Read the notice of violation - Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

Administrative monetary penalty (AMP)
Sanction administrative pécuniaire (SAP)
Notice of Violations (Individual)
Procès-verbaux (Personne physique)
Date of notice / Date de l’avis: June 2, 2015
AMP number / Numéro de SAP: 2015-AMP-05
Violations committed by / Violations commises
par:
Mr. Mario Mignault
Total Amount of penalties / Montant total des
sanctions:
$ 23,149
Violation
Carrying on a prescribed activity without a licence contrary to section 26 of the Nuclear Safety and
Control Act.
An Administrative Monetary Penalty is issued for each of the following separate occurrences of the above
violation:
Violation 1: On or about January 30, 2014
Violation 2: On or about February 04, 2014
Violation 3: On or about February 10, 2014
Violation 4: On or about March 27, 2014
Violation 5: On or about February 02, 2015
Violation 6: On or about February 18, 2015
Violation 7: On or about March 01, 2015
In accordance with the Schedule to the Administrative Monetary Penalties Regulations of the Canadian
Nuclear Safety Commission, these are category B violations
Relevant facts / Faits pertinents
I, André Régimbald, Director General of the Directorate of Nuclear Substance Regulation and Designated
Officer authorized by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) to issue notices of violations,
believe on reasonable grounds that Mr. Mario Mignault of Pro Rayons-X Inc. committed the above
violation on seven separate occasions. The facts relevant to the violation and the penalty calculation are:

Pro Rayons-X Inc. is an incorporated company registered in the province of Québec (Corp. #
1147416581).

Mr. Mario Mignault is the sole shareholder for Pro Rayons-X Inc.; his roles are as president,
secretary and treasurer of the company.
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Administrative monetary penalty (AMP)
Sanction administrative pécuniaire (SAP)

Section 65.04 of the Nuclear Safety and Control Act states that in any proceedings in relation to a
violation, it is sufficient proof of the violation to establish that it was committed by an employee,
or agent or mandatary, of the person whether or not the employee, agent or mandatary is identified
or proceeded against in accordance with the Act.

Section 65.03 of the Nuclear Safety and Control Act states that any director, officer, agent or
mandatary of the corporation who directed the violation is liable to an administrative monetary
penalty.

The Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec (CHUQ) holds a CNSC licence authorizing it to
possess and use nuclear substances for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

On March 3, 2015, the CHUQ notified the CNSC of the loss of approximately 740 MBq of
Technetium 99m (Tc-99m), a nuclear substance which the CHUQ is authorized to possess and use
under the CNSC licence issued to the CHUQ.

On March 18, 2015 the CHUQ submitted an event report to the CNSC which provided evidence
that Mr. Mario Mignault of Pro Rayons-X Inc. was responsible for the missing nuclear substance
Tc-99m, on seven occasions throughout 2014 and 2015. Information in the event report included
the following:

In 2000, Mr. Mignault, as owner/operator of Pro Rayons-X Inc., was given a key
(identification no. 1DYX), which allowed access to rooms in the Nuclear Medicine
Department in the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Laval (CHUL), part of the
system of hospitals under the CNSC licence issued to the CHUQ.

The CHUQ reported that similar quantities of the nuclear substance Tc-99m were
removed without authorization on the seven following dates:

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
January 30, 2014

February 4, 2014

February 10, 2014

March 27, 2014

February 2, 2015

February 18, 2015

March 1, 2015
The internal investigation by the CHUQ involved an interview with the worker from
Pro Rayons-X Inc. which revealed that:

The employee of Pro Rayons-X Inc., acting under direction of Mr. Mignault,
was indeed responsible for the unauthorized removal of various quantities of
the nuclear substance Tc-99m from the CHUQ over the past two years;

The employee of Pro Rayons-X Inc. stated that she was shown by Mr. Mignault
where to get the nuclear substance Tc-99m at the CHUQ and how to use it for
evaluating radiation shielding by Pro Rayons-X Inc.
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Administrative monetary penalty (AMP)
Sanction administrative pécuniaire (SAP)

The employee of Pro Rayons-X Inc. was in possession of the key (identification
no. 1DYX) that was originally assigned to Mr. Mignault for the Nuclear
Medicine Department at the CHUL.

The employee of Pro Rayons-X Inc. performed measurements and shielding
verifications with the unauthorized nuclear substance Tc-99m and then
submitted the data to Mr. Mignault to prepare the final reports.

The employee of Pro Rayons-X Inc. still had in her possession the vial
containing the nuclear substance Tc-99m that was taken from the CHUQ on
February 18th, 2015 and returned that vial to the CHUQ
The results of the CHUQ internal investigation regarding the missing nuclear substance Tc-99m
led to the CHUQ filing a formal theft complaint with the municipal police of Québec.
The report by the municipal police of Québec included an interview with the employee of Pro
Rayons-X Inc. and confirmed that:


The employee of Pro Rayons-X Inc., was acting under the direction of Mr.
Mignault.

The employee had taken the nuclear substance Tc-99m from the CHUQ on the
seven dates indicated previously.
On March 30th and 31st, 2015 the CNSC conducted an investigation which independently confirmed
the foregoing information and the CNSC staff was able to conclude that Mr. Mignault was responsible
for the unauthorized removal of the nuclear substance Tc-99m from the CHUQ on the seven dates
indicated above, and was responsible for the possession, storage, transport and use of the nuclear
substanceTc-99m on or about those seven dates for the purpose of performing radiation shielding
assessments for the private business of Pro Rayons-X Inc. Neither Pro Rayons-X Inc. nor Mr.
Mignault held a CNSC licence to possess, store, transport and use the nuclear substance Tc-99m on or
about those seven dates.
Based on my review of this matter and a consideration of the seven factors in section 5 of the
Administrative Monetary Penalties Regulations of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, the amount
of penalty for each of the seven violations was determined having regard to the following relevant facts:
1. Compliance history: A review of CNSC records reveals that the CNSC has not had any involvement
with either Mr. Mignault or Pro Rayons-X Inc.
2. Intention or negligence: Mr. Mignault was responsible for the removal of nuclear substances from a
licensed location on seven occasions without authorization. Mr. Mignault is responsible for the
possession, storage, transport and use of a nuclear substance (Tc-99m) on seven occasions without a
CNSC licence.
3. Actual or potential harm: Mr. Mignault directed an employee of Pro Rayons-X Inc. to conduct
activities for which a CNSC licence is required. The employee was not adequately trained nor
informed of the potential risks associated with such activities. There was a high potential for both
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Administrative monetary penalty (AMP)
Sanction administrative pécuniaire (SAP)
internal and external radiation exposure and risk of radioactive contamination. The employee was not
provided with personal protective equipment or proper transport packaging by Mr. Mignault.
4. Competitive or economic benefit: Mr. Mignault gained financially by the performance of radiation
shielding assessments using the nuclear substance Tc-99m for the private business of Pro Rayons-X
Inc. at various locations within the provinces of Québec and New Brunswick. Since the nuclear
substance Tc-99m was removed from the CHUQ without authorization, there was an economic benefit
to Mr. Migneault of not having to purchase the nuclear substance, as well as, the cost of having a
licence from the CNSC. Based on interviews with the staff of the CHUQ, it was indicated that
quotes/cost for services rendered by Pro Rayon-X Inc. were considerably lower than their competitors.
5. Efforts to mitigate or reverse effects: No efforts were made by Mr. Mignault to mitigate or reverse the
effects of the violations.
6. Assistance to Commission: No assistance was provided by Mr. Mignault. The employee of Pro
Rayons-X Inc. provided information on request.
7. Attention of Commission: The violation was not reported to the Commission by Mr. Mignault or by
anyone else from Pro Rayons-X.
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Administrative monetary penalty (AMP)
Sanction administrative pécuniaire (SAP)
Penalty calculation / Calcul de la sanction:
(See Administrative Monetary Penalties Regulations (Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission) SOR/2013-139)
(Veuillez consulter le Règlement sur les sanctions administratives pécuniaires de la Commission canadienne de
sûreté nucléaire, DORS/2013-139)
(a) Category of violation / Catégorie de violation
Category A / Catégorie A
Category B / Catégorie B
Category C / Catégorie C
(b) Penalty range / Barème de sanction
Category /
Catégorie
Minimum
Maximum
Maximum –
Minimum
A
$300
$3 000
$2 700
B
$300
$10 000
$9 700
C
$300
$25 000
$24 700
(c) Determining factors / Facteurs determinants
Factors / Facteurs
Scale of regulatory significance /
Échelle de l’importance sur le plan
réglementaire
Assessed score /
Pondération évaluée
1. Compliance history
Antécédents en matière de conformité
0
+1
+2
+3
+4
+5
0
2. Intention or negligence
Intention ou négligence
0
+1
+2
+3
+4
+5
3
3. Actual or potential harm
Dommages réels ou potentiels
0
+1
+2
+3
+4
+5
3
4. Competitive or economic benefit
Avantage économique ou concurrentiel
0
+1
+2
+3
+4
+5
3
5. Efforts to mitigate or reverse effects
Efforts pour atténuer ou neutraliser les effets
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
+3
0
6. Assistance to Commission
Aide apportée à la Commission
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
+3
0
7. Attention of Commission
Violation déclarée à la Commission
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
+3
0
Total
÷ 29
(1)
[rounded to 2 decimal points / arrondi à 2 décimales près]=
9
0.31
x 9,700
=
3,007
+ $ 300 [minimum for the category / montant minimal pour la catégorie] =
3,307
[difference between category minimum and maximum / écart entre le montant maximal et le montant minimal]
x 7 violations
= $23,149
(1)
29 being the maximum value of regulatory significance /
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(1)
29 étant la valeur maximale de l’importance sur le plan réglementaire
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Administrative monetary penalty (AMP)
Sanction administrative pécuniaire (SAP)
To request a review / Pour présenter une demande de révision
As a person subject to an administrative monetary
penalty, you have the right to request a review of the
amount of the penalty or the facts of the violation, or
both. Your request must be made in writing
indicating the reasons why you are requesting a
review and providing supporting information.
En tant que personne faisant l’objet d’une sanction
administrative pécuniaire, vous avez le droit de
demander une révision du montant de la pénalité ou
des faits quant à la violation, ou des deux. Vous
devez présenter votre demande par écrit, y indiquer
pourquoi vous demandez une révision et inclure toute
information à l’appui de votre demande.
If you choose to request a review, you must do so in
writing by July 2, 2015 to:
Si vous demandez une révision, vous devez le faire
par écrit avant le 2 juillet 2015 en communiquant
avec :
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
c/o Marc Leblanc
Commission Secretary
P.O. Box 1046, Station B
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5S9
Fax: (613) 995-5086
Telephone: (613) 995-6506
Email: [email protected]
Commission canadienne de sûreté nucléaire
a/s Marc Leblanc
Secrétaire de la Commission
C.P. 1046, succursale B
Ottawa (Ontario) K1P 5S9
Télécopieur : 613-995-5086
Téléphone : 613-995-6506
Courriel : [email protected]
Payment / Paiement
You may pay this administrative monetary penalty by
sending a cheque to:
Cette sanction administrative pécuniaire peut être
payée par chèque libellé au nom du :
Receiver General for Canada
c/o Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Finance Division
P.O. Box 1046, Station B
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5S9
Receveur général du Canada
a/s Commission canadienne de sûreté
nucléaire
Division des finances
C.P. 1046, succursale B
Ottawa (Ontario) K1P 5S9
For other payment methods and further instructions,
please refer to the attached Notice of Payment Due.
Pour de l’information sur les autres méthodes de
paiement et d’autres instructions, veuillez consulter le
document Avis de paiement dû ci-joint.
Should you neither pay the penalty nor exercise
your right to a review, you will be considered as
having committed the violation and will be liable
to the penalty set out herein.
Si vous ne payez pas la sanction et n’exercez pas
votre droit de révision, on considérera que vous
avez commis la violation et vous serez passible de
la sanction mentionnée aux présentes.
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Administrative monetary penalty (AMP)
Sanction administrative pécuniaire (SAP)
Issued by / Délivré par
Original French version signed on June 2, 2015
__________________
André Régimbald
Date
Designated Officer / Fonctionnaire désigné
Telephone / Téléphone: 613-993-7699
Email / Courriel: [email protected]
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