ENS 43650
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
04:00 Aug 30, 2007 | |
| Title | Agreement State Report - 23 Missing Tritium Exit Signs |
| Event Description | Harvard University was replacing and recycling old exit signs. When workers arrived to remove the old exit signs and reprocess them, the signs could not be found. The licensee believes the exit signs may have went along with some old light bulbs that were being recycled. The licensee inspected the recycling chamber and found it free of contamination. Each sign originally contained 7.5 curies of Tritium. Decayed activity as of today is 93 curies. They initiated their investigation on August 30, 2007, and the investigation is on-going.
Harvard University has taken / is taking the following corrective actions: 1). Training sessions provided to Harvard University recycling program staff [identification of H3 signs and new requirements to send all such signs to the Radiation Protection Office (RPO) for processing]. 2). Revision made to EXIT Sign Fact Sheet, which focused on requirements for building managers and requires transfer of any removed radioactive signs to the RPO for reclamation. 3). Additional EXIT sign training provided to facility directors, facility managers, compliance officers, and the real estate program to heighten awareness of radioactive EXIT signs and proper recycling. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has concluded their investigation of this matter and considers the corrective actions taken by the licensee to be acceptable. Notified R1DO (R. Bellamy) and FSME EO (G. Morell). THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. This source is not amongst those sources or devices identified by the IAEA Code of Conduct for the Safety & Security of Radioactive Sources to be of concern from a radiological standpoint. Therefore is it being categorized as a less than Category 3 source |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts (NRC Region 1) | |
| License number: | 44-0002 |
| Organization: | Ma Radiation Control Program |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+466.5 h19.438 days <br />2.777 weeks <br />0.639 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Robert Gallagher 14:30 Sep 18, 2007 |
| NRC Officer: | Joe O'Hara |
| Last Updated: | Oct 19, 2007 |
| 43650 - NRC Website | |
Harvard University with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 436502007-08-30T04:00:00030 August 2007 04:00:00
[Table view]Agreement State Agreement State Report - 23 Missing Tritium Exit Signs 2007-08-30T04:00:00 | |