Semantic search
| Entered date | Event description | |
|---|---|---|
| ENS 47462 | 21 November 2011 15:15:00 | On November 21, 2011, at 0900 (CST) a Honeywell employee entered the plant's dispensary for unplanned medical treatment for chest pain. (The) employee's plant shoes and coveralls were contaminated. After (the) individual's boots were removed and coveralls were cut off, he was surveyed . Upon decontamination, all readings on the patient did not exceed background. The patient was sent by ambulance to Baptist Hospital for evaluation. Reporting Requirement: 10 CFR 40.60(b)(3), Unplanned medical treatment in a medical facility of an individual with spreadable contamination. Isotope, Quantities and Chemical Form: Uranium Ore Concentrate, U3O8. The licensee informed NRC Region II (Joe Calle). The licensee stated that there was no contamination elsewhere in the facility as a result of this event. |
| ENS 46915 | 2 June 2011 14:50:00 | An employee was treated in the site dispensary for irritation to the eye. The employee's coveralls, knee area, and boots were surveyed and determined to be contaminated (coveralls 2,643 dpm per 100 cm2 (centimeters-squared), boots 3,126 dpm per 100 cm2). Employee stated that they were cleaning out the bottom of the cone on A1 HF filter bowl from the top of the filter when something entered their eye. The individual stated that they saw a small amount of dust in the bottom of the filter bowl, but did not actually see dust near their eye. Other employees were present at the time but, did not notice what had occurred and the affected employee did not tell them what had happened. The individual returned to work after treatment. The licensee will be making a notification to NRC Region II. |
| ENS 46912 | 2 June 2011 09:32:00 | A contract employee complained of chest pains. The individual was taken into the dispensary and then transported to a local medical facility by ambulance. The individual had been performing janitorial duties at the time of the occurrence. The individual had approximately 12,700 dpm per 100 cm2 (centimeters-squared) contamination on the bottom of plant issued shoes. There was no other contamination detected on the individual's plant clothing or person. Before being transported to the offsite medical facility the individual's shoes and plant clothing were removed. The individual was free of contamination before being transported to the offsite medical facility. Subsequently the individual was released from the medical facility and released to return to work. |
| ENS 46806 | 2 May 2011 12:40:00 | An employee who had been working in the fluorine plant was treated in the site dispensary for redness around the right eye. The individual was treated for potential HF exposure using saline solution and calcium gluconate. The employee's work coveralls and boots were monitored by Health Physics and were contaminated. The employee returned to work. The licensee has notified NRC Region II (Gibson). |
| ENS 46736 | 7 April 2011 11:26:00 | A Honeywell employee (Senior Process Control Engineer) entered the Dispensary at 1205 on 04/06/11 and reported he had foreign material in his right eye. He was on the 1st floor of the FMB (Feeds Material Building) by the glycol heat exchanger closing a valve with a wrench (lazy rod). The wrench struck another pipe and knocked rust off and into his eye. The rust was removed with simple irrigation and a swab. The employee was sent back to work with no additional issues. He was monitored by HP (Health Physics) in the Dispensary and was found to have 5300 dpm/100cm2 (beta, gamma) on his boots and 280 dpm/100cm2 on his coveralls. The individual was not transported offsite. Reported IAW 10CFR40.60 b(3). NRC Region II (Richard Gibson) was also informed of this occurrence |
| ENS 45195 | 12 July 2009 00:08:00 | An unplanned contamination event occurred on 10 July 2009. This is a reportable event in accordance with 10CFR40.60 sub paragraph (1) based on an unplanned event that resulted in additional radiological controls being required for more than 24 hours. The 24 hour period ended at 2000 CDT on 11 July 2009 (the reported event). The additional control imposed was the wearing of air purifying respirators on the fourth floor of the Feed Materials Building. The location of the event was the Feed Materials Building fourth floor. The Feed Materials Building converts milled uranium oxide material to uranium hexafluoride by using a dry process. Air samples from the fourth floor were analyzed and the airborne radioactivity averaged approximately 6.11E-11 microcuries/ml. The airborne contaminant was natural uranium ore concentrate and the physical form is a light microscopic dust. The processes in the area of elevated levels of airborne radioactivity have been secured and potential leakage paths are being investigated. The licensee will notify NRC Region II. HOO Note: See similar Event Numbers 44857, 44871, 45058, and 45163.
The isotope responsible for the increased controls was natural uranium in the chemical form of uranium tetraflouride (UF4); green salt. The amount of unplanned contamination that was released in the form of green salt was estimated to exceed 5 times the ALI (Annual Limit on Intake) (3 grams). The airborne activity averaged approximately 6.11E-11 microCuries/ml. (5.0E-11 microCuries/ml is 30% of 1 DAC (Derived Air Concentration)). The licensee states that bioassay sampling of any potentially exposed individuals will be performed within the routine sampling frequency, but prior to 7/30/09. The licensee has notified NRC Region II. Notified R2DO (O'Donohue) and NMSS EO (Kotzalas). |
| ENS 45163 | 25 June 2009 13:06:00 | An unplanned airborne contamination event occurred beginning June 24, 2009 at 1045 at the Honeywell Metropolis, IL facilities' pond mud calciner area. Access was restricted to the area by requiring respiratory protection to be worn. Average airborne concentrations during the following 24 hour period were 7.19 E -11 microcuries per cubic centimeter which exceeds the administrative limit of 5 E -12 microcuries per cubic centimeter. Natural uranium dust was the isotope involved. There was no known effect to employees. This event is being entered into the facilities corrective action program.
The licensee is retracting this report based on the following: (The licensee is) withdraw(ing) the event reported June 25th, 2009 Event Number 45163. Following a review of the circumstances associated with the report (the licensee) determined that the event did not meet the criteria as described in 10CFR40.60(b). The event review determined that the contamination event was expected. And the area DID have a respiratory protection requirement in place at the time of the elevated air activity. The licensee informed NRC Region 2 (John Pelchat). Notified R2DO (Musser) and NMSS (Easton). |
| ENS 45058 | 12 May 2009 12:18:00 | On May 11, 2009, at approximately 1130 CST, licensee initial evaluation concluded that events meeting the 24 hour reporting criteria of 10CFR40.60 (b)(1) had not been reported during the period 10/17/08 through 03/29/09 (37 events total). Each event involved leakage from processing equipment located in the Feeds Material Building, (FMB). The material involved in each case was either natural uranium, or UF4 (green salt), in the form of a dry powder or dust. It is believed in each case the quantity of material exceeded 5 times the lowest ALI as specified in 10CFR40.60(b)(1)(ii), which for this material is less than 3 grams. In each case appropriate protective measures were applied when contamination was discovered. Protective measures included turning on precautionary lights, and requiring the wearing of respirators for personnel entering affected areas. Cleanup of affected areas was also conducted. A more conservative interpretation of which events are considered unplanned versus planned has been incorporated. The previous interpretation historically applied, considered the event planned, if at the first indication of leakage, mitigating actions were initiated. The more conservative interpretation will incorporate considering the event unplanned, if mitigating measures were not already in place for a planned activity at the time of discovery. This more conservative interpretation has been discussed with NRC Region II, has been adopted as the facility's practice, and communicated to licensee management. Review of personnel bioassay data indicates no resulting increase in personnel dose measurements. Review of liquid and gaseous effluent data, and sampling data from the restricted area boundary all indicate no significant increases in effluent measurements, and all analytical results are well within regulatory limits. There is no impact to plant workers or members of the public as a result of this event. Routine contamination surveys are being conducted in accordance with Health Physics program procedures, and results are reviewed with the plant ALARA committee. This event will be addressed by corrective actions in accordance with the plant Corrective Action Program. |