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RE: radiography - deja vu all over again
Bill, typical industrial radiography sources are 100 to 120 curies brand
new. 4 times the curie strength will result in 4 times the exposure. I must
argue with the contention that they were "lucky" to be using 26 curies.
Lucky for the health of the radiographer? Or lucky because they now don't
have to deal with the regulatory consequences of an overexposure? Off the
limited information here, you can already determine 4 or 5 violations. Texas
BRC regulations are as stringent or more stringent than NRC regulations. The
requirement for an alarming ratemeter also exists in Texas.(25 TAC
289.255(q)(2)(A)(iii)). Hopefully, once the Texas BRC gets done with them,
they will no longer feel "lucky".
Scott A. Kvasnicka (scott.kvasnicka@conaminsp.com)
-----Original Message-----
From: William V Lipton [mailto:liptonw@DTEENERGY.COM]
Sent: Tuesday, May 20, 2003 10:48 AM
To: radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu
Subject: radiography - deja vu all over again
Please see the attached item from the March 20, 2003, NRC Daily Event
Report. Here's another preventable radiography incident.
my usual question: When is the NRC going to start taking radiography
seriously?
Also, some key information seems to be missing from the report. The
sequence of events seems to be: (1) source exposed for shot, (2)
radiographer leaves work area prior to cranking back source, (3)
radiographer returns, changes film,and moves guide tube with source
still exposed. The report then states, "At this point, he realized that
his survey meter had pegged high, and remembered that he had not cranked
the source back in prior to moving it..."
Assuming that TX regulations are similar to NRC regulations, consider 10
CFR 34.47(a): "The licensee may not permit any individual to act as a
radiographer or a radiographer's assistant unless, at all times during
radiographic operations, each individual wears, on the trunk of the
body, ... an operating alarm ratemeter..."
I think it's just this scenario that the regulators had in mind when
they required an alarm ratemeter. Where was it?
BTW, they were very lucky that the source had decayed down to 26 Ci. If
I remember correctly, a fresh source is 80 - 100 Ci, which probably
would have caused an overexposure.
The opinions expressed are strictly mine.
It's not about dose, it's about trust.
Curies forever.
Bill Lipton
liptonw@dteenergy.com
AGREEMENT STATE
REPORT |
|
|
| The licensee reported a potential overexposure to a radiographer who
was |
| x-raying some pipes at a worksite. After completing a section of
piping, |
| the radiographer should have cranked his source back in, but was
interrupted |
| by another technician and left his work area. When he returned,
the |
| radiographer changed out his film, and moved the guide tube to
another |
| section of piping to begin more x-rays. At this point, he realized
that his |
| survey meter had pegged high, and remembered that he had not cranked
the |
| source back in prior to moving it. He proceeded to immediately crank
the |
| source back to its fully shielded position. The exact time and
distance |
| from the source for the radiographer's exposure is unknown, and the
licensee |
| is attempting to re-create the
scenario. |
|
|
| The source was 26 Curies of Iridium 192, model number INC-32. The
serial |
| number is unknown at this time. A preliminary investigation by the
licensee |
| estimates the radiographer's exposure to 800-900 millirem whole body.
There |
| is currently no exposure estimate for his
hands/extremities. |
|
|
| The radiographer's badge was sent off for processing. Results will
be |
| reported on 5/16/03 to the NRC. The Texas Department of Health is
sending |
| an additional inspector to the site to
investigate. |
|
|
|
|
| * * * UPDATE ON 5/16/03 @ 1120 BY WATKINS TO GOULD * *
* |
|
|
| Blazer Industrial Radiography brought in a consultant to perform
preliminary |
| dose calculations for the whole body and the right hand of the
radiographer. |
| The results were 1.3R for the whole body and 37.1R for the right
hand, |
| neither of which exceeds the annual regulatory
limit. |
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