nist-boulder plutonium contamination event nrc special inspection
DESCRIPTION
NIST-BOULDER PLUTONIUM CONTAMINATION EVENT NRC SPECIAL INSPECTION. Events Leading Up to the Plutonium Spill. Untrained researchers use the plutonium, unsupervised Researcher ruptures the plutonium source during an experiment on June 9, 2008 Researcher washes hands in sink - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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NIST-BOULDER PLUTONIUM CONTAMINATION EVENTNRC SPECIAL INSPECTION
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Events Leading Up to the Plutonium Spill Untrained researchers use the plutonium,
unsupervised Researcher ruptures the plutonium source
during an experiment on June 9, 2008 Researcher washes hands in sink Researcher unknowingly tracks the loose
plutonium powder throughout the building Untrained workers attempt to
decontaminate the building
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Initial Event Response NIST personnel attempt to decontaminate
the building themselves NIST contacts the NRC to report the event
the day after it occurred NRC dispatches a Health Physicist to NIST
the following day NRC identifies multiple deficiencies in the
NIST initial response
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Continued Event Response On June 19, a second Health Physics
inspector was dispatched by NRC DOE’s Radiological Assistance Program
(RAP) Team was also there during this time to characterize the extent of contamination
Due to the results of the DOE characterization, a NRC Special Inspection Team was dispatched on June 30, 2008
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EPA Involvement in the NIST Event
The City of Boulder, in coordination with the US EPA, Region VIII, initiated a biosolids monitoring program to analyze the extent of plutonium contamination, if any, in the Boulder Waste Water Treatment Facility
None of the samples revealed the presence of plutonium above background levels
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Plutonium Sources and Containers
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WING 1 BUILDING 1
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LABORATORY 2120/2124 DIAGRAM
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MULTI-USE LABORATORY
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DETECTOR RESEARCH PROJECT
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DETECTOR CRYOSTAT/LEAD BRICKS/MARBLE TABLE
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NO EATING OR DRINKING ALLOWED!
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LABORATORY 2124
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TIME TO CALL IN DOE’s RAP TEAM
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INSTRUMENT PEGGED
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SOURCE STORAGE CABINET
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STORAGE OF PLUTONIUM
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Two Centimeters Wide By Four Centimeters High
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MAY BE BROKEN?????
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YEP, IT’S BROKEN!
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LABORATORY 2124
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HEPA-FILTRATION SYSTEM and CAM
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HAGEN CONTAINERS
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SOURCE RECOVERY DRY-RUN
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326 MILLICURIES OF RECOVERED PLUTONIUM
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TIME TO CLEAN (DECONTAMINATE)
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48,000 POUNDS OF WASTE
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312 DAYS FOR CLEAN-UP
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CREEP, CREEP, CREEP
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EXCAVATION OF OUTDOOR DRAINLINE
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SOIL SAMPLES FROM OUTSIDE TRENCH
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REMOVAL OF CONCRETE FLOOR
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EXCAVATION OF INDOOR DRAINLINE
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ENERGYSOLUTIONS MOBILE LABORATORY
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SHIPMENT OF LLW
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SOIL SAMPLES FROM INSIDE TRENCH
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ORISE CONFIRMATORY SURVEYS
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RADIOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES
Radiological consequences were potentially very significant, but actual safety consequences were minimal· No dose limits were exceeded· Material potentially discharged to sewer did not exceed regulatory limits· Contaminated areas of the NIST facility were cleaned
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DIRECT CAUSE
Breakage of glass bottle containing plutonium on a hard surface led directly to the incident· Marble top laboratory table· Lead bricks· Detector cryostat
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CONTRIBUTING CAUSES
· Personnel were inexperienced and not properly trained
· An adequate hazard analysis was not performed
· Written operating procedures were not developed
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CONTRIBUTING CAUSES
· Plutonium sources were used and stored in a mixed –use laboratory
· The setup of the experiment was insufficient
· Direct oversight of work involving plutonium was inadequate
· The immediate emergency response to the event was inadequate
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ROOT CAUSE
Inadequate management oversight and accountability to ensure that the Radiation Safety Program was sufficient to handle plutonium safely
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NEXT STEPS
· 10 apparent violations identified· Inspection report issued· Enforcement pending
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Read The NIST Report Yourself Go to www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html
Pull up ADAMS ML 093080053