ENS 50065
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
20:30 Apr 4, 2014 | |
| Title | Agreement State Report - Scrap Facility Gate Alarm |
| Event Description | On 04/04/14 at approximately 1430 MDT, the Colorado Radiation Program received phone notification of a scrap load that had been rejected at a recycling facility in Englewood, CO due to a gate radiation alarm. Scrap facility personnel performed surveys around the container using hand held survey instruments. Surveys indicated readings up to a maximum of 120 microrem/hour (Ludlum Model 3). Recycling facility staff indicated that the load would not be returned to the shipper until the following week and that the load/roll-off container was segregated onsite. The Colorado Radiation Program issued a DOT special permit and the scrap metal was returned to the originator, Baker-Hughes (Colorado License No. 678-01; 285 County Road 27, Brighton, CO 80603) on or about 04/11/14.
Preliminary communications with Baker-Hughes personnel indicated that it performed well fracking work in mid-March 2014 and worked with another Colorado licensee - well logging tracer company, Protechnics (Colorado License No. 545-01; 703 Greenway Drive, Fruita, CO 81521). Baker-Hughes is not authorized for tracer material use. Baker-Hughes requested that Protechnics perform surveys on the rejected scrap load to determine whether the contamination was naturally occurring radioactive material, or tracer material. Protechnics performed radiological surveys on or about 04/15/14 at the Baker-Hughes facility and determined that a small amount of tracer material remained in one component (a manifold removed from the pumping truck) of the scrap load. Protechnics identified the tracer material as Iridium-192. The tracer material combined with approximately 10 lbs. of fracking sand was removed/decontaminated from the scrap component and was packaged by Protechnics and returned to their facility in Fruita, CO for decay in storage. Protechnics estimated the activity of Ir-192 tracer material in the component to be approximately 0.015 mCi. After receiving a preliminary written report from Protechnics on 04/16/14, Colorado Radiation Program staff performed phone interviews of Baker-Hughes personnel and Protechnics personnel. Colorado Radiation Program staff performed on-site verification surveys of the scrap load (post-decontamination) on 04/21/14. Surveys indicated that no radiation levels above instrument background were detected on the remaining decontaminated scrap. The Colorado Radiation Program is continuing to investigate the incident to determine further actions. |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Protechnics Fruita, Colorado (NRC Region 4) | |
| License number: | Co 545-01 |
| Organization: | Colorado Dept Of Health |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+571.75 h23.823 days <br />3.403 weeks <br />0.783 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | James Jarvis 16:15 Apr 28, 2014 |
| NRC Officer: | Donald Norwood |
| Last Updated: | Apr 28, 2014 |
| 50065 - NRC Website | |
Protechnics with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 500652014-04-04T20:30:0004 April 2014 20:30:00
[Table view]Agreement State Agreement State Report - Scrap Facility Gate Alarm ENS 464392010-11-26T06:00:00026 November 2010 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Vehicle Transporting Well Logging Sources Involved in Accident with Fatality ENS 457812010-03-20T04:20:00020 March 2010 04:20:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Theft of Licensed Materials ENS 433042007-04-13T06:00:00013 April 2007 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Lost Control of 2 Millicuries of Ir-192 ENS 421182005-11-04T06:00:0004 November 2005 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State - Lost/Missing Shipment ENS 419502005-08-22T06:00:00022 August 2005 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State - Vehicle Accident with Spilled Source 2014-04-04T20:30:00 | |