Semantic search
| Entered date | Event description | |
|---|---|---|
| ENS 48848 | 25 March 2013 12:05:00 | The following information was received via facsimile: The Alabama Office of Radiation Control received a call at 0820 CDT on 3/25/13 from Dr. Michael Hensley of RSO Services (AL license No. 1482), a gauge service company. He had been contacted by IIG, MinWool, LLC in Phenix City, AL (AL license No. 986) to assist them with an issue. The licensee melts rock in a cupola to make insulation. The cupola has two Ohmart Model SR-A devices, one at the top and one at the bottom of the cupola, each containing a 100 mCi Cesium-137 source. The cupola was superheated to about 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit above the operating limits for the Model SR-A devices. It is believed the lead shielding in the devices liquefied, but because the source holders are sealed, the lead was contained inside the devices and did not leak out. Dr. Hensley surveyed the devices and found a maximum reading of 2.5 mR/hr at 12 inches from the back of the device which was located at the top of the cupola. This is lower than the design maximum exposure of 4.8 mR/hr with a 100 mCi source per the SSDR. The shutters on both devices were still operable, and were closed and locked. Dr. Hensley will remove the devices and prepare them for shipment to Ohmart. Alabama Incident No.: 13-09 |
| ENS 44861 | 18 February 2009 16:45:00 | The following report was received from the State of Alabama via fax: At 1:45 PM CST the Alabama Office of Radiation Control received a call from Qore, Inc. in Birmingham, Alabama (Alabama license No. 708). They reported that a CPN Model MC1DR (S/N MD30406940) had been stolen from the back of one of their trucks. The licensee indicated that the device case had been secured with 2 separate locked chains, but that they had been cut. The device had been stolen sometime during the morning or early afternoon while the truck was parked at an employees residence in Center Point, Alabama. The licensee is filing a report with local law enforcement. They are also sending an information flyer to area pawn shops, and will issue a message to the media regarding the device, and offer a reward for information leading to the recovery of the device. This information is accurate as of 3:20 PM CST. Further information, including methods to prevent a recurrence, is forthcoming from the licensee. Alabama Incident # 09-08 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. |
| ENS 44772 | 13 January 2009 16:40:00 | The following information was received by from the State of Alabama via facsimile: At 1:45 PM CST the Alabama Office of Radiation Control received a call from Gallet and Associates. They reported that one of their trucks, carrying a licensed moisture/density gauge (Humboldt Model 5001, Serial No. 707) had been stolen that morning. The truck and the gauge had been recovered; however, the truck had been set on fire when it had been abandoned. The gauge was recovered and found to be intact and undamaged. A wipe test was performed on the gauge and surrounding area and had been sent for evaluation. |
| ENS 42016 | 26 September 2005 16:00:00 | (The State of Alabama Department of Public Health) Received a call from Baptist Medical Center -Princeton, Birmingham, Alabama, that they had found I-125 contamination during the post-operative clean-up of an I-125 prostate seed implant therapy. Licensee indicated that they were not sure that there was a leaking seed inserted into the patient. None of the seeds remaining after the procedure were leaking. The licensee performed a thyroid scan on the patient on 9/22/05, which showed that there was an uptake. Potassium iodide was administered at that time. The Seeds are Model ProstaSeed I125-SL, distributed by Mantor Brachytherapy. The applicator is MICK Model 200TP. The licensee is performing dose assessment to include in their written report. Event ID Number: AL-05-48 |
| ENS 41854 | 19 July 2005 10:04:00 | The State provided the following information via facsimile: Description of Event: A dredging company using GL devices in Alabama illegally, removed and shipped a device containing a 200 milliCuries cesium 137 source to Ronan Engineering Company in Kentucky for repair. The shutter was not locked in the closed position. The owner had painted over the marking and labeling on the source holder so that they were illegible. The dredging company has hired a consultant to reconstruct the incident and try to determine any possible exposures received. Additional information will be submitted after the investigation is completed. The following, additional information was obtained from the State via telephone: Dredging Company: Inland Dredging, Co. based in Dyersberg, TN, doing work in the vicinity of Jackson, AL The gauge is currently at Ronan Engineering Co., Florence, KY Event date is unknown, but the State was notified on the evening of 7/18/05.
The State provided the following information via facsimile: The general licensee stated that they had closed the shutter and placed a bolt through the mechanism to lock it closed. (The general licensee) then removed the device and prepared it for delivery to Ronan Engineering Company via truck. (The general licensee) contends that the shutter handle was broken during shipping. (The general licensee) further states that they had removed the paint from the identification placard on the source head. When (the general licensee) prepared the unit, they stated they bolted the source head to the detector head. This resulted in minimal access to the beam port. Ronan performed a survey of the device, and found maximum exposure readings of 1.5 mrem/hour at 1 meter. During shipping, the device went through five transport terminals, and appears to have been transferred to different trucks in each terminal. An Alabama licensee authorized to service industrial gauges has been contracted to investigate the incident. This company is traveling to Ronan to obtain further information, and has set up interviews with personnel at the transport terminals. Notified the R1DO (Gray) and NMSS EO (Moore). |
| ENS 39201 | 19 September 2002 16:28:00 | The writer received a call from (an employee) of Building and Earth Sciences at approximately 9:00 AM on September 19, 2002. The employee reported that a Troxler Model 3430 gauge (S/N 30199) had been stolen sometime during the night of September 18, 2002, from their truck working under reciprocity in Memphis, Tennessee. The gauge had been left chained in the back of the truck overnight at ( . . . . . ). The chain had been cut, and the gauge taken. The licensee's employee had contacted both the State of Tennessee and had filed a report with the local police. The licensee is continuing their investigation, and considering additional methods to expedite recovery of the gauge. Contact the Headquarters Operations Officer for additional information.
The State provided the following information via email: (Mississippi) DRH (Division of Radiological Health) received a phone call from Desoto County (MS) EMA (Emergency Management Agency) on 12-20-07 about a Troxler Model 3430 moisture/density gauge ( Serial # 30199 ) that was found by a member of the public in the woods. The moisture/density gauge had been stolen on September 19, 2002, (NRC Event No. 39201) in Memphis, Tennessee, while Building & Earth Sciences was working under reciprocity of their Alabama Radioactive Material License AL-1266. The theft was originally reported to Alabama Radiation Control, Tennessee Division of Radiological Health, and the Memphis Police Department. The gauge was picked up by Mississippi Division of Radiological Health on 12-21-07 and returned to our office where it was leak tested and stored. Building & Earth Sciences was contacted and is going to pick the gauge up on 1-3-08. No leakage was detected. Notified the R1DO (Conte) and FSME EO (Flannery). |