ENS 44039
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
06:00 Mar 5, 2008 | |
| Title | Texas Agreement State Report - Safety Equipment Failure |
| Event Description | {{#Wiki_filter:On March 5, 2008 at 3:43 p.m., the agency [Texas Department of State Health Services] received a telephone call from the licensee reporting that the manufacturer was performing a gauge update replacement change on their level gauges when he discovered the shutter was stuck in the open position for this particular gauge. The manufacturer representative quickly removed the level gauge and took it to a remote area for closer examination.
The initial thought was that the shutter was just stuck open, but upon closer examination, the manufacturer representative discovered that the shutter door was badly damaged by severe heat from the weather and could not be fixed on-site. The manufacturer representative then constructed and installed a temporary shield for the gauge and reported readings at 12 inches away of 4-7 Mr/hour. The licensee reports that the gauge has been placed in a sequestered area, with area caution signs and a 24-hour person surveillance while they await the Type A transport container ordered by the manufacturer representative for safe transport back to his company for repair or replacement. The licensee reports that the leak test performed was negative. The licensee also stated that this gauge has been in service for approximately 11 years without any problems. Since the licensee had the manufacturer out at their facility taking their 5010 series gauges out and replacing them with new series, the gauge is now in the possession/ownership of the gauge manufacturer. Gauge information: Texas Nuclear - Manufacturer, Model# - 5010A, Serial #- B-405, 1000 mCi in 1997 Source information: Am-241 1000 mCi in 1997, Serial # - AO366, Mfg: Texas Nuclear Call to licensee's RSO for clarification on gauge information. He reported that the gauge is locked inside the Type A container and the Type A container is locked inside a caged storage area. The manufacturer will ship it out to their Sugar Land, Texas facility sometime today. Texas Incident#: I-8489
On 03/07/08 at 10:48 a.m., Incident Investigation Program (IIP) called the gauge manufacturer representative back and was able to speak with him. He stated the damage was from heat, but not from the weather; it was from the extreme heat of the coke vessel the gauge was attached to, which can reach temperatures up to ~900�F. He told IIP that the shutter carousel has plastic which can change forms and melt within a couple of hours. He cannot estimate when this could have occurred between 11/20/07 and 03/5/08. He stated that he was still at the location, waiting for the transport truck to load the gauge and send it to his facility, Thermo Measuretech. On 03/07/08 at 11:00 am., II [Incident Investigator] placed a telephone call to the licensee's Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) to clarify when the gauge was last checked and if there was any possibility of public exposure between the time they last checked it and the gauge change on 03/05/08. He stated that there was absolutely no possibility of public exposure, due to the following facts: 1) The coke drum vessel has extreme heat and the gauge housing is mounted in a wire cage within four inches of the vessel and also has a rain cover. He stated no one goes up there unless they are performing the gauge check. Besides the extreme heat of the vessel, there is an air gap that someone would have to stick their hand through to get to the gauge housing and he can't think of a situation where someone would want to reach through the heat and air gap to get to the gauge. 2) He told us the last gauge check was on 11/20/07 and it was noted that the shutter door was hard to close, but that is not unusual due to the extreme vessel heat, dirt and grime that collect on it while there. He told us they perform this check every 3-5 years and this is the only time someone is in contact with the gauge. IIP asked him if he would fax us a copy of the November 2007 check. He affirmed he would. He stated that there were 5 other gauges that were exchanged, so we asked if he would include those gauges serial numbers for us as well. He reminded us that the normal operating position for the shutter is in the open position. 3) The RSO updated us with the gauge transport process. He stated the truck was delayed yesterday due to their area experiencing high winds and hail storms and was expected in sometime today. IIP will continue to update this report with any additional information as it becomes available. Notified R4DO (Cain) and FSME (Flannery). }}[[Event description::Description::{{#Regex_clear:On March 5, 2008 at 3:43 p.m., the agency [Texas Department of State Health Services] received a telephone call from the licensee reporting that the manufacturer was performing a gauge update replacement change on their level gauges when he discovered the shutter was stuck in the open position for this particular gauge. The manufacturer representative quickly removed the level gauge and took it to a remote area for closer examination. The initial thought was that the shutter was just stuck open, but upon closer examination, the manufacturer representative discovered that the shutter door was badly damaged by severe heat from the weather and could not be fixed on-site. The manufacturer representative then constructed and installed a temporary shield for the gauge and reported readings at 12 inches away of 4-7 Mr/hour. The licensee reports that the gauge has been placed in a sequestered area, with area caution signs and a 24-hour person surveillance while they await the Type A transport container ordered by the manufacturer representative for safe transport back to his company for repair or replacement. The licensee reports that the leak test performed was negative. The licensee also stated that this gauge has been in service for approximately 11 years without any problems. Since the licensee had the manufacturer out at their facility taking their 5010 series gauges out and replacing them with new series, the gauge is now in the possession/ownership of the gauge manufacturer. Gauge information: Texas Nuclear - Manufacturer, Model# - 5010A, Serial #- B-405, 1000 mCi in 1997 Source information: Am-241 1000 mCi in 1997, Serial # - AO366, Mfg: Texas Nuclear Call to licensee's RSO for clarification on gauge information. He reported that the gauge is locked inside the Type A container and the Type A container is locked inside a caged storage area. The manufacturer will ship it out to their Sugar Land, Texas facility sometime today. Texas Incident#: I-8489
On 03/07/08 at 10:48 a.m., Incident Investigation Program (IIP) called the gauge manufacturer representative back and was able to speak with him. He stated the damage was from heat, but not from the weather; it was from the extreme heat of the coke vessel the gauge was attached to, which can reach temperatures up to ~900�F. He told IIP that the shutter carousel has plastic which can change forms and melt within a couple of hours. He cannot estimate when this could have occurred between 11/20/07 and 03/5/08. He stated that he was still at the location, waiting for the transport truck to load the gauge and send it to his facility, Thermo Measuretech. On 03/07/08 at 11:00 am., II [Incident Investigator] placed a telephone call to the licensee's Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) to clarify when the gauge was last checked and if there was any possibility of public exposure between the time they last checked it and the gauge change on 03/05/08. He stated that there was absolutely no possibility of public exposure, due to the following facts: 1) The coke drum vessel has extreme heat and the gauge housing is mounted in a wire cage within four inches of the vessel and also has a rain cover. He stated no one goes up there unless they are performing the gauge check. Besides the extreme heat of the vessel, there is an air gap that someone would have to stick their hand through to get to the gauge housing and he can't think of a situation where someone would want to reach through the heat and air gap to get to the gauge. 2) He told us the last gauge check was on 11/20/07 and it was noted that the shutter door was hard to close, but that is not unusual due to the extreme vessel heat, dirt and grime that collect on it while there. He told us they perform this check every 3-5 years and this is the only time someone is in contact with the gauge. IIP asked him if he would fax us a copy of the November 2007 check. He affirmed he would. He stated that there were 5 other gauges that were exchanged, so we asked if he would include those gauges serial numbers for us as well. He reminded us that the normal operating position for the shutter is in the open position. 3) The RSO updated us with the gauge transport process. He stated the truck was delayed yesterday due to their area experiencing high winds and hail storms and was expected in sometime today. IIP will continue to update this report with any additional information as it becomes available. Notified R4DO (Cain) and FSME (Flannery). }}| ]] |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Citgo Refining & Chemical Co., L.P. Corpus Christi, Texas (NRC Region 4) | |
| License number: | L00243-000 |
| Organization: | Texas Department Of Health |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+30.5 h1.271 days <br />0.182 weeks <br />0.0418 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Latischa Hanson 12:30 Mar 6, 2008 |
| NRC Officer: | Howie Crouch |
| Last Updated: | Mar 7, 2008 |
| 44039 - NRC Website | |
Citgo Refining & Chemical Co., L.P. with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 440392008-03-05T06:00:0005 March 2008 06:00:00
[Table view]Agreement State Texas Agreement State Report - Safety Equipment Failure 2008-03-05T06:00:00 | |