I.F. company faces fine after radiation incident

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is proposing a $22,400 civil penalty against Qal-Tek Associates of Idaho Falls for violations regarding the shipment of radioactive materials.

The violations came after an NRC investigation of an incident that occurred in April. A package containing several radioactive sources was shipped from a temporary job site in New York by Qal-Tek workers to the company’s headquarters in Idaho. The NRC said Qal-Tek staff identified dose rates that were in excess of NRC and U.S. Department of Transportation limits.

During the shipment, all three radioactive sources came out of the inner lead containment system, but remained contained and inside the outer carbon steel drum. The incident resulted in dose rates above regulatory limits.

A commercial shipping service, identified by the Associated Press as FedEx, was used for the shipment. But the NRC said interviews with employees determined no one was expected to have received a radiation exposure in excess of regulatory limits.

The commission met with company representatives November 9. They said company officials did not contest the violations, but provided information about long-term corrective actions.

The company has 30 days in which to dispute the fine or request involvement of a neutral third-party mediator to resolve the issue.

You can see the NRC inspection report here.