NRC BARS FORMER NEW JERSEY COMPANY EMPLOYEES
FROM SUPERVISION OF NRC LICENSED ACTIVITIES
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In September 2001, a radiographer from United Evaluation (previously known as Accurate Technologies, Inc.) was performing radiography work in Baltimore, Md., and received a very significant radiation exposure to his hands in excess of regulatory limits (at a minimum 250-300 rem). Radiography is an activity involving the use of radioactive sources to confirm the integrity of structures and piping at various industrial facilities. In this event, the radioactive source failed to fully retract to the shielded position following a previous radiographic exposure and the radiographer approached the device without a survey meter, and without wearing an alarming ratemeter. Either one of those precautions would have alerted the radiographer that the source was not in a shielded position.

Although this event occurred while the radiographer was working in Baltimore under a license issued to the company by the State of Maryland (an NRC Agreement State), the company also possesses an NRC license authorizing similar activities within states subject to NRC jurisdiction. In response to this event, the NRC conducted inspections and an investigation. After careful review, the NRC has determined the two employees, who had been working as the company’s Assistant Radiation Safety Officer and Operations Manager, deliberately violated NRC requirements by, among other things, backdating or creating false records of activities before an NRC inspection in October 2001.

The NRC suspended the company’s license in May 2002 and it was terminated in January of this year.

The two individuals and anyone else adversely affected by the orders have 20 days to request a hearing.

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Thursday, February 22, 2007