On Wednesday May 16, 2012 at 1900 MDT, two Midwest Industrial X-Ray, Inc. radiographers had a reportable incident involving a radioactive material exposure device. The exposure device involved was a SPEC 150 SN:386 loaded with an
Ir-192 sealed source model G-60 SN: TC1301. The activity level on 5/16/12 was 56 Ci (2072 GBqs). A SPEC Double Gear Control Assembly with red conduit was used for the drive cable.
The radiographers had made previous exposures during the day without incurring any equipment malfunction. At approximately 1900, the radiographers had 'cranked out' the source to make an exposure and upon retraction were unable to retract the source. The radiographers removed the cover plate of the control assembly and manually pulled the drive cables in order to retract the source back into the locked and shielded position. The sealed source was exposed for approximately 3 minutes. Caution Radiation Area cones were posted at 95 ft. from the source and no persons were inside the 2mR/hr zone. The drive cable was disconnected and no further exposures were made that day. The exposure device was inspected and was found to be in good working condition.
Corrective Actions: A set of SPEC single gear control assembly, yellow conduit drive cables were brought to the radiographers to replace the malfunctioning drive cables. The set of malfunctioning drive cables will be sent back to SPEC and traded in for a set of single gear control assembly/yellow conduit drive cables.
- * * UPDATE FROM STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA VIA EMAIL AT 1046 EDT ON 6/15/12 * * *
Source Production & Equipment Company (SPEC) was unable to replicate the failure using the returned gears. They did note that the gears offered a large amount of resistance, had impurities and that the drive cable was out-of-tolerance.
Notified R4DO (Lantz) and FSME Events via email.
- * * UPDATE FROM STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA VIA EMAIL AT 1148 EDT ON 6/19/12 * * *
The final closeout report of event notification 47933 was provided.
Notified R4DO (Miller) and
FSME Events via email.