Press Release-IV-96-058, NRC Proposes $13,000 Fine Against Cti Alaska, Inc. for Radiation Worker Exposure Incident
| ML003706540 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 11/01/1996 |
| From: | Henderson B Office of Public Affairs Region IV |
| To: | |
| Category:Press Release | |
| References | |
| Press Release-IV-96-058 | |
| Download: ML003706540 (2) | |
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U.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommissionOfficeofPublicAffairs,RegionIV611RyanPlazaDrive-Suite400Arlington,Texas76011-8064RIV:96-58FORIMMEDIATERELEASECONTACT:BreckHendersonNovember1,1996 OFFICE:817/860-8128 PAGER:(800)443-7243(065477)
E-MAIL:bwh@nrc.govNRCPROPOSES$13,000FINEAGAINSTCTIALASKA,INC.FORRADIATIONWORKEREXPOSUREINCIDENTTheNuclearRegulatoryCommissionhasproposeda$13,000fineagainstCTIAlaska,Inc.,ofAnchorage,foranincidentin whichaworkerwasexposedtoexcessradiationaftera radiographiccameramalfunctioned.Theworkerdidnotreceive morethanhisallowedmaximumannualdoseof5rem.TheincidenttookplaceatEndicottIsland,NorthSlope,duringthenightshiftonDecember23-24,1995.Afterusinga radiographiccamera,workersdidnotrealizethattheradiation sourcefailedtofullyretractintoitsshieldedcontainerwhena safetylatchinsidethelockingmechanismprematurelyengaged.A radiographiccameraisusedinindustrialapplications,muchlike anX-raymachineisusedinmedicine,todetectflawsindense metalobjects.Theworker,calledaradiographer,istrainedintheuseofthecameraandinproperhandlingofradiationsources.Inthis case,theradiographerdidnotperformanadequateradiation surveyasrequiredatthecompletionofthejob,whichwouldhave detectedtheunshieldedradiationsource.Healsofailedto assurehewaswearingafunctioningalarmratemeter,asafety devicethatwouldhavewarnedhimhewasworkinginaradiation field.BothfailuresareviolationsofNRCregulations.Whentheradiographermadeasecondcheckofhisradiationsurveyinstrumentandlookedathispocketdosimeter,asecond personalradiationmonitoringdeviceheisrequiredtocarry,he realizedhehadbeenworkinginahighradiationfield.However, hethenfailedtocontacthissupervisorimmediately.When contacted,thesupervisorfailedtoimmediatelycontactthe company'sradiationsafetyofficer,andthecompanydidnot promptlyprocesstheradiographer'sfilmbadge,athirdpersonal radiationmonitoringdevicethatwouldindicatetheexactdosehe received.TheseactionsarerequiredbyNRC-mandatedsafety proceduresandrepresentviolations.NRCRegionalAdministratorJoeCallansaid,inalettertoCTIpresidentGeorgeE.Haugen,"[Thefirsttwoviolations]are significantbecausetheyrepresenttwobreachedsafetybarriers thataredesignedtopreventoverexposurestoradiographersandthepublic.[Thethirdandfourthviolations]arealso significantbecausetheyresultedinadelayinCTI's notificationsandresponsetotheincident...Therefore,theseviolationsareclassifiedintheaggregate...asa SeverityLevelIIproblem."TheNRCratesincidentsonafour-level scale,withLevelIbeingthemostsevere.Mr.CallannotedintheletterthatCTIhastakenextensivecorrectiveactionswhichincludediscipliningtheradiographers involved,improvedemphasisonreportingofincidents,posting safetymemosregardingtheincident,increasedfrequencyof safetyaudits,additionaltrainingonproperuseofthe radiographycamera,andassignmentofanewsafetycoordinator.CTImustrespondtotheNoticeofViolationinwritingwithin30days.Theresponsemustdocumentspecificactions takentopreventrecurrenceoftheincident.Duringthistime theCompanymaypaythefineorfileaprotest.