. Hospital

ML031820445
Person / Time
Issue date:	07/01/2003
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region I
To:
Category:Press Release
References
Press Release-I-03-041
Download: ML031820445 (2)

Text

NRC NEWS U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs, Region I 475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pa. 19406 www.nrc.gov No. I-03-041 July 1, 2003 CONTACT: Diane Screnci 610/337-5330 Email: opa1@nrc.gov Neil Sheehan 610/337-5331 NRC PROPOSES $3,000 FINE AGAINST WASHINGTON, D.C. HOSPITAL The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has cited Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C., for a violation involving a personnel contamination at the facility. The NRC has proposed a $3,000 fine.

On March 18-19 and April 10, an NRC inspector conducted a safety inspection at the hospital. In the course of that review, the inspector performed a confirmatory radiological survey in areas where licensed nuclear medicine materials are used. This survey was performed after hospital employees had already completed their own end-of-day survey. The NRC inspector discovered eight areas of contamination, which created the potential for radiological exposure to patients, workers and others above regulatory limits. The inspector also determined there were deficiencies in the way the hospitals surveys were conducted. Subsequent surveys by the hospitals radiation safety staff also found areas of contamination.

A predecisional enforcement conference was held on June 4 to discuss the inspection findings, the violation, its causes and the hospitals corrective actions.

Based on the information developed during the conference, the inspection and in an April 23 letter, the NRC has determined that one violation of NRC requirements occurred.

In a letter to the hospital forwarding the notice of violation, Region I Administrator Hubert J. Miller wrote that the violation is of concern because the failure to conduct appropriate surveys of radioactive material resulted in a missed opportunity to identify contamination in your facilities and of one of your employees. If undetected, this contamination could have resulted in substantial unintended radiation dose to the individual.

The NRC also noted in the letter that Howard University Hospital had taken prompt and comprehensive corrective action including obtaining appropriate equipment and supplies for technologists and training nuclear medicine technologists.

Howard University Hospital has 30 days to respond to the notice of violation.