The following information was received via E-mail:
On June 10, 2021 at approximately 1030 CDT, a source hang out incident occurred while an industrial radiography crew was working at Shell Chemical, LP in Norco, St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. The radiography crew was working on the top level of a 100-foot tower located in the Geo-1 South unit.
The crew observed after performing the exposure that the source could be cranked back almost all the way, except for approximately one half turn of the crank handle. Several more unsuccessful attempts were made by the crew to crank in the source. The source was then cranked out to the 4-HVL collimator and the crew expanded the restricted area boundary on the East side so that the entire boundary was at 2 mR/hr or below.
The crew then contacted their site supervisor at approximately 1040 CDT, who in turn immediately contacted the Corporate Radiation Safety Officer (RSO). At approximately 1140 CDT, the source hang out incident was reported to the Department [Louisiana DEQ] Radiation Hotline by the Corporate RSO.
A source retrieval trained radiography instructor was promptly tasked by the licensee with conducting a source retrieval. Six radiographers, including both of the crew members whose source was hung out, worked the restricted area boundary at ground level to prevent exposure to members of the public. After observing the placement of the collimator and source guide tube for approximately five seconds from five different locations at a distance of approximately 10 feet, the other source retrieval trained radiographer used a set of six-foot tongs to grab and shake the collimator and source guide tube. This loosened a bind in the source guide tube at the outlet nipple of the exposure device and permitted the source to be promptly afterwards retracted into the shielded position.
The source was hung out for approximately three hours. The radiography instructor who conducted various observations of the guide tube in preparation for the retrieval received three mR of exposure and the other retrieval trained radiography instructor, who performed the source retrieval received one mR of exposure. An additional certified radiographer who also assisted in the retrieval operation received one mR of exposure. All other personnel on site for the licensee received less than one mR of exposure from the hung out source. No members of the public were exposed.
The radiography exposure device was a QSA Model 880 Delta, device serial number, D13738. The source was Ir-192 with 55 Ci of activity. The source serial number was 30128M.
Louisiana Event Report ID No.: LA20210006