ENS 55181
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
06:00 Mar 3, 2021 | |
| Title | Removable Contamination Exceeds Limits |
| Event Description | The following was received from the State of Washington via email:
NSSI of Houston, Texas violated 49 CFR 173.443(b) and will be suspended from further shipments. Contamination was found on shipment packages. No contamination was found outside of the conveyance. No staff were contaminated, or internal dose assigned. WA State licensee corrected the shipment to allow the conveyance to proceed. NSSI's shipping privileges may be reinstated upon submittal of a root case analysis to the department and a successful point-of-origin inspection performed by the department. On February 24, 2021 NSSI/Recovery Services, Inc. of Houston Texas shipped 38 drums containing liquid tritium, LSA II, Exclusive Use, closed conveyance. Twenty-one drums were destined for Perma-Fix Northwest (PFNW) in Richland Washington for processing, and the additional 17 drums were to proceed to Perma-Fix DSSI, in Kingston, Tennessee. The truck arrived at PFNW on March 1, 2021. PFNW received and offloaded 21 of the drums. Prior to releasing the truck to continue to DSSI, PFNW conducted surveys of the truck and trailer. On March 3, 2021 the PFNW Radiation Safety Officer notified the WA State Department of Health (Department) that tritium contamination was found inside the trailer (survey results were not provided). PFNW did not find contamination outside of the trailer. PFNW notified and surveyed the driver; no contamination was found on the driver. After discussions with PFNW, it was determined that PFNW would ensure that the shipment was in compliance by offloading the 17 drums in order to inspect, decontaminate and, if necessary, over-pack the 17 drums prior to putting the conveyance on the road [to Kingston, TN] . PFNW offloaded, inspected, and overpacked the 17 drums, then loaded them on a new trailer. PFNW stated that the bungs on a few on the drums required tightening. The shipment was received at DSSI in Tennessee without incident. The Department requested survey results. After receipt and review of the survey results, the Department determined that 6 of the drums destined for DSSI, 1 drum offloaded at PFNW, and areas of the trailer floorboards were in excess of DOT's external contamination limits, 49 CFR 173.443(b). Results ranged from 2,902 - 973,124 [disintegrations per minute per square centimeter] (dpm/cm^2) (taking in account the 10 percent wipe efficiency); the 49 CFR 173.443(b) contamination limit is 2,400 dpm/cm^2 at any time during transit of an exclusive-use shipment. The contaminated trailer is currently at PFNW where the contaminated floorboards will be removed and disposed. Bioassays of the four participating PFNW staff were performed; no PFNW staff were assigned internal dose or were contaminated. NSSI violated 49 CFR 173.443(b), and will be suspended from further shipments to PFNW. Suspension tracked under WMS-DOT-21-01 Washington Incident No.: WMS-INC-21-01 |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Nssi/Recovery Services, Inc. Houston, Texas (NRC Region 4) | |
| License number: | LO2991 |
| Organization: | Wa Office Of Radiation Protection |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+871.05 h36.294 days <br />5.185 weeks <br />1.193 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Cheryl K. Rogers 12:03 Apr 8, 2021 |
| NRC Officer: | Lloyd Desotell |
| Last Updated: | Apr 8, 2021 |
| 55181 - NRC Website | |
Nssi/Recovery Services, Inc. with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 551812021-03-03T06:00:0003 March 2021 06:00:00
[Table view]Agreement State Removable Contamination Exceeds Limits 2021-03-03T06:00:00 | |