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| Entered date | Event description | |
|---|---|---|
| ENS 55482 | 21 September 2021 10:35:00 | The following report was received from the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control (the Division) via email: On August 27, 2021, local heavy rain infiltrated the Merrill Engineering Building, causing flooding on the first and third floors. The first floor also included some radioactive materials labs. While stripping the labs on September 9, 2021, in preparation for repair, the contractor violated policy and failed to notify the lab owners before moving material from the lab. Included in the material removed from the lab was a safe containing 13 exempt calibration sources and one 0.006 milliCurie U-235 ceramic source. The safe was moved to an onsite trailer that was under control of the contractor and not the University. When the lab owner returned to the lab later in the day they immediately reported the sources missing. Investigation by licensee personnel lead them to where the sources were being stored. The sources were out of the licensee's exclusive control for 1 to 3 hours. The sources were re-secured and placed under the licensee's exclusive control closing the incident. The report was not determined to be reportable until the Division was able to conduct its on site investigation on September 20, 2021. Utah Event Report ID Number: UT 210005 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 |
| ENS 54654 | 9 April 2020 09:21:00 | The following information was received via E-mail: The aperture electronic opening and closing mechanism malfunctioned on a J.L. Shepard Mark I series irradiator while the aperture was open. There was a smell of burning wires and visible smoke. The analysts cut power to the unit and notified department management. Utilizing portable shielding, and following ALARA principles, the attenuator of the device was able to be closed, which significantly reduced dose rates. Currently, the aperture is stuck partially open and the attenuator is closed. At 1.5 meters from the point of highest dose, the rate is approximately 10 mR/hr. Both analysts were wearing Mirion Instadose dosimeters and the measured dose to both dosimeters was less than the minimum read amount of 1 mrem. The irradiator is located in a shielded calibration room located in the waste building. There is no dose rate above background in any area, accessible by either non-radiation workers or members of the public, around the building where the calibration room is located. The area has been securely locked, the door alarm is activated, and there are signs placed to remind everyone to not use the device. Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control personnel were notified of the incident via normal work E-mail after the conclusion of the business of the day on April 8, 2020. The notification was not read until the morning of April 9, 2020 when normal business resumed and was then assigned to appropriate staff. The device manufacturer has been contacted to determine repair options. Utah Event Report ID No.: UT 200004 |
| ENS 53312 | 3 April 2018 18:29:00 | The following information was received via E-mail: The licensee indicated that during a lab remodel, an employee removed a Gas Chromatograph (GC) containing a 13.81 mCi, Ni-63 source, Serial Number M2093, a license distributed under general license. The GC was then sent to surplus. The device was then purchased by an unknown party, on an as yet to be determined date. The radiation safety team last physically inventoried the device on August 2, 2017. The current location of the device is unknown. Utah Event Report ID No.: UT180001 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 |