EN Revision Text:
TEXAS AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - POTENTIAL
OVEREXPOSURE EVENT
The following information was obtained from the state of Texas via email:
On July 5, 2018, the Agency [Texas Department of State Health Services] was notified by the licensee's [Stanley out of Tulsa, OK] consultant that an overexposure event may have occurred involving radiographers working in the state of Texas, under reciprocity, at a field site near Midland, Texas, but offered no actionable information. At 1620 hours0.0188 days <br />0.45 hours <br />0.00268 weeks <br />6.1641e-4 months <br /> [CDT], the consultant called back and stated that a crew was performing radiography in a pit using a 99.6 Curie iridium - 192 source. The individual who received the high exposure had been working in the dark room. He completed the task he was working on and exited the dark room and went straight to the pit. He picked up the collimator and started to move it while the source was still in the collimator. The other radiographers yelled at him and he dropped the source and left the pit.
The consultant stated the calculations for the dose to the individual's hand provided by the licensee is 284 rem. The consultant stated the radiographer held the source for about 3 seconds and the dose calculation was based on no shielding. The consultant stated there is currently no apparent injury to the individual's hand. The consultant stated the licensee is contacting REAC/TS in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, for assistance. The licensee's radiation safety officer is conducting an investigation into the event. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300.
Texas Incident #9592
The following information is excerpted from an email that was received from the state of Oklahoma:
Oklahoma DEQ [Department of Environmental Quality] Radiation Management was contacted by the radiation safety officer (RSO) of Stanley Inspection, License No.: OK-32187-01, after hours on 7/5/2018. Stanley Inspection, a radiography company, was working in Midland, TX under reciprocity, and one of the radiographers potentially overexposed his hand. Stanley Inspection was instructed by Texas to do medical monitoring for the radiographer, including bloodwork and photographs of his overexposed extremity.
Notified R4DO (Miller) and NMSS Events Notifications (email).
- * * UPDATE FROM IRENE CASARES TO DONG PARK ON 7/19/18 AT 1158 EDT * * *
The following information was obtained from the state of Texas via email:
Stanley Inspection Services reported that a radiation overexposure may have occurred involving radiographers working in Texas, under reciprocity, at a field site on 7/3/2018 near Midland, Texas. Reported to NRC as update on July 19, 2018. After complete investigation and reenactment of the incident the following information was obtained and being provided as an update of the incident.
On July 3, 2018, a radiographer working a temporary field site project under reciprocity (OK licensee in TX) with another crew had an incident. The radiographer was working in the dark room and was developing film. He completed this task and exited the darkroom. This was the last shot of the day in which this crew was working. It was the last image for this shot in which four images are taken for this weld of a 36 inch pipe at a time of 6.5 minutes each image. They were about to end the workday. It was at dusk and his assistant went to the front of the vehicle to get a flashlight while a member of the other crew showed up. The time of day was between 9 and 10 pm. When this person showed up, the radiographer was exiting the darkroom. These two radiographers both walked down into the pit to retrieve the film, when they were walking to the film, the assistant arrived at the back of the truck, stating that the source was still out and at that time the survey meter being carried by the other crew member (RDS-30, Mirion technologies) was alarming. The person carrying the survey meter was about 2-3 feet behind the first radiographer. The first radiographer had already put his fingers (index and middle) and thumb on the collimator for estimated 3 seconds as he was checking to ensure it had not moved from the mark/film while imaging. He explained that he heard the alarms from the survey and dosimetry meters and they both ran out of the pit. It was reenacted on 16 July to confirm how he placed his fingers on the collimator and estimated the time. The Delta 880, sn D15456, camera was loaded with, QSA, A424-9, 66225G, Ir-192, at an activity of 101.5 curies. The calculated dose to the hand for 3 seconds with a collimator made of tungsten rated at 4 HVL was 25.54 rem for the extremity dose. The initial whole body dose was estimated to be unshielded at 109 mrem. The radiographer had been wearing an electronic dosimeter (Tracerco) which was acting as an alarming rate meter and dosimeter. The film badge was processed with results of 18 mrem. And the dosimetry was reported to have read 24 mrem by the radiographer for that day's work. The dosimeter was sent for verification/accuracy checks. The radiographer had his blood drawn as instructed by REAC/TS and the RSO photographed his fingers/hands for 3 weeks. The radiographer stated he had no abnormal redness, tingling or sensations in the tissue of the hand. The supporting documents and reenactment support an estimated dose of 25.54 rem to the extremity and approximately 20 mrem to the whole body.
The company is completing its documentation of the incident and will be providing its detailed report with corrective actions, another update will be forthcoming.
Notified R4DO (Young),
INES (Milligan) and
NMSS Events Notifications via email.