U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Operations Center Event Reports For 05/15/97 - 05/16/97 ** EVENT NUMBERS ** 32336 32337 32338 +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ |GENERAL INFORMATION or OTHER | |EVENT NUMBER: 32336 | +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ |LICENSEE: MALLINCKRODT, MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MO |NOTIFICATION DATE: 05/15/97 | | CITY: MARYLAND HEIGHT REGION: 3 |NOTIFICATION TIME: 17:34 [ET]| | COUNTY: STATE: MO |EVENT DATE: 05/14/97 | |LICENSE#: 24-04206-01 AGREEMENT: N |EVENT TIME: 17:30[CDT]| | DOCKET: |LAST UPDATE DATE: 05/15/97 | | +-----------------------------+ | |PERSON ORGANIZATION| | |JIM MCCORMICKBARGER RDO | | |JOSE PICCONE (NMSS) EO | +------------------------------------------------+STUART RUBIN (MGR) IRD | |NRC NOTIFIED BY: DAN RIEMER (RSO) | | |HQ OPS OFFICER: JOHN MacKINNON | | +------------------------------------------------+ | |EMERGENCY CLASS: NOT APPLICABLE | | |10 CFR SECTION: | | |BAD1 20.2202(a)(1) PERS OVEREXPOSURE | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ EVENT TEXT +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | CALCULATED DOSE OF 482 REM TO THE LEFT THUMB OF AN EMPLOYEE DUE TO | | RHENIUM-186 (Re-186) EXPOSURE. | | | | THIS EVENT WAS REPORTED BY THE RADIATION SAFETY OFFICER FOR MALLINCKRODT. | | | | AT APPROXIMATELY 1730 CDT ON 05/14/97, AN EMPLOYEE OF MALLINCKRODT WENT | | HOME WITHOUT PROPERLY FRISKING HIMSELF FOR RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION. WHEN | | HE RETURNED TO WORK ON 05/15/97, HE PERFORMED A CONTAMINATION SURVEY OF | | HIMSELF AND FOUND THAT HE WAS CONTAMINATED WITH Re-186 (349 keV BETA | | EMITTER). THE CONTAMINATION WAS LOCATED NEXT TO HIS LEFT THUMBNAIL. HE | | IMMEDIATELY REPORTED THE RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION TO THE COMPANY'S HEALTH | | PHYSICISTS AND THE RADIATION SAFETY OFFICER. | | | | THE RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION ON HIS LEFT THUMB WAS GREATER THAN 500,000 | | cpm AS READ 0.5 INCHES FROM THE THUMB. THE RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION ON HIS | | LEFT THUMB HAS BEEN REDUCED BY TO APPROXIMATELY 40,000 cpm. THE | | DECONTAMINATION PROCESS OF THE LEFT THUMB WAS STOPPED DUE TO SKIN | | IRRITATION FROM WASHING AND RUBBING THE THUMB TO REDUCE THE CONTAMINATION | | LEVELS. THE EMPLOYEE WENT HOME TODAY (05/15/97) WEARING A GLOVE ON HIS LEFT | | HAND. THE LICENSEE SAID THAT GLOVE WILL HELP SWEAT THE CONTAMINATION FROM | | HIS THUMB. | | | | THE LATEST URINE ANALYSIS (TAKEN AT 1530 CDT ON 05/15/97) SHOWS AN UPTAKE | | OF 3.5E-05 ęCi/CC OF Re-186 IN HIS SYSTEM. THE CALCULATED SKIN DOSE TO THE | | LEFT THUMB (OVER A ONE SQUARE CENTIMETER AREA) IS 482 REM. THE TLD RING | | BADGE WHICH HE WAS WEARING ON HIS LEFT HAND INDICATES THAT THE TOTAL | | EXPOSURE TO HIS LEFT HAND WAS 700 mREM. HIS POCKET DOSIMETER DID NOT | | INDICATE ANY UNUSUAL LEVELS OF RADIATION EXPOSURE. | | | | THE LICENSEE RETRACED EVERY STEP THE INDIVIDUAL TOOK AFTER HE LEFT WORK ON | | 05/14/97. THE FIRST PLACE HE WENT TO WAS A SOCCER GAME. HE ONLY HANDLED THE | | SOCCER BALL AND THE BOUNDARY CONES. THEY WERE CHECKED FOR CONTAMINATION | | USING A SCINTILLATION PROBE, AND NO CONTAMINATION WAS FOUND. THE STEERING | | WHEEL ON HIS TRUCK WAS FOUND TO HAVE 2,000 cpm OF Re-186 CONTAMINATION. THE | | CONTAMINATION WAS REMOVED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. | | | | AFTER THE SOCCER GAME, THE INDIVIDUAL VISITED HIS MOTHER'S HOUSE FOR A VERY | | SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THE HOUSE WAS SURVEYED AND WIPED, AND NO | | CONTAMINATION WAS FOUND. THEY ALSO CHECKED THE FRONT DOOR KNOB, TELEPHONE | | THAT HE HAS USED, ETC. | | | | AFTER VISITING HIS MOTHER HE WENT HOME. HIS HOUSE WAS CHECKED FOR | | CONTAMINATION USING AN HP-260 PANCAKE PROBE. IN HIS KITCHEN, A HAND TOWEL | | WAS FOUND TO HAVE 4,000 cpm AND ANOTHER OBJECT IN THE KITCHEN HAD A | | CONTAMINATION READING OF 3,300 cpm. THE HOT WATER KNOB IN HIS BATHTUB WAS | | FOUND TO HAVE CONTAMINATION LEVEL OF 2,200 cpm, THE BATH TOWEL THAT HE USED | | TO DRY HIMSELF OFF AFTER THE BATH HAD 17,000 cpm, AND APPROXIMATELY 200 cpm | | WAS FOUND ON A TOOTH PASTE CAP. ALL OBJECTS MENTIONED ABOVE WERE | | DECONTAMINATED. THE INDIVIDUALS BED, ETC., WAS FOUND TO BE FREE OF ANY | | CONTAMINATION. | | | | MALLINCKRODT PLANS TO GET A SECOND OPINION FROM A CONSULTANT ON HOW MUCH | | RADIOACTIVE EXPOSURE THIS INDIVIDUAL RECEIVED TO HIS LEFT THUMB. | | | | MALLINCKRODT INFORMED JOHN JONES OF NRC REGION 3 OF THIS EVENT. | | | | * * * UPDATE AT 1925 EDT ON 05/15/97, BY MACKINNON * * * | | | | A CONFERENCE CALL WAS CONDUCTED BETWEEN NRC REGION 3 (GARY SHEAR AND JOHN | | JONES) AND NMSS (DON COOL AND JOSEPHINE PICCONE) CONCERNING THIS EVENT. NRC | | REGION 3 IS SENDING A REPRESENTATIVE TO MALLINCKRODT TO INVESTIGATE THIS | | EVENT. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ |POWER REACTOR | |EVENT NUMBER: 32337 | +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ |FACILITY: WATERFORD REGION: 4 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 05/15/97 | |UNIT: [3] [ ] [ ] STATE: LA |NOTIFICATION TIME: 18:47 [ET]| |RX TYPE: [3] CE |EVENT DATE: 05/15/97 | +------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 14:45[CDT]| |NRC NOTIFIED BY: LITOLFF |LAST UPDATE DATE: 05/15/97 | |HQ OPS OFFICER: JOHN MacKINNON +-----------------------------+ +------------------------------------------------+ NOTIFICATIONS | |EMERGENCY CLASS: NOT APPLICABLE +-----------------------------+ |10 CFR SECTION: |CHRIS VANDENBURGH RDO | |ADAS 50.72(b)(2)(i) DEG/UNANALYZED COND | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +-----+----------+-------+--------+--------------+--+--------+-----------------+ |UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR| INIT RX MODE |CURR PWR| CURR RX MODE | +-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+ | 3 | N N 0 REFUELING | 0 REFUELING | | | | | | | | | +-----+---------------------------------------------+--------------------------+ EVENT TEXT +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | DISCOVERY OF A CONDITION WHERE EMERGENCY CORE COOLING SYSTEM SUCTION COULD | | SHIFT TO THE CONTAINMENT SUMP PREMATURELY RESULTING IN THE HIGH PRESSURE | | SAFETY INJECTION PUMPS BEING INITIALLY UNABLE TO DELIVER FLOW TO THE | | REACTOR CORE | | | | THE FOUR REFUELING WATER TANK (RWT) LEVEL INSTRUMENTS INDICATE A LOW TANK | | LEVEL. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION 3.3.2.b, TABLE 3.3-3, ALLOWS AN INOPERABLE | | CHANNEL OF RWT LEVEL INSTRUMENTS TO BE PLACED IN THE TRIPPED CONDITION | | INDEFINITELY. | | | | ASSUMING THAT A CHANNEL OF RWT LEVEL INSTRUMENTATION IS IN THE TRIPPED | | CONDITION AT THE TIME OF A LARGE BREAK LOSS OF COOLANT ACCIDENT AND THAT | | THE ADDITIONAL SINGLE FAILURE IS THAT OF ANOTHER CHANNEL OF RWT LEVEL | | INSTRUMENTATION, AN INADVERTENT RECIRCULATION ACTUATION SIGNAL WILL OCCUR. | | EMERGENCY CORE COOLING SYSTEM SUCTION WOULD BE SHIFTED TO THE CONTAINMENT | | SUMP PREMATURELY RESULTING IN THE HIGH PRESSURE SAFETY INJECTION PUMPS | | BEING INITIALLY UNABLE TO DELIVER FLOW TO THE REACTOR CORE. | | | | IT HAS BEEN VERIFIED THAT THE WATERFORD 3 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ALLOW | | CONTINUED OPERATION WITH AN INOPERABLE CHANNEL OF REFUELING WATER STORAGE | | POOL LEVEL INSTRUMENTATION PLACED IN THE TRIPPED CONDITION. THEREFORE, THIS | | CONDITION IS APPLICABLE TO WATERFORD 3. | | | | THE LICENSEE HAS GENERATED A CONDITION REPORT TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. | | | | THE NRC RESIDENT INSPECTOR WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS EVENT BY THE LICENSEE. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ |POWER REACTOR | |EVENT NUMBER: 32338 | +----------------------------------+ +-----------------------+ +------------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+ |FACILITY: CATAWBA REGION: 2 |NOTIFICATION DATE: 05/15/97 | |UNIT: [1] [2] [ ] STATE: SC |NOTIFICATION TIME: 23:19 [ET]| |RX TYPE: [1] W-4-LP,[2] W-4-LP |EVENT DATE: 05/15/97 | +------------------------------------------------+EVENT TIME: 23:00[EDT]| |NRC NOTIFIED BY: B SCHULTZ |LAST UPDATE DATE: 05/15/97 | |HQ OPS OFFICER: JOHN MacKINNON +-----------------------------+ +------------------------------------------------+ NOTIFICATIONS | |EMERGENCY CLASS: NOT APPLICABLE +-----------------------------+ |10 CFR SECTION: |THOMAS PEEBLES RDO | |AIND 50.72(b)(2)(iii)(D) ACCIDENT MITIGATION | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +-----+----------+-------+--------+--------------+--+--------+-----------------+ |UNIT |SCRAM CODE|RX CRIT|INIT PWR| INIT RX MODE |CURR PWR| CURR RX MODE | +-----+----------+-------+--------+-----------------+--------+-----------------+ | 1 | N Y 100 POWER OPERATION | 100 POWER OPERATION | | 2 | N Y 100 POWER OPERATION | 100 POWER OPERATION | | | | | +-----+---------------------------------------------+--------------------------+ EVENT TEXT +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | POTENTIAL INOPERABILITY OF THE AUXILIARY FEEDWATER SYSTEM | | | | WHILE REVIEWING THE HYDRAULICS OF THE NON-SAFETY SUCTION SOURCE TO THE | | AUXILIARY FEEDWATER PUMPS, A PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED THAT WOULD LEAD TO THE | | INTRODUCTION OF AIR INTO THE AUXILIARY FEEDWATER PUMPS. THE EVENT SCENARIO | | IS A DUAL UNIT LOSS OF OFFSITE POWER CONCURRENT WITH A MAIN STEAM LINE | | BREAK ON ONE UNIT PRIOR TO SWITCH OVER TO THE ASSURED SOURCE, NUCLEAR | | SERVICE WATER. THE POTENTIAL EXISTS THAT AT CERTAIN FLOW RATES, AIR WOULD | | BE DRAWN INTO THE SUCTION PIPING OF THE AUXILIARY FEEDWATER PUMPS. THIS | | SCENARIO COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN THE INOPERABILITY OF THE AUXILIARY | | FEEDWATER SYSTEM. | | | | CATAWBA HAS CONSERVATIVELY TAKEN ACTION TO ISOLATE THE NON-SAFETY AUXILIARY | | FEEDWATER CONDENSATE STORAGE TANK FROM THE AUXILIARY FEEDWATER SYSTEM. THIS | | ACTION ELIMINATES THE SCENARIO OF CONCERN AND ENSURES FULL OPERABILITY OF | | THE AUXILIARY FEEDWATER SYSTEM WHILE MORE DETAILED ANALYSIS IS ONGOING TO | | CONFIRM OR REFUTE THE VALIDITY OF THIS CONCERN. | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+