The following report was received from the
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality via email:
[On] 05/15/2017, [at] 11:50 [CDT], the Radiation Safety Officer of Team Industrial Services, Inc. called the Radiation Section of LDEQ [Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality] to report a source retrieval that occurred on 05/14/2017 [at approximately] 18:00 [CDT] at the INDORAMA VENTURES OLEFINS Refinery is Sulphur, LA at 4300 Hwy 108, Westlake, LA 70669. The camera was being used on a gridded walkway to radiograph some construction material situated on a tripod. The tripod became unstable causing the material to fall and crimp the guide tube. The source was in the collimator and was unable to be retrieved into the shielded exposure device. A retrieval crew was assembled and they were able to retrieve the source and return it to the shielded position. Two radiographers and a site RSO [Radiation Safety Officer] conducted the retrieval activities. The retrieval process was safely completed at [approximately] 20:30 [CDT] on 05/14/2017.
A radiography exposure device was a QSA Global Model 880D, S/N D12919 and the source was an AEA Technology Model A424-9. The exposure device was loaded with 85.7 Ci of Ir-192. The guide tube was a 7 ft. tube that utilized a collimator. The exposure device and source were returned to the office for storage until being evaluated. The crimped guide tube was tested for leakage and then sent for disposal. The area was restricted to the public and controlled for the employees of Indorama. The exposures to the retrievers were minimal.
LA Event Report ID No.: LA170008