ENS 57391
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
16:00 Oct 18, 2024 | |
| Title | Contamination Event with Possible Overexposure |
| Event Description | The following information was provided by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) via phone:
On October 18, 2024, at 1800 EDT, NYSDOH was notified of a contamination event at NRD, LLC., in Grand Island, NY. A radiation worker performing waste packaging was contaminated at approximately 1200 EDT. The worker was decontaminated, but was found to have 2000 counts per minutes (cpm) on a nasal swab. Due to similar events at this location, the worker is suspected of exceeding 50 rem limit to the bone surfaces of their face. The Radiation Emergency Assistance Center Training Site (REAC/TS) was called for assistance. The worker was sent to a local hospital where chelating agents will be administered. The primary radioisotope of concern is Am-241. Po-210 and Ni-63 are a secondary concern. There is no indication of spread of contamination and no members of the public were exposed. NYSDOH will perform an immediate reactive inspection.
The following information was provided by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) via email: On Friday, October 18, 2024, at approximately 1730 EDT, the NYSDOH received a call from the radiation safety officer (RSO) of NRD, LLC (license number C1391) providing information that a worker at NRD was packaging waste within a `buffer area' at their facility and was subsequently contaminated with suspected Am-241 waste. This event allegedly occurred at approximately 1200 EDT that same day. The exact [contamination] activities of the worker and the cause of contamination are unknown at this time. Based on information provided by NRD, LLC, it does appear that the extent of contamination was localized to the buffer area and that the affected individual (hereafter [referred to as] `Worker 1') was the only individual working in this area and [the only person who] received any contamination from this event. The circumstances in which Worker 1 identified that they had been contaminated is unknown at this time. Once Worker 1 identified that they had been contaminated, a whole-body frisk was performed. Measurements ranged from 23 [disintegrations per minute] (dpm) to 1734 dpm. The individual received removable contamination surveys on several different locations on their body, ranging from 7 dpm/100 square centimeters to 2196.80 dpm/100 square centimeters. Contamination levels on this individual were highest on the individual's left hand and arm (1734 dpm total contamination on the arm and 2196.80 dpm/100 square centimeters removable contamination on the hand). Contamination was highest in the following areas: left arm and hand, both feet, shoulders, right arm, and head. Initial nasal swabs were performed and indicated that Worker 1 had 705.29 dpm of Am-241 in one nostril and 1304.23 dpm in the other nostril (combined for 2009.52 dpm). This exceeded the immediate notification threshold required by NRD, LLC's License (C1391) Condition Number 28.B. [333 dpm]. In accordance with [National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements] Report 161, this amount of Am-241 within the nostrils could constitute an intake exceeding the occupational dose limits prescribed by 10 [New York Codes, Rules and Regulations (NYCRR)] 16.6. It is estimated that this dose may be approximately 151 rem committed dose equivalent (CDE) to the bone surfaces and 9 rem committed effective dose equivalent (CEDE). These dose estimates should not be regarded as the official dose of record as they aim to provide a rough estimate to initiate non-routine bioassays and seek clinical guidance from REAC/TS. NRD, LLC, immediately decontaminated Worker 1 and resurveyed until all areas on the worker were indistinguishable from background. NRD, LLC also immediately placed Worker 1 on a 24-hour urinalysis collection. NRD then contacted REAC/TS and was informed that the amount of Am-241 located in the nostrils may suggest that Worker 1 was overexposed and should seek calcium-diethylenetriamine pentaacetate (Ca-DTPA) and zinc-DTPA (Zn-DTPA) treatments as soon as possible. Ca-DTPA and Zn-DTPA are chelating agents used to mitigate the amount of Am-241 uptake in the bone surfaces of Worker 1. Following this information, NRD, LLC contacted NYSDOH for assistance. NYSDOH immediately contacted REAC/TS to corroborate the information provided and discuss clinical recommendations. The REAC/TS contact confirmed that one Ca-DTPA (aerosolized via nebulizer) dose was required for immediate administration that evening and up to five Zn-DTPA doses (intravenously administered) may be needed on subsequent days (1 dose per day). Dosage information for both types of DTPA were 1 gram per day. Following this, NYSDOH sourced doses of Ca-DTPA and Zn-DTPA and contacted the local hospital to coordinate the arrival of this patient and provide information for REAC/TS to assist with clinical guidance in administering these chelation medications. These doses were rush transported by New York State troopers at approximately 2130 [on October 18, 2024,] and arrived at the medical facility at 0100 on October 19, 2024. The doses were prepared and administered approximately 13.5 hours5.787037e-5 days <br />0.00139 hours <br />8.267196e-6 weeks <br />1.9025e-6 months <br /> after the suspected intake occurred. The NRC [headquarters operations officer] was called at 2103 on October 18, 2024, to meet the reporting requirement for this event (4 hours4.62963e-5 days <br />0.00111 hours <br />6.613757e-6 weeks <br />1.522e-6 months <br /> post-notification) as this constituted a contamination event meeting the criteria in 10 CFR 30.50(a) and a potential overexposure under 10 CFR 20.2202. This report was filed under [Event Notification] 57391. Following this notification, NRD informed the Department that a survey was performed in adjacent areas to where this contamination event was thought to have occurred and contamination has been localized to the area where this individual was doing work. NRD is continuing surveys of areas throughout their facility to confirm that no contamination is present in any other areas. At this moment, NYSDOH Bureau of Environmental Radiation Protection (BERP) is planning a site visit to interview staff and perform independent characterization from the location where this contamination event occurred. Additional information is needed to determine the exact scope of this contamination event and independently validate the information provided by NRD, LLC. NYSDOH BERP is actively monitoring this event under Incident Number 1503. Additional information will be provided to [the NRC Nuclear Material Events Database (NMED)] once available. Notified R1DO (Lally), NMSS (Williams), and NMSS Events Notification (email) |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Nrd, Llc. Grand Island, New York (NRC Region 1) | |
| License number: | NY C1391 |
| Organization: | New York State Dept. Of Health |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+5.05 h0.21 days <br />0.0301 weeks <br />0.00692 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Nathaniel Kishbaugh 21:03 Oct 18, 2024 |
| NRC Officer: | Ernest West |
| Last Updated: | Oct 18, 2024 |
| 57391 - NRC Website | |
Nrd, Llc. with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 573912024-10-18T16:00:00018 October 2024 16:00:00
[Table view]Agreement State Contamination Event with Possible Overexposure 2024-10-18T16:00:00 | |