ENS 53339
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
19:15 Apr 16, 2018 | |
| Title | Agreement State Report - Technetium-99M Generator Lost in Transit |
| Event Description | The following was received from the State of Illinois via E-mail:
The Agency [Illinois Emergency Management Agency] received a call on 4/16/18 from GE Healthcare (IL-01109-01, Arlington Heights) stating that a Mo/Tc generator in transit to their facility was unaccounted for. The generator was one of eight being returned from pharmacies in Michigan and was shipped as a Yellow-II package through [common carrier]. The Mo-99 activity was estimated to be 10.35 GBq on 4/11/18. GE Healthcare stated the empty packaging for the generator was returned in the shipment with the bottom of the box having been re-taped. [The common carrier] is working to search their hubs (Grand Rapids, Chicago Heights, and Wheeling). The shipping pharmacies have been interviewed and provided signed manifests. Details will be provided as they become available. There is currently no reason to believe a deliberate intent to misplace the device [occurred]. GE Healthcare (Emile Poisson) also notified the NRC Operations Center regarding this event. The package was initially shipped from the Kentwood Michigan GE Healthcare location. The outer package was delivered to the correct location at 1415 CDT. GE Healthcare Michigan Licensee Number: 21-26707-01MD. Illinois Item Number: IL180027.
GE Healthcare notified the NRC Operations Center that the missing generator had been located. When the shipping box broke, the generator fell into a box of office chairs that was shipping to St. Mary's Hospital in South Dakota. Personnel at the hospital recognized the generator as radioactive material and turned it over to the hospital's radiology department. The radiology department notified GE Healthcare. GE Healthcare is making arrangements to have the generator shipped to its Illinois facility. There were no reported overexposures.
On 4/17/18, at approximately 1630 CDT, [GE Healthcare] notified IEMA that the package had been located at St. Mary's Hospital in Pierre, SD. Reportedly, hospital staff opened boxes of steel chairs and the generator had been packaged inside. It is unknown if the chairs/associated packaging has been assessed for removable contamination. GE Healthcare is unsure if the hospital is authorized for possession of the generator. GE Healthcare and IEMA are notifying NRC Region IV staff concurrently. The generator arrived in shrink wrapped boxes, delivered by a secondary carrier. GE Healthcare and [the original common carrier] are retracing the shipment to determine at what point the packages were comingled. Terminals at Kentwood, Ml, Chicago Heights, IL and St. Paul, MN are in question. There is currently no reason to believe a deliberate intent to misplace the device [occurred]. GE Healthcare is working to take possession of the generator at this time. Additional details will be provided as they become available. Notified R3DO (Riemer), R4DO (O'Keefe), ILTAB (E-mail) and NMSS Events Notification (E-mail).
Associates In Medical Physics, LLC notified the NRC on behalf of Avera St. Mary's Hospital, South Dakota, regarding the receipt of the generator. Upon receiving the package the hospital surveyed the device and determined no surface contamination was present. The device was shielded and locked within the hospital's hot lab. Arrangements are being made with GE Healthcare to retrieve the generator. Notified R3DO (Riemer), R4DO (O'Keefe), ILTAB (E-mail) and NMSS Events Notification (E-mail). 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 |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Ge Healthcare Arlington Heights, Illinois (NRC Region 3) | |
| License number: | Il-01109-01 |
| Organization: | Illinois Emergency Mgmt. Agency |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+-2.65 h-0.11 days <br />-0.0158 weeks <br />-0.00363 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Gray Forsee 16:36 Apr 16, 2018 |
| NRC Officer: | Steven Vitto |
| Last Updated: | Apr 18, 2018 |
| 53339 - NRC Website | |
Ge Healthcare with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 567912023-10-12T05:00:00012 October 2023 05:00:00
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