Order to Canadian Sub-Surface Energy Services Incorporated

On August 31, 2009, a designated officer of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission issued an order to Canadian Sub-Surface Energy Services Incorporated of Calgary, Alberta in accordance with section 35 of the Nuclear Safety and Control Act. The Company provides services to the oil and gas industry across Western Canada. The order requires Canadian Sub-Surface Energy Services Incorporated to cease the use of all use of nuclear substances that the Company is authorized to possess.

ORDER BY A DESIGNATED OFFICER UNDER PARAGRAPH 37(2) (f) AND SUBSECTION 35(2) OF THE NUCLEAR SAFETY AND CONTROL ACT

CNSC File 15-1-12813

WHEREAS Canadian Sub-Surface Energy Services Incorporated (CSSESI) has been issued Radioisotope Licence Number 12813-1-09.4 for the purposes of conducting subsurface investigations using radioactive sources;

AND WHEREAS on August 13, 2009 an employee of CSSESI who is designated as a Nuclear Energy Worker failed to return a 2.0 Ci Cs 137 logging source to its Type A shielded container after completing work at a job site near Goodlands, Manitoba;  

AND WHEREAS at approximately 1600 hours on August 14, 2009 the employee realized that the source had not been returned to its shielded container and, based on calculations performed by the CNSC, the employee could have received upwards to 31 mSv as a result of the event;
 
AND WHEREAS at approximately 1600 hours on August 15, 2009 the employee informed Brian Brown, the Vice President of Health, Safety and Environment of CSSESI, of the incident;

AND WHEREAS on August 18, 2009 Roger Milette, Radiation Safety Officer of CSSESI, reported the incident to the CNSC;

AND WHEREAS on August 19, 2009 CNSC staff visited CSSESI Offices in Red Deer, Alberta and measured higher than expected surface dose rates from the Cs 137 Type A container holding the source in question;

AND WHEREAS on August 20, 2009 Brad Gabel, President of CSSESI, informed the CNSC that the Company had voluntarily suspended use of all nuclear substances until an assessment of their compliance and training programs could be completed;

AND WHEREAS on August 27, 2009 CNSC staff visited the Red Deer Offices of CSSESI and discovered that the Type A shipping containers used during the transportation of the Company’s cesium sources had been modified and CSSESSI staff were unable to explain when the modifications were performed and by whom;

AND WHEREAS the CNSC inspector present at that time verbally instructed CSSESI to cease operational use of all nuclear substances in their possession and further instructed that all said nuclear substances not be transferred or transported; 

AND WHEREAS taken together, this evidence leads me to conclude that an Order is necessary to protect the health and safety of persons, the environment, and the security of the nuclear substances.

THEREFORE in accordance with section 35 of the Nuclear Safety and Control Act the following actions and measures are ordered:

1. Canadian Sub-Surface Energy Services Incorporated shall immediately cease operational use of all nuclear substances in its possession or under its care or control.
   
   
2. Canadian Sub-Surface Energy Services Incorporated shall immediately conduct a written inventory of the nuclear substances in its possession or under its care or control and provide the results of that inventory to me or a person authorized by me for this purpose.
   
   
3. Canadian Sub-Surface Energy Services Incorporated shall immediately refrain from the transportation or transfer of any nuclear substance in its possession or under its care or control.
   
   
4. Canadian Sub-Surface Energy Services Incorporated shall not import or export any nuclear substance.

__________________________

Henry Rabski
Designated Officer
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

Dated at Ottawa, Ontario, this 31st day of August, 2009.