Semantic search
| Start date | Reporting criterion | Title | Event description | System | LER | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENS 56506 | 5 May 2023 05:00:00 | Agreement State | Stuck Source | The following information was provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Department) via email: On May 5, 2023, the Department received a notification of a source retrieval incident. A team of radiographers was working at a fab shop late at night using a QSA Delta 880 camera with a 45 curie selenium-75 source. While the source was out, a small pipe fell onto the guide tube and crimped the line. The radiographers were unable to retract the source back into the camera and pushed it back out to the collimator. They then watched the barrier that was at slightly less than 2 mR/hr until the RSO (Radiation Safety Officer) arrived. The RSO, who is authorized on Texas license for source retrieval, then placed lead filled bags on the source that was still within the collimator. He then proceeded to uncrimp the line, and after the 5th attempt, he was able to retract the source back into the camera. The two radiographers did not receive additional dose, but the RSO who retrieved the source did receive 108 mrem. No one else was present because of the late hour. A survey of the camera was performed after the retrieval with no change compared to before the incident. Further information will be provided per SA-300. Texas Incident Number: 10015 NMED Number: TX230020 | ||
| ENS 56339 | 6 February 2023 16:25:00 | Agreement State | Excessive Exposure | The following information was provided by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) via email: LDEQ was notified by the Acuren Inspection Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) via the DEQ Radiation Hotline at approximately 1240 EST on February 6, 2023, concerning a possible industrial radiography camera excessive exposure. According to the RSO, at approximately 1025 at the Shell Norco Refinery, a possible excessive exposure occurred. Two radiographers did not crank the Ir-192 source completely back in the camera. The first radiographer had his hand close to where the source was located for approximately 10 seconds. The estimated whole-body exposure for both radiographers is 448 mR and the worst-case exposure to the hand for one of the radiographers is 96.86 R. The licensee is currently doing a reenactment to have a better idea of the potential exposures. The licensee is sending the radiographers for a blood count. The camera is a QSA Global 880 Delta (s/n D13733) with 41 curies of Ir-192 (s/n 54759). LA Event Report ID No.: LA 20230002 | ||
| ENS 56492 | 31 December 2022 05:00:00 | Agreement State | Possible Overexposure to Radiographer | The following information was provided by the LA Department of Environmental Quality (the Department) via email: (The Department) was notified by Acuren Inspection Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) via the Department radiation hotline at approximately 1400 (CDT) on April 26, 2023, concerning a possible excessive exposure. According to the RSO, a radiographer that has been working in Pennsylvania had his December badge come back with a dose of 8000 mrem. The December badge was sent to Landauer with the March badges and the reading was just received by Acuren. The RSO states that the radiographer works in the dark room processing film and leaves his badge in his bag with other tools. The radiographer believes his bag was used by someone else while performing industrial radiography and that is how the badge got exposed. Acuren will be performing an investigation. LA event report ID No.: LA 20230007 | ||
| ENS 56043 | 13 August 2022 01:30:00 | Agreement State | Unable to Retract Source Into Radiography Exposure Device | The following information was provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services via email: On August 13, 2022, licensee reported that they were unable to retract a radiography source on the evening of August 12 at around 2030 CDT. The incident occurred north of the city of Stanton, TX. The two radiographers reported the issue to the site Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) who was at their work site. A barrier was set up and a case of water was placed over the source. The site RSO got another licensee employee to assist and they uncrimped the guideline and successfully retracted the source. The site RSO and second source retrieval employee are both authorized for source retrievals on the Texas license. The two radiographers did not receive significant dose from this event. The site RSO and second source retrieval employee received 1.1 mR and 0.6 mR, respectively. The two took turns going up to the source and uncrimping the guideline. The camera was a QSA Delta 880 and the source was 40 Ci Ir-192. Further information will be provided per SA-300. Texas Incident #: 9947 | ||
| ENS 55194 | 14 April 2021 05:00:00 | Agreement State | Agreement State - Broken Radiography Camera | The following was received via e-mail from the Texas Department of State Health Services: On April 14, 2021, the licensee reported to the agency (Texas Department of State Health Services) that one of its crews had been unable to retract a source while working at a temporary job site. They were using a QSA Delta 880 exposure device with a 96.7 curie iridium-192 source. The radiographers were cranking in the source and it did not feel right but it retracted and locked in inside the camera. They performed a survey of the camera and guide tube and found the source was in the fully shielded position. They cranked out for the next shot without issue but when they attempted to retract the source it was no longer on the end of the drive cable. The radiographers set a barricade and called the radiation safety officer (RSO). The RSO responded and performed a source retrieval. His electronic dosimeter indicated he received 70 mrem and there were no other exposures as a result of this event. The RSO reported that the drive cable had broken below the shank. The equipment will be sent to the manufacturer for evaluation. More information will be provided as it is obtained in accordance with SA-300. Equipment information: QSA Delta 880 exposure device SN: D8849 96.7 curie iridium-192 source SN: 30413M Texas Incident no.: 9841 | ||
| ENS 54285 | 18 September 2019 05:00:00 | 10 CFR 20.2201(a)(1)(i) | Radiography Camera Lost During Shipping | On 9/11/2019 (Acuren Inspection in Billings Montana) shipped a camera to QSA Global for disposal, the exposure device serial number is D3869 source serial number 83052G. Acuren has not received the receiving report from QSA. The (RSO) contacted the common carrier on Monday September 16, 2019, the common carrier initiated a search for the missing package and have not been able to find it. The last place it was scanned in was at the common carrier's facility in Memphis TN, on 9/12/2019 at 12:41AM." The source is a 30 Curie iridium 192 source. The licensee notified Region IV Materials (Erickson). Notified DHS SWO, DOE Ops Center, FEMA Ops Center, DHS NICC, USDA Ops Center, EPA EOC, FDA EOC, FEMA NWC, DHS Nuclear SSA, FEMA NRCC SASC, DNDO-JAC.
The licensee notified the NRC that the common carrier located the package in Memphis, TN. The Shippers Declaration papers were ripped off. The common carrier states that the package will be delivered to Baton Rouge, LA today, 09/20/19. Notified R4DO (Taylor), IR MOC (Grant), DHS SWO, DOE Ops Center, FEMA Ops Center, DHS NICC, USDA Ops Center, EPA EOC, FDA EOC, FEMA NWC, DHS Nuclear SSA, FEMA NRCC SASC, DNDO-JAC, and ILTAB, NMSS (Williams), NMSS Events, INES (via email), CNSC(Canada via email). THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "CATEGORY 2" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL Category 2 sources, if not safely managed or securely protected, could cause permanent injury to a person who handled them, or were otherwise in contact with them, for a short time (minutes to hours). It could possibly be fatal to be close to this amount of unshielded radioactive material for a period of hours to days. These sources are typically used in practices such as industrial gamma radiography, high dose rate brachytherapy and medium dose rate brachytherapy. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf | ||
| ENS 52424 | 9 December 2016 06:00:00 | Agreement State | Agreement State Report - Radiography Source Could Not Be Retracted | The following was received from the State of Texas via email: On December 10, 2016, the Agency (Texas Department of State Health Services) was notified that on December 9, 2016, the licensee (while working at Exxon Mobil in Beaumont, Texas) was required to perform a source retrieval of a 74.9 curie iridium-192 source. The exposure device associated with the source is a QSA 880 exposure device. The licensee reported the exposure device fell on the guide tube and crimped it to a point where the source could not pass by. The radiographers verified their boundaries and contacted their radiation safety officer. The licensee sent a qualified recovery team to the location. The recovery team cut the guide tube and was able to retract the source. No individual received an exposure that exceeded any limits. No member of the general public was exposed as a result of this event. The licensee stated the camera would be sent to the manufacturer for inspection. The licensee stated they would provide additional information on December 13, 2016. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300. Texas Incident #: I - 9447 | ||
| ENS 49315 | 1 September 2013 20:00:00 | 10 CFR 20.2202(b)(1) | Potential Overexposure of Radiographer | The RSO for the licensee called to report a potential overexposure of a radiographer. This event occurred while the radiographer was checking welds at a refinery in Wyoming. While moving the camera to another location, the radiographer's dosimeter alarmed. It is suspected that the camera's source was not fully retracted into the safe position. The source was subsequently retracted back into the fully shielded position. The RSO calculates an estimated dose to the radiographer of 5 rem. The licensee will send the radiographer's dosimetry for expedited reading as soon as possible. The licensee will update this report with additional details as they become available.
The RSO has received the radiographer's dosimetry badge readings. The radiographer was still wearing his August dosimetry when the event occurred. His badge readings was 328 mrem for the entire month of August including the exposure from this event. Since there was no significant exposure from the event, the licensee has retracted this event notification. The licensee has notified NRC (Thompson) in Region 4. R4DO (Gaddy) notified and a copy of this report was sent to FSME Event Resource. | ||
| ENS 44964 | 19 March 2008 05:00:00 | Agreement State | Agreement State Report - Radiography Camera Malfunction | The following information was received from the State of Texas via Email: On February 19, 2008, an industrial radiography trainee working with two trainers at a chemical plant in La Porte, TX observed that his survey meter remained off-scale despite his attempt to crank the source into the shielded position. The device was a QSA Model 880, serial number D3759 containing a 76.7 curie Ir-192 sealed source QSA model A424-9. At that time the radiographers established a 360 degree barricade at the 2mR/hr level and notified the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) who was out of town. The RSO called a specific licensee authorized by the State of Texas to perform source retrievals. Visual watch over the area was maintained by four employees as some radiation fields extended outside a fenced area. The retrieval was performed in an uneventful manner and although the camera was returned to a fully operational state, the company decided to take the camera out of service and have it fully inspected by the manufacturer. This event is closed. This event was reported within 24 hours of the event using the NMED reporting system and not to the HOO (NRC Headquarters Operations Officer). Failure to properly report this event was determined after a review was conducted of all radiography related events reported in the State of Texas from September 1, 2006 to March 31, 2009. This review was initiated in response to the State of Texas Incident Investigation Program (IIP) determining that they had failed to correctly interpret the requirements for reporting this type of event. The state used 10 CFR 34.101 to report these events, and not 10 CFR 30.50(b)(2), due to conflicting interpretations of NRC rules requiring reporting. In an effort to prevent a reoccurrence of this, each member of IIP was required to read Information Notice 2001-03, Incident Reporting Requirements for Radiography Licenses, dated April 6, 2001. In addition, the IIP database has been changed to clarify the reporting requirement and bring it in line with the NRC requirements. Texas Incident Number: I - 8495
Upon request of the State the reference to 10 CFR 30.50(b)(a) was changed to 10 CFR 30.50(b)(2). |