ENS 52779
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
12:00 May 30, 2017 | |
| Title | External Contamination on Package Greater than Allowable Limits |
| Event Description | Pursuant to 10 CFR 20.1906, Veterans Health Administration (VHA) National Health Physics Program is notifying NRC of the receipt of two packages of radioactive material with removable surface contamination on the outside that exceeded NRC reporting limits.
The packages were received on the morning of Tuesday, May 30, 2017, by the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas. This facility is a site of use under the VA St. Louis Health Care System, St. Louis, Missouri, which holds VHA permit number 24-00144-05 under the VHA master materials license. The packages were surveyed at about 0700 CDT. The wipe tests performed on the external surfaces of the packages indicated removable contamination of about 1,450 and 1,390 dpm/cm2 as compared to the regulatory limit of 240 dpm/cm2 for beta-gamma emitters. The packages contained unit dosages of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose. The packages were shipped from Cardinal Health in Wichita, Kansas, which was also the final delivery carrier. A facility nuclear medicine technologist notified the final delivery carrier by telephone of the contaminated packages soon after discovery of the contamination. VHA National Health Physics Program, which manages the master materials license, was notified of the incident at about 1700 CDT on Wednesday May 31, 2017. The VHA is aware that this notification does not conform to the timeliness requirements in 10 CFR 20.1906. VHA will take appropriate action regarding this apparent noncompliance. VHA will notify our NRC Region III Project Manager of this incident.
On July 18, 2017, the review by the facility Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) determined the event was 'suspect' due to radiation levels from a dose calibrator inducing spurious results in the well counter used for package surveys. The package did not have external radioactive contamination. The root cause of the report of contamination was identified by the PET [Positron Emission Tomography] technologist. It was a result of counting the package wipes with a radioactive source in the adjacent dose calibrator causing crosstalk between the two instruments. Correct technique was discussed by the RSO with the PET technologist. In addition, staff training of the correct technique was provided for all department personnel. During an onsite inspection in January 2018, the root cause was verified with the inspector having a high degree of confidence that the Wichita facility did not receive an externally contaminated package on May 30, 2017. The licensee notified R3 (Parker). Notified R3DO (Orth) and NMSS Events Notification E-mail group. |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Veterans Health Administration North Little Rock, Arkansas (NRC Region 4) | |
| License number: | 03-23853-01VA |
| Organization: | Veterans Health Administration |
| Reporting | |
| 10 CFR 20.1906(d)(2) | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+32.13 h1.339 days <br />0.191 weeks <br />0.044 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Edwin Leidholdt 20:08 May 31, 2017 |
| NRC Officer: | Jeff Rotton |
| Last Updated: | Apr 4, 2018 |
| 52779 - NRC Website | |
Veterans Health Administration with 10 CFR 20.1906(d)(2) | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 527792017-05-30T12:00:00030 May 2017 12:00:00
[Table view]10 CFR 20.1906(d)(2) External Contamination on Package Greater than Allowable Limits 2017-05-30T12:00:00 | |