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 Start dateReporting criterionTitleEvent descriptionSystemLER
ENS 4544416 October 2009 07:00:0010 CFR 20.2201(a)(1)(i)Strontium-90 Pressure Indicators Missing During an Annual Inventory

While conducting the Annual Radioactive Inventory (of pressure indicators), a discrepancy was noted in the on-hand balance of the subject NIIN (National Item Identification Number). The current electronic inventory balance was 138 ea, but a physical check of the location could only locate 136 for a shortage of 2 ea. An initial search of the Radioactive Materiel Storage Area did not locate the item. The Service Provider and Continuing Government Activity personnel will begin a review of all transaction since the last reconciled inventory in an attempt to identify potential transaction errors. The pressure indicator in its shipping container is authorized to ship as an expected package with an external dose rate of less than 0.5 mrem /hr on contact. The pressure indicators contained 500 microcuries of Sr-90.

  • * * RETRACTION FROM D. COLLINS TO E. SIMPSON ON 11/02/09 AT 1336 EST * * *

The inventory items that were previously thought to be lost or stolen were subsequently located during a more comprehensive search of the warehouse. A number of potential process weaknesses lead to the initial report of the inventory discrepancy. While available, handheld Radiofrequency transmitters were not used for all transactions, causing delay in inventory balance updates (issues and re-warehousing not immediately accounted for), (and) similar packaging were found to contain either one or two items per packaging. DDC Inventory Control (licensee) canceled the current electronic inventory, processed all open transactions and ran an updated inventory. Physical inventory and verification of serial numbers accounted for all sources identified in electronic inventory system. Hand-held Radiofrequency devices will be used in the future for all inventory transactions to alleviate delay in transaction processing. Also, items were repackaged to ensure that only one device was in each package. Notified R1DO (Barkley), R4DO (Hay), FSME EO (White) and Mexico via fax. THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf This source is not amongst those sources or devices identified by the IAEA Code of Conduct for the Safety & Security of Radioactive Sources to be of concern from a radiological standpoint. Therefore is it being categorized as a less than Category 3 source

ENS 4278618 August 2006 18:00:0010 CFR 20.2201(a)(1)(i)Tritium Sources Missing During Annual Inventory But Subsequently Found

An inventory of the tritium sources at the Defense Logistics Agency in Aniston, AL was performed. Initial results of Annual Inventory indicates a loss of the following items: 4 ea NSN 1240001508886 Telescopic panoramic at 3.8 Curies each 5 ea NSN 1240001508890 Mount Telescope at 0.15 Curies each 2 ea NSN 1240003321780 Collimator at 10 Curies each Causative research is currently being conducted and results will be reported in follow up letter to NRC. Total loss would equal 35.95 Curies of H3. The last annual inventory was completed 10/11/2005.

  • * * UPDATE RECEIVED FROM DAVID COLLINS TO JOE O'HARA AT 0955 ON 10/02/06 * * *

The Defense Distribution Center Depot has accounted for all items previously reported as being missing. The items were located in a proper radiological storage area. However, they were not located in the same area as the licensee had documented in their computer system. After performing a full inspection of the radiological storage area, the items were accounted for and properly documented in a report issued 9/28/06. Notified R1DO(Krohn) and NMSS(Burgess) THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks.