ENS 51876
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
05:00 Apr 21, 2016 | |
| Title | Agreement State Report - Radiation Level on Package Greater than Limits |
| Event Description | The following information was obtained from the State of Texas via email:
On April 21, 2016, the Agency [Texas Department of State Health Services] was contacted by the Environmental Protection Agency in response to a notice it had received regarding excessive dose rates coming from a package in shipment. The package was being carried by [a common carrier] and was located at one of its facility in Houston, Texas. The Agency contacted the radiation safety officer (RSO) for [the common carrier]. He stated they had been informed by Customs and Border Patrol that one of their packages was reading higher than expected and they had responded. The RSO stated their surveys indicated dose rates at three feet were 41 mrem per hour and 7 rem per hour on contact with the package. The RSO stated their surveys were not consistent with the dose rates reported by Customs. The RSO stated the package contained a 2.79 (11.84 original activity) curie iridium 192 source being returned to the manufacturer. The source was from a high dose rate after loader being returning from outside the United States. The shipping container was opened and the source was found sitting on top of the shield. The source was placed in a different shield and returned to a safe storage location. While the shipper was investigating the event, a person inside the facility called 911. When the hazmat team arrived they performed a radiation survey and decided the dose rates warranted evacuating all the workers from the building. The building was evacuated for more than an hour, but less than two hours. [The common carrier] is investigating the event and any possible exposures to their workers. The RSO stated he did not believe any individual of the general public would have exceeded any limits. The RSO and this Agency has scheduled a call on April 22, 2016, to exchange additional information. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300. Texas Incident No.: I-9391
The Agency contacted the Houston Texas Hazmat Team leader (HTL). They stated their surveys at 200 feet indicated the radiation readings were background. The HTL stated when they arrived the bucket containing the source was on a pallet held in place with plastic wrap and a cinch strap. The HML stated the bucket containing the source was the only item on the pallet. The Hazmat Team (HMT) removed the plastic wrap from the bucket and removed the bucket from the pallet. The bucket (containing the source) was then placed in a 30 gallon container. The container was filled with a dry material containing clay. That container was sealed and placed in a 55 gallon drum. The 55 gallon drum was filled with water and the top placed on the drum. The manufacturer's representative who retrieved the source was contacted. They stated dose rate on the side of the 55 gallon drum was 7 rem/hr (this dose rate was reported as on the side of the package in the initial report.) The dose rate on the top of the source container (package) was 15 rem/hr. He stated he noted the end of the drive cable near and past the source had been damaged. He found that the source was not inside the shield and both security seals were missing from the shipping container. Notified R4DO (Groom) and NMSS Events Notification via email. |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Unknown Houston, Texas (NRC Region 4) | |
| Organization: | Texas Dept Of State Health Services |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+16.32 h0.68 days <br />0.0971 weeks <br />0.0224 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Art Tucker 21:19 Apr 21, 2016 |
| NRC Officer: | Dong Park |
| Last Updated: | Apr 25, 2016 |
| 51876 - NRC Website | |
Unknown with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 561482022-10-05T04:00:0005 October 2022 04:00:00
[Table view]Agreement State Two Abandoned Sources ENS 556972022-01-07T05:00:0007 January 2022 05:00:00 Agreement State Found Moisture Density Guage ENS 544262019-12-06T06:00:0006 December 2019 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Density Gauge Found at Scrap Yard ENS 529712017-09-08T18:53:0008 September 2017 18:53:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Orphan Source Discovery ENS 529292017-08-24T04:00:00024 August 2017 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Damaged Packaging - Source Intact ENS 528322017-06-28T04:00:00028 June 2017 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Orphaned Cs-137 Source Recovered ENS 525592017-02-16T21:00:00016 February 2017 21:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Cpn Instrotek Notified California of Missing Cpn Nuclear Gauge Location ENS 524672016-12-29T05:00:00029 December 2016 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Apparent Uncontained Radiation Source Detected ENS 520892016-07-12T04:00:00012 July 2016 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Fixed Gauge Found at Metal Recycling Faculty ENS 520882016-07-11T04:00:00011 July 2016 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Fixed Gauge Found at Metal Recycling Faculty ENS 518762016-04-21T05:00:00021 April 2016 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Radiation Level on Package Greater than Limits ENS 518662016-04-11T07:00:00011 April 2016 07:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Ra-226 Source Found in Garbage Truck ENS 517532016-02-22T05:00:00022 February 2016 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Unplanned Contamination at Metal Recycling Facility ENS 513842015-09-08T05:00:0008 September 2015 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Orphan Ra-226 Source ENS 513272015-08-15T04:00:00015 August 2015 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Orphan Source Found in a Garbage Truck ENS 513222015-08-11T05:00:00011 August 2015 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Orphaned Source Discovered / Possible Overexposure Involved ENS 513152015-07-13T13:45:00013 July 2015 13:45:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Ndc Gauge Recovered from Landfill ENS 511962015-06-01T06:00:0001 June 2015 06:00:00 Agreement State Colorado Agreement State Report - Radium-226 Discovered at Scrap Yard ENS 509862015-04-15T19:15:00015 April 2015 19:15:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Source Discovered at a Transfer Station ENS 511012015-04-14T05:00:00014 April 2015 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Cs-137 Found in Waste Entering a Landfill ENS 509722015-04-10T04:00:00010 April 2015 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Radium-226 Source Found in Load of Scrap Metal ENS 502282014-06-23T07:00:00023 June 2014 07:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Damaged Fixed Gauge Found in Scrap Metal Shipment ENS 499642014-03-26T04:00:00026 March 2014 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Y-90 Sir-Spheres Treatment Dose Less than Prescribed ENS 498432014-02-07T06:00:0007 February 2014 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Unknown Radioactive Material Discovered in Garbage Truck at Landfill ENS 495132013-10-31T05:00:00031 October 2013 05:00:00 Agreement State Orphan Sealed Source Recovered at a Scrap Yard ENS 491462013-06-24T18:30:00024 June 2013 18:30:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Scrap Metal Shipment Found to Contain Unidentified Radioactive Material ENS 490352013-04-24T06:00:00024 April 2013 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Found Radium 226 Source ENS 487992013-03-01T05:00:0001 March 2013 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Shipment Containing Cesium-137 Found ENS 487532013-02-14T08:00:00014 February 2013 08:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Discovery of Gas Chromatograph in Building Attic ENS 488152013-02-14T04:00:00014 February 2013 04:00:00 Agreement State Blackout Button Found in Load of Scrap Metal ENS 487282013-01-28T05:00:00028 January 2013 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Smoke Detectors Found at Scrap Metal Recycling Facility ENS 491182012-11-19T07:00:00019 November 2012 07:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Illegal Transfer of a Device Containing Americium-241 ENS 479632012-05-25T05:00:00025 May 2012 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Uranium Source Found at Metal Check Recycling Facility ENS 477922012-03-28T20:35:00028 March 2012 20:35:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - a Moisture Density Gauge Was Found in Building ENS 476132012-01-19T05:00:00019 January 2012 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Radium-226 Sources Discovered at Waste Transfer Station ENS 475592011-12-28T07:00:00028 December 2011 07:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Two Nuclear Gauges Found at Metal Recycling Facility ENS 473972011-10-28T17:00:00028 October 2011 17:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Orphaned Source Discovered at a Scrap Metal Facility ENS 473962011-10-13T16:00:00013 October 2011 16:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Dose Misadministration ENS 462132010-08-03T06:00:0003 August 2010 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Radioactive Material Found in Scrap Shipment ENS 461472010-08-02T05:00:0002 August 2010 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report Involving a Source Found in a Load of Scrap ENS 460612010-06-24T16:00:00024 June 2010 16:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report Involving a Found Ra-226 Source ENS 459542010-05-21T04:00:00021 May 2010 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Lost Source Found in Scrap Metal ENS 458192010-04-07T05:00:0007 April 2010 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State - Depleted Uranium Found in Scrap Metal ENS 458022010-03-29T06:00:00029 March 2010 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Found Portable Density Gauge ENS 456102010-01-04T06:00:0004 January 2010 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State - Moisture Density Gauge Found in Scrap Metal ENS 446902008-11-22T19:00:00022 November 2008 19:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Radium Vials Discovered in Home ENS 444642008-08-08T07:00:0008 August 2008 07:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report Involving a Lost or Stolen Tritium Exit Sign ENS 440582008-03-12T18:30:00012 March 2008 18:30:00 Agreement State Agreement State - Unidentified Radioactive Material Received at Metal Recycling Facility ENS 438112007-11-28T01:11:00028 November 2007 01:11:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material Found at a School ENS 436812007-09-28T17:00:00028 September 2007 17:00:00 Agreement State Wisconsin Agreement State Report - Ndc Gauge Found in Scrap Yard ENS 436202007-09-06T15:30:0006 September 2007 15:30:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - California - Strontium 90 Source of Unknown Origin Found ENS 435452007-08-02T04:00:0002 August 2007 04:00:00 Agreement State Ten Tritium Exit Signs Stolen from Construction Site ENS 434432007-06-19T04:00:00019 June 2007 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report Involving Higher than Prescribed Dose Delivered ENS 432372007-03-12T19:00:00012 March 2007 19:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Lost/Stolen Exit Signs ENS 432132007-02-20T13:30:00020 February 2007 13:30:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Abandoned Industrial Gauge Found in Scrap Yard ENS 431202007-01-24T20:00:00024 January 2007 20:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report from Washington - Radiation Monitors at a Recycling Facility Detected Radioactivity Coming from an Incoming Load of Scrap Metal ENS 427272006-07-21T05:00:00021 July 2006 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Radioactive Material Identified in Arc Furnace Ash ENS 427092006-07-15T05:00:00015 July 2006 05:00:00 Agreement State Louisiana Agreement State Report of Radioactive Source Found at Old Texaco Site ENS 419492005-08-26T05:00:00026 August 2005 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State - Tritium Exit Signs Found in Recyclables ENS 419302005-08-15T04:00:00015 August 2005 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Source of Unknown Origin Found in Railcar ENS 409302004-08-05T05:00:0005 August 2004 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State - Recovered Device Containing Radioactive Material ENS 408512004-06-30T22:30:00030 June 2004 22:30:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report from the New York City Bureau of Rad Health ENS 402392003-10-10T04:00:00010 October 2003 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report Involving Discovery of Nuclear Gauge in Scrapyard ENS 401542003-09-09T07:00:0009 September 2003 07:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report Involving a Recovered Source 2022-10-05T04:00:00 | |