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> April 21
Event Notification Report for April 21, 2006
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U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
Event Reports For
04/20/2006 - 04/21/2006
** EVENT NUMBERS **
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| Fuel Cycle Facility |
Event Number: 42165 |
Facility: PADUCAH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT
RX Type: URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY
Comments: 2 DEMOCRACY CENTER
6903 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE
BETHESDA, MD 20817 (301)564-3200
Region: 2
City: PADUCAH State: KY
County: McCRACKEN
License #: GDP-1
Agreement: Y
Docket: 0707001
NRC Notified By: KEVIN BEASLEY
HQ OPS Officer: BILL HUFFMAN
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Notification Date: 11/22/2005
Notification Time: 15:54 [ET]
Event Date: 11/22/2005
Event Time: 12:05 [CST]
Last Update Date: 04/20/2006
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Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
RESPONSE-BULLETIN
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Person (Organization):
KERRY LANDIS (R2)
SCOTT FLANDERS (NMSS)
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Event Text
IMPROPER CRITICALITY SPACING FOR WASTE DRUM
"At 1205 CST, on 11-22-05 the Plant Shift Superintendent was notified that during waste drum remediation activities, a drum was discovered that was in violation of one leg of double contingency. Drum #39666W has been determined to contain up to (deleted) g (grams) U235 exceeding the allowed (deleted) gram limit for NCS Spacing Exempt drums. This drum was previously located in an NCS (Nuclear Criticality Safety) Spacing Exempt storage area in violation of NCSA WMO-001 requirements. The drum was moved to the C-335 storage area under an approved Remediation Guide which established a safety basis for the movement of drums that had been roped off and posted per earlier direction. This drum is currently stored in a Temporary Fissile Storage Area maintaining a minimum 2 foot edge-to-edge spacing under NCSA WMO-001, which maintains double contingency."
SAFETY SIGNIFICANCE OF EVENTS
"While the (deleted) gram U235 limit was exceeded for this drum; DAC-832-2A1280-0001 demonstrates that drums containing less than (deleted) grams U235 in an NCS Spacing Exempt array are subcritical. The storage area is roped off and posted to prevent the addition of fissile material to the area; therefore another upset would be required before a criticality is possible."
POTENTIAL CRITICALITY PATHWAYS INVOLVED (BRIEF SCENARIO(S) OF HOW CRITICALITY COULD OCCUR)
"This drum is currently stored in the Temporary Fissile Storage Area under NCSA WMO-001, meeting double contingency. In order for a criticality to occur, two independent, unlikely, and concurrent events would have to occur."
CONTROLLED PARAMETERS (MASS, MODERATION, GEOMETRY, CONCENTRATION, ETC.)
"Double contingency is maintained by implementing two controls on mass."
ESTIMATED AMOUNT, ENRICHMENT, FORM OF LICENSED MATERIAL (INCLUDE PROCESS LIMIT AND % WORST CASE CRITICAL MASS)
"The drum has been determined to contain (deleted) grams U235. Calculations performed demonstrate that drums containing less than (deleted) grams U235 each, in an NCS Spacing Exempt array are subcritical."
NUCLEAR CRITICALITY SAFETY CONTROL(S) OR CONTROL SYSTEM(S) AND DESCRIPTION OF THE FAILURES OR DEFICIENCIES
"Although the drum contains greater than the WMO-001 limit of (deleted) grams U235 for NCS Spacing Exempt drums, it has been shown to be less than (deleted) grams U235 based on independent sample results. Calculations performed demonstrate that drums containing less than (deleted) grams U235 each, in an NCS Spacing Exempt array, are subcritical. Therefore, an additional process upset (i.e., spacing upset) would be necessary in order to have a criticality. Therefore, while the drum contained greater than (deleted) grams U235 in the spacing exempt array, the array has been shown to be subcritical for drums containing less than (deleted) grams U235 thus maintaining one leg of double contingency."
CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TO RESTORE SAFETY SYSTEMS AND WHEN EACH WAS IMPLEMENTED
"At the time of discovery, the drum was being stored according to NCS approved spacing controls. The drum will continue to be handled according to approved controls until the U235 mass can be reduced to meet the NCS Spacing Exempt criteria per NCSA WMO-001.
The NRC Senior Resident Inspector has been notified of this event."
See Related Event Report #40700.
* * * UPDATE 1802 EST ON 2/13/06 FROM K. BEASLEY TO S. SANDIN * * *
"At 1100 [CST], on 02-13-06 the Plant Shift Superintendent was notified that two additional waste drums were discovered that exceed the allowed [deleted] gram limit for NCS Spacing Exempt drums and had previously been located in an NCS Spacing Exempt storage area in violation of NCSA WMO-001. The drums are currently stored in a Temporary Fissile Storage Area under NCSA WMO-001, which maintains double contingency.
"The NRC Senior Resident Inspector has been notified of this event."
Notified R2DO(Ayres) and NMSS(Camper).
* * * UPDATE ON 3/20/06 AT 1859 EST FROM B. WALLACE TO HUFFMAN * * *
"At 1430, on 03-20-06, the Plant Shift Superintendent was notified that an additional waste drum has been discovered that exceeds the allowed (deleted) gram limit for NCS Spacing Exempt drums and had previously been located in an NCS Spacing Exempt storage area in violation of NCSA WMO-001. The drums are currently stored in a Temporary Fissile Storage Area under NCSA WMO-001, which maintains double contingency.
"The additional drum was determined to contain (deleted) grams U235. Calculations performed demonstrate that drums containing less than (deleted) grams U235 each, in an NCS Spacing Exempt array are subcritical."
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. R2DO (Ernstes) and NMSS EO (Pierson) notified.
* * * UPDATE ON 4/20/06 AT 1750 EDT FROM B. WALLACE TO HUFFMAN * * *
" At 1130, on 04-20-06 the Plant Shift Superintendent was notified that an additional waste drum has been discovered that exceeds the allowed (deleted) gram limit for NCS Spacing Exempt drums and had previously been located in an NCS Spacing Exempt storage area in violation of NCSA WMO-001. The drums are currently stored in a Temporary Fissile Storage Area under NCSA WMO-001, which maintains double contingency.
"The additional drum (#41663) was determined to contain (deleted) grams of U235."
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. R2DO (Lesser) and NMSS EO (Janosko) notified. |
| Other Nuclear Material |
Event Number: 42516 |
Rep Org: GLOBAL X-RAY & TESTING CORP
Licensee: GLOBAL X-RAY & TESTING CORP
Region: 4
City: MORGAN CITY State: LA
County:
License #: LA-0577-L01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: WILLIAM JOHNSTON
HQ OPS Officer: MIKE RIPLEY
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Notification Date: 04/20/2006
Notification Time: 08:28 [ET]
Event Date: 04/20/2006
Event Time: 07:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 04/20/2006
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Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
30.50(b)(2) - SAFETY EQUIPMENT FAILURE
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Person (Organization):
KRISS KENNEDY (R4)
GREG MORELL (NMSS)
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Event Text
PIPELINE RADIOGRAPHY SOURCE FAILED TO RETRACT
Pipeline radiography was being performed offshore aboard the pipe lay barge "Lone Star Horizon" at West Cameron 165 (approximately 25 miles offshore of Louisiana). The source failed to retract into the camera after an exposure. At the time of the report, the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) was being dispatched to the barge via helicopter to retrieve the source and return it to the camera.
Camera: SPEC Model # 150 exposure device (serial number 905) containing 100 Curie
Ir-192 source (SPEC # G-60 serial number NC-1506).
* * * UPDATE AT 1535 ON 4/20/06 W. JOHNSTON TO P. SNYDER * * *
The RSO went to the site and properly recovered the camera source. The RSO also took a new camera to the site and brought the existing camera back to be returned to the manufacturer for inspection.
No excessive exposures resulted. Film badges were sent for processing. The RSO received approximately 480 millirem performing the retrieval activity.
Notified R4DO (Kennedy) and NMSS (Morell). |
| Power Reactor |
Event Number: 42517 |
Facility: CALVERT CLIFFS
Region: 1 State: MD
Unit: [1] [2] [ ]
RX Type: [1] CE,[2] CE
NRC Notified By: CHARLES MORGAN
HQ OPS Officer: ARLON COSTA
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Notification Date: 04/20/2006
Notification Time: 09:54 [ET]
Event Date: 04/19/2006
Event Time: 11:00 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 04/20/2006
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Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
26.73 - FITNESS FOR DUTY
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Person (Organization):
DANIEL HOLODY (R1)
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| Unit |
SCRAM Code |
RX CRIT |
Initial PWR |
Initial RX Mode |
Current PWR |
Current RX Mode |
| 1 |
N |
Y |
100 |
Power Operation |
100 |
Power Operation |
| 2 |
N |
Y |
100 |
Power Operation |
100 |
Power Operation |
Event Text
CONTRACT EMPLOYEE FAILED A RANDOM FITNESS FOR DUTY TEST
A non-licensed contract supervisor tested positive for a controlled substance during a random test. The individual's access to the plant has been terminated. Contact the Headquarters Operations Officer for additional details.
The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector. |
| Other Nuclear Material |
Event Number: 42518 |
Rep Org: ST. VINCENT HOSPITAL
Licensee: ST. VINCENT HOSPITAL
Region: 3
City: INDIANAPOLIS State: IN
County:
License #: 13-00133-02
Agreement: N
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ED WROBLEWSKI
HQ OPS Officer: PETE SNYDER
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Notification Date: 04/20/2006
Notification Time: 12:35 [ET]
Event Date: 04/20/2006
Event Time: 12:10 [CST]
Last Update Date: 04/20/2006
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Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
20.1906(d)(1) - SURFACE CONTAM LEVELS > LIMITS
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Person (Organization):
STEVE ORTH (R3)
GREG MORELL (NMSS)
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Event Text
TECHNETIUM 99M SURFACE CONTAMINATION FOUND ON PACKAGE EXTERIOR
St. Vincent Hospital received a package with surface contamination levels excess of Department Of Transportation 49 CFR 173.443 required levels. The package was an expected shipment of Iodine 131 for hospital use. The Hospital identified the contaminant via exterior swipe surveys as Technetium 99m at levels in excess of 5200 decays per minute per 100 centimeters squared. The integrity of the package was not compromised. No contamination was found on the interior of the package. The hospital called the shipper, Cardinal Health Systems, to notify them of the contamination found and has isolated the package in a controlled area. |
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