PNO-II-98-021, on 980327,notified Region II That self- Luminous Exit Sign Containing Less That 20 Ci of Generally Licensed Tritium Had Been Broken by Residents in Dormitory at Usda.State of Nc Kept Informed
| ML20217G522 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 03/30/1998 |
| From: | Fuller M NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PNO-II-98-021, PNO-II-98-21, NUDOCS 9804020378 | |
| Download: ML20217G522 (1) | |
March 30, 1998 s,
PaethnY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR iiiur=L OCCUnn "Um PNO-II-98-021 This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE cofoty or public interest significance. The information is as initially rccoived without verification or evaluation, and is basically all that is known by Region II staff in Atlanta, Georgia on this date.
Facility Licensee Eneroency Classification U. S. Department Of Agriculture Notification of Unusual Event Lbj Job Corps Training Center Alert Frcnklin, North Carolina Site Area Emergency General Em;rgency X Not Applicable i
Subjcct:
DAMAGED SELF-LUMINOUS EXIT SIGNS On March 27, 1998, the State of North Carolina, Division of Radiation Protection notified Region II that a self-luminous exit sign containing logo than 20 Curies of generally licensed tritium had been broken by residents (students) in a dormitory at the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Job Corps Training Center in Franklin, N.C.
NRC otaff obtained additional information from che USDA and arranged for D:psrtment of Energy (DOE) Radiological Assistance Program (RAP) survey cupport.
On March 28, Region II staff and a RAP Team (with mobile lab) followed up on the event.
The RAP Team performed radiological surveys cnd collected various samples, including urine samples from five rcuidents.
Two signs had been removed from the walls in the dormitory 1
-within the last month, and students had subsequently removed the vials containing the tritium.
At least two of the vials had been broken in a downotairs lounge, two or three vials had been broken in an upstairs lounge, and at least one vial had been broken near a downstairs pay phons.
The only area identified with tritium levels significantly above btckground was near the downstairs pay phone where removable contcmination measured approximately 157,000 disentgrations per minute (dpm) per 100 square centimeters.
This area was secured by the USDA.
The USDA is developing plans for removal of the contamination and transfer of the remaining intact vials containing tritium.
Urine sample collections (24 hour2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />) were completed and returned to Oak Ridge for entlysis.
Results should be available within a few days.
There has been no m:dia interest.
The State of North Carolina b:.s been kept informed.
Region II will continue to folicw-up with USDA regarding cleanup and disposition of the material and with DOE regarding the bioassay results.
Thic information is current as of 1:30 p.m.,
on March 30, 1998.
Contcet:
M.
FULLER
,JI (404)562-4714 9004020378 980330
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-I 8-021 PDR v.,, 4W