PNO-III-89-064, on 890926,licensee Discovered That Two Density Measurement Gauges Each Containing 13 Mci Sr-90 Inadvertently Transferred to Scrap Yard on 890907.Caused by Employee Assuming That Sources Removed from Gauges
| ML20248C804 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 03012542 |
| Issue date: | 09/27/1989 |
| From: | Caniano R, Mallett B NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PNO-III-89-064, PNO-III-89-64, NUDOCS 8910040015 | |
| Download: ML20248C804 (2) | |
,-
%.277 g g @Q PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION.0F EVENT.0R UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE GC-Iii-64 Date S:ptember. 27, 1989:
p .
1This, pre.liminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of tvents of POSSIBLE safety or public sf:
intcrest significance.
evaluation, and is basically,all The thatinformation is known by the isRegion as initially III staffreceived without on this date, j verific
! Facility: Uniroyal Goodrich Tire Licensee Emergency Company- ' Classification:
Akron,10H Unusual Event Alert License No. 34-09024-05 Site Area Emergency
- General Emergency XX Not Applicable-L
Subject:
' LOSS OF TWO INDUSTRIAL GAUGES CONTAINING STRONTIUM-90 SOURCES
'On September 27, 1989, the licensee reported that two density measurement gauges had been
-inadvertently transferred from-its Woodburn, Indiana, facility.to a Fort Wayne, Indiana,
,jscrapmetalprocessor.- Initial searches at the scrap yard have failed to locate the devices.
The' gauges each contained a 13-millicurie strontium-90 sealed source. In early August 1989, the gauges were removed from their installed locations by licensee personnel and stored, pending their return to the device manufacturer.-
On'S:ptember 7, a licensee employee incorrectly assumed the radiation sources had been removed from the gauges and transferred the devices to the local scrap yard. Licensee personnel discovered the devices were missing on September 26.
Licensee personnel and a State of Indiana radiological response team member began searching
'the scrap yard for the devices on September 27. Descriptions of the gauges have been posted-at the scrap yard. Both visual searches and radiation surveys are underway.
-Two Rrgion III (Chicago) inspectors have been dispatched to'the s1te to perform independent surveys at the scrap yard and to investigate the circumstances surrounding the removal and transfer of the gauges.
The gauge shutters were closed when the devices were removed. Strontium-90 is principally an emitter of beta radiation, and as contained in the gauges does not represent a significant external radiation hazard. The gauges, hswever, may have been shredded at the scrap yard and subsequently melted down in a foundry. The Region III inspectors will servey the shredding equipment for possible contamination if the sealed sources were breached during processing.
The State of Ind?ana and NMSS have been informed of the missing gauges.
. Region III was notified of the loss at 8:45 a.m. on September 27, 1989. This information is current as of 1:00 p.m., September 27, 1989.
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raa& S CONTACT:' RF J. Caniano B uce S. Mallett FTS 388-5721 FTS 388-5612 e\
8910040015 89o927 PDR J&E lPNO-III-89-064 PDC ,
l ERE[ININARYNOTIFICATIONOFLEVENT,0RUN.USUALOCCURRENCE--inC-III-64DateSeptemb:r 27,.1989-
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