EN Revision Text: AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - FAILED MOISTURE
GAUGE SHUTTER
The following was received from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania via e-mail:
The licensee reported that on March 21, 2019, the Berthold Technologies Model LB-7 410 moisture gauge containing 300 milliCuries of americium-241 was not able to operate as designed; the shutter locking mechanism cylinder was able to be pulled out of the gauge. The gauge was being removed from the east side of #3 Blast Furnace to the storage area at the Blast Furnace spares building. A service provider was already scheduled on site to observe removal and transport of the gauge. A contract employee working with the service provider stated that the cylinder was able to be pulled out of the gauge. The cylinder was never fully removed, but if it was, this would allow the shutter to be manually opened or closed. The cylinder locking device was depressed by the service provider employee and it is currently in that condition. The shutter can't be moved with the cylinder depressed. The gauge is currently locked in the storage area at the Blast Furnace spares building.
All work was performed using ALARA principles and at no point were employees exposed to excess levels of radiation. Survey results indicated no abnormal amounts of radiation in the area before, during, or after the removal of the device. Berthold has been contact for repair or replacement.
PA Event Report ID No: PA19001
- * * RETRACTION FROM THE JOHN CHIPPO TO CATY NOLAN ON 4/24/19 AT 1059 EDT * * *
The following was received via fax:
A follow-up interview and review of the operation of the locking mechanism was conducted with the contract employee. It was determined that the contract employee was unfamiliar with the operation of the locking mechanism at the time of the removal and that the cylinder never was able to be pulled out of the gauge. Based on this investigation, it has been determined that there was not a failure of the locking mechanism or shutter during the removal of the gauge on March 21, 2019. Therefore, this event should be retracted from NMED.
Notified R1DO (Lilliendahl) and
NMSS Events (via email).