ENS 47961
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
07:00 May 23, 2012 | |
| Title | Agreement State Report - Manufacturer Received An Analyzer With An Open Shutter |
| Event Description | The following was reported from the state via e-mail:
A Kennewick licensee who manufactures and distributes hand-held devices used to analyze metal alloys notified the Materials Section of an incident that occurred with one of their General License customers in California. The shutter in the device which shields the radioactive material remained in the open position even after disengaging the trigger mechanism to close the shutter. This allowed radiation to stream from the device unabated. The California customer packaged the device for shipping knowing the shutter was open with nothing shielding the radiation and sent it back to the manufacturer in Kennewick for repairs. When the manufacturer received the device, a radiation reading in excess of the package limitations was noted and promptly reported to us. The licensee informed us this is the first shutter malfunction ever for this device model, which has been in service without any similar problems for many years. The Materials staff is working with the licensee to identify compliance issues and to prevent recurrence. The Bruker AXS hand held XRF analyzer contains 5.9 milliCuries of Co-57. Incident Number WA-12-037
The XRF device is owned by Benchmark Environmental. Benchmark Environmental shipped the device to Bruker on May 22, 2012. Based on the dose rate measurement taken by Bruker prior to opening the package and removing the instrument, the Washington State Department of Health doesn't believe there were exposures to any member of the public in excess of regulatory limits. A dose rate measurement at 3 feet was 0.3 mR/hr as measured by their Bicron Surveyor 50 (cal date 1/19/12). Reading at approximately six inches from the surface pegged the dose rate meter on the 0 to 0.5 mR/hour scale. Bruker did not take measurements on higher scales. At that point, Bruker's shipping and receiving took the MAP FA4C1 analyzer out of the case and carried it at arm's length to the shielded source exchange pit. The instrument was evaluated inside the pit and the shutter was found partially open. The Co-57 source was removed from the analyzer and put into a shielded pig. Bruker examined the analyzer and found the source block was defective and [the analyzer was] sent to production for a replacement source block. The licensee provided corrective actions in the NMED data entry form. Notified R4DO (Spitzberg) and FSME (via email). |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Bruker Axs Handheld Inc Kennewick, Washington (NRC Region 4) | |
| License number: | Wn-I0282-1 |
| Organization: | Wa Division Of Radiation Protection |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+36.07 h1.503 days <br />0.215 weeks <br />0.0494 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Craig Lawrence 19:04 May 24, 2012 |
| NRC Officer: | Joe O'Hara |
| Last Updated: | May 25, 2012 |
| 47961 - NRC Website | |
Bruker Axs Handheld Inc with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 479612012-05-23T07:00:00023 May 2012 07:00:00
[Table view]Agreement State Agreement State Report - Manufacturer Received an Analyzer with an Open Shutter 2012-05-23T07:00:00 | |