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kt- /* CM 20* 2 '201 (CNN0hDEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

UNITED STATES AR31Y TANK. AUTO \lOTIVE AND ARAIA3 TENTS CO31NIAND addARSIANIENT AND CIIEh!! CAL ACQUISITION AND LOGISTICS ACTIVITY

[o (8/t 2 o, 2Io/[d)ROCK ISLAND. ILLINOIS 61299-7630

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Safety Office, Armament and Chemical Acquisition andLogistics Activity

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g0@Mr. Jamnes CameronU.S.. Nuclear Regulatory CommissionRegion III801 Warrenville RoadLisle, Illinois 60532-4351

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Dear Mr. Cameron:,

Following is the 30 day follow-up report on the FortStewart / Hunter Army Airfield (AAF) uncontrolled radiologicalcommodity incident, reported to the Operations Center on May 6,1997.

A synopsis of the incident follows:1

On May 5, 1997 Fort Stewart reported the recovery of a Muzzle,

Reference Sensor (MRS) from the local landfill. The landfill l

management contacted Hunter AAF on May 2, 1997 to report a " smoke )detector" with radiological markings had been found on theirproperty after Hunter AAF deposited waste materials at thelandfill facility. Hunter contacted the Fort Stewart RPO toinvestigate. Fort Stewart had the item retrieved and discovered |it to be an MRS. The MRS was wiped and properly controlled by |the Fort Stewart RPO. (See enclosure A for report.) '

The material involved is an MRS which contains 10 curies of3 H. The source is intact and the MRS is not externallycontaminated. The item was in an uncontrolled status for lessthan 24 hours, and no personnel exposure occurred.

The root cause of this event was combining of a landfill runwith the delivery of radiological material to another site. Fort |

Stewart and Hunter AAF are taking aggressive action to prevent i

reoccurrence. (See enclosure A.),

Wipes were read by Rock Island Arsenal and found to be clean,below the level of detectability. (See enclosure B.)

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The point of contact for this action isMr. Timothy J. Mohs, AMSTA-AC-SF, (309) 782-6228.

ISincerely, )

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Aty /, \

erry aefMajor ODChief, Safety Office

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. DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY'

HEADQUARTERS. 3D INFANTRY DMSION (MECHANIZED) AND FORT STEWARTFORTSTEWART. GEORGIA 31314

~ EEc,AFZP-DLM (700) 72 MAY 1997

MEMORANDUM FOR COMMANDER, ARMAMENT AND CHEMICALACQUISITION AND LOGISTICS ACTIVITY(ACALA), ATTN: TIM MOHS, ROCK ISLAND,IL 61299-7630

SUBJECT: Radiological Incident Report Follow-up

1. This follow-up report is provided per 10 CFR, Part 20.2201:f

a. Description of licensed material involved, kind, quantity, chemical and physicalform: Collimator, MRS, NSN 1240-01-409-0784, one each, SN 1535, sealed sourceH3, Gas.

b. Description of the circumstances under which the loss occurred:

(1) Collimator was found at the landfill, City of Savannah, Georgia,1 May 97.Collimator was not damaged and was glowing. Collimator was retrieved 2 May 97 anddelivered to the Radiation Protection Officer (RPO) at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Wipe testwas taken and sent to Rock Island, IL (EncI 1). A written response has not yet beenreceived; however, verbalindications are no leakage or contamination. Investigation ofoccurrence was conducted by Richard Barney, RPO, Fort Stewart. Allindividualsconcerned were interviewed by Mr. Barney.

(2) The investigation determined that a truck assigned to the 603d AviationSupport Battalion, Hunter Army Airfield, Bumper No. B874, dumped trash at the City ofSavannah landfill at 1045 hours,30 Apr 97 (invoice No. 251629, Operator 31). Thetruck was also loaded with equipment destined for turn-in at Supply and ServicesDivision. Per PFC Ruskin,603d vehicle operator, a box of parts fell off the truck while itwas at the landfill and was picked up and returned to the truck. On 1 May, a landfillemployee, Mr. Charles Todd, noticed an item on the ground with a radioactive symbolon it. He informed the landfill secretary, Ms Cynthia Anfield, who contacted the SafetyOffice at Hunter AAF. The Safety Office called the RPO at Fort Stewart. The item wasretrieved from landfill employees 2 May 97 and delivered to the RPO at Fort Stewart.

(3) On 1 May 97, PFC Ruskin notified his supervisor, SGT Higgins, of the incidentwith the dropped box of parts at the landfill and also notified him that the MRS was

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I 2 NAY 1997AFZP-DLMSUBJECT: Radiological Incident Report Follow-up

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missing from the box when he reported to Supply and Services Division for the turn-inaction. SGT Higgins went to the landfill on 2 May 97 to locate the MRS and was -informed that it had been recovered and sent to the RPO at Fort Stewart.

c. Description of disposition, or probable disposition, of the licensed material>

involved: Collimator, MRS, SN 1535, presently at Directorate of Logistics, MaintenanceDivision, Fort Stewart, GA. When written test results are received, item will be turned into Supply and Services Division.-

d. Exposure of individuals to radiation, circumstances under which the exposures.,

occurred, and the possible total effective dose equivalent to persons in unrestricted-

areas: No exposure to individuals.#

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e. Actions taken to recover the material: Material recovered.

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f. Procedures or measures that have been adopted to ensure against a recurrenceof the event: LTC Moore, Commander,603d ASB, conducted an informal commander'sinquiry and found that the technical supply platoon is conducting regular training onwaste disposal and radioactive equipment. He directed segregation of runs to thelandfill and supply turn-ins, as well as closer supervision by a noncommissioned officer.

2. POC is Rick Barney, DSN 870-4858.

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WILLIAM C. FEYKColonel, ArmorGarrison Commander

CF:Cdr, FORSCOM, ATTN: AFPI-SO

(Mr. Len Clements)

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6 MAY 1997,

INSTALLATION MAINTENANCE DIV. DOLATTN: AFZP-DLM (EMORY COOKE 767-1790)

(BOBBY BLOCKER 767-280l)FAX : DSN 870-1050

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FORT STEWART, GEORGIA31314-5000

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(3H) RADIATION WIPE TESTING-

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NOMENCLATURE NSN SAMPLE NUMBER SERIAL NUM,

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; COfI iMATOR, MRS 1240-01-409-0784 3 561-F

': ' COLLIMATOR, MRS . 1240-01-409-0784 ' 21 1535

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RADIOISOTOPE ANALYSIS AND LABORATORY RESULTSLab Number D. ate Received Qty Received From Phone Cornrn DsN FAX Date

R9'71238 5/7S7 2 BLOCKER (912) 767 2801 999-99999999 99999 /Z f)g

MATERIAL: #AREAWPE TEST AND/ORLEAK TEST OF RADIOACTIVE OTHER DEVICE H3 [X]SOURCES OF BETA EMITTER AREA WPEs 0 [ ]

FACILITY REQUESTING#

INSTALLATION MAINT. DIV DOLWIPE TESTS:

ATTN: AFZP- DLM (BGBBY BLOCKER)FT STEWART, GA 31314-5000

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Test results No. I

were not within acceptable surface contamination levels as specified in AR-385-11, table 4-3.The contamination level for beta emitters for an uncontrolled area and equipment is 100 disintegrations ;

per minute (DPM). The contamination levels for controlled area and equipment are 400 and 2000 DPMs I

respectively. These limits do not pertain to environmental samples. I

Notify your Radiation Protection Officer (RPO) immediately after receiving these test results so |

prompt action can be taken. If this test result applies to equipment, double bag the item immediately,,

if this test result applies to an area, secure the area until decontamination of the affected area is complete.The RPO or safety officer must contact the ACALA safety office to receive disposition instructions for the

contaminated item. POC's for the disposition instructions are as follows:

a. U.S. Army Armament Chemical Acquisition and Logistics Activity (ACALA), AMSTA-AC-SF,Safety Office DSN 793-2962/6228/2965, commercial (309) 782-2962/6228/2965

b. Rock Island Arsenal Radiation Test Lab, SlORI-SEL, test result information.Mr. Thomas Gizicki, DSN 793-7889, commercial (309) 782-7889, orMr. Ronald Lund, DSN 793 7925, commercial (309) 782-7925. |

c. U.S. Army Industrial Operations Command, AMSIO-DMW, Radiation WasteDivision, DSN 793-0338

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CF:' AMSTA-AC-SF Analyst: BB ,

AMSTA-AC-FASF 1st Line Reviewer: .|AMSTA-AR-CAWC |

Richard W Eerry /A. .: y

!Chief, Materials Laboratory Division

RAD FORM BETA OUT,1 JUN 96

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TEST RESULTS

ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL RADIOLOGICAL INDEPENDENT TEST LAB (RIA-RITL)

RIA LAB NO. R97-1238 Date Received 5/7/97

O M43A1 Detector O CAM C Other ISOTOPE: H34

Reporting Act. DODAAC: W33NYN Testing Act. DODAAC: W52H1C

Lower Limit of Detectability (LLD) ff X2 = fd DPM!':; Owning Activity Cell Dectector/ Carrier Activ/DPM Pass

DODAAC CODE S/N Monitor Number +/- 2SD *;

! 'W33NYN . SER. NO. |5G1-F f 1614 +/ 125 No'

W33NYN SER. NO. |1535 |2 < LLD Yes.

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$ * NOTE: Test Results less than 2X LLD will not be reported

5-* Activity will be reported to ACALA-AMSTA-AC-SIF: BETA in i

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Areas: > 100 DPM (uncontrolled), > 400 DPM (controlled),'

:' Equiprnent: > 2000 DPM (controlled), > 100 DPM (uncontrolled),Any Alpha Emitters: > 20 DPM.

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IBOTH SAMPLES ARE "COLLIMATOR, MRS".Results faxed to AMSTA-AC SF on 13 May 1997

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