Campus Alert Archive
TU

Concealed for Ten Months: The Cesium-137 Spill at TU's North Campus That the Contractor Hid Until 2015

OKhazmatadvisorymedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

On October 14, 2014, a contractor for the University of Tulsa -- Tracerco, a British nuclear-services company -- spilled cesium-137 when a tubing connector broke during oil-well flow-simulation tests at TU's North Campus research facility at 2450 E. Marshall Street. Tracerco did not notify TU of the spill until August 25, 2015 -- ten months later -- when the company returned to retest the facility and found 25 areas positive for cesium-137. Twenty-one people who may have been exposed underwent medical evaluations; no lasting injuries were reported.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
University of Tulsa
Private R1 · OK
~4,500 students
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Approximate reconstructionReconstructed from Tulsa World reporting on TU's August 2015 public disclosure of the October 2014 Tracerco cesium-137 spill622 chars
The University of Tulsa has been notified by Tracerco that a small spill of radioactive material containing Cesium-137 occurred at TU's North Campus research facility at 2450 E. Marshall Street during work conducted in October 2014. The university is restricting access to the affected building while the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality is contacted and an assessment is conducted. Twenty-one individuals who may have been present during or after the spill are being asked to undergo precautionary medical evaluation. There is no immediate risk to the broader university community or surrounding neighborhood.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

The 10-month gap between the spill (October 14, 2014) and TU's notification (August 25, 2015) was itself the center of subsequent lawsuits -- Tracerco had discovered its own equipment was contaminated in May 2015 but waited three more months before informing TU
Cesium-137 is a gamma-emitting radioisotope used in the Tracerco Cs-Ba generator to simulate fluid flow in oil-well models; approximately 1 milligram was released in a teaspoon-size spill
TU's North Campus at 2450 E. Marshall Street is separate from the main campus and primarily used for petroleum-engineering research
UPDATEWebsite
Approximate reconstructionReconstructed from Tulsa World report on cleanup initiation and DEQ findings at TU North Campus413 chars
The University of Tulsa and Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality have inspected the North Campus Process Building. Twenty-five areas in the facility tested positive for Cesium-137 contamination. Cleanup is now underway. Medical evaluations for the 21 potentially exposed individuals are in progress. The building remains restricted. TU is coordinating with regulatory authorities on all remediation steps.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Testing by Tracerco in May 2015 found 25 areas within the building positive for Cesium-137, a finding that Tracerco held for three months before notifying TU on August 25, 2015
The Tulsa World noted that the contamination was characterized as 'minor' by university officials, though the three-month notification delay was described as unacceptable
The 21 individuals sent for medical evaluation were bused to a specialized facility in Kansas for radiation exposure testing, according to KJRH television
Context

Background

In fall 2014, the University of Tulsa contracted Tracerco, a British nuclear services and measurement company, to transport, handle, and inject radioactive isotopes (barium-137m and cesium-137) at TU's North Campus petroleum-engineering research facility at 2450 E. Marshall Street. The materials were used in a cesium-barium generator to simulate fluid flow in oil-well models. On October 14, 2014, a tubing connector broke during the operation, and Tracerco's attempts to reattach it damaged the generator's integrity, releasing approximately 1 milligram of cesium-137 inside the Process Building. Tracerco did not immediately disclose the spill to TU. The company returned in May 2015, discovered contamination in 25 areas of the building, and then waited an additional three months before notifying TU on August 25, 2015 -- nearly ten months after the original incident. Upon notification, TU immediately restricted access to the building and contacted the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, which inspected the site. Twenty-one individuals who may have been present during or after the spill were evaluated for exposure; 21 people were bused to Kansas for specialized radiation testing, and no lasting health effects were documented. TU subsequently sued Tracerco for cleanup and other costs. Neighbors and employees also filed suit. The case became a landmark example in campus radiation safety management about the risks of contractor-managed radiological work at university facilities -- and the catastrophic notification failures that can follow.
Analysis

Key Findings

Tracerco concealed the cesium-137 spill from TU for nearly ten months -- discovering its own contaminated equipment in May 2015 and waiting until August 25, 2015 to notify the university
Twenty-five areas in the building tested positive for Cs-137; 21 potentially exposed individuals were transported to Kansas for radiation evaluation
The incident became the basis for litigation -- TU sued Tracerco for cleanup costs, and employees and neighbors filed additional suits
No lasting health effects were documented among the 21 evaluated individuals; the spill involved approximately 1 milligram of cesium-137
Outcome
University restricted access to the building upon notification in August 2015 and contracted cleanup. The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality inspected the site. TU sued Tracerco for cleanup costs. The specific cesium-137 content was approximately 1 milligram in a teaspoon-size spill. No lasting health effects were documented among the 21 people evaluated.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Radioactive chemical spill occurred last fall at University of Tulsa (Tulsa World, August 2015)
    tulsaworld.com
  2. News
    Cleanup underway after small radioactive chemical spill at TU's North Campus (Tulsa World)
    tulsaworld.com
  3. News
    University of Tulsa sues chemical company for costs associated with radioactive spill (Tulsa World)
    tulsaworld.com
  4. News
    TU researchers bused to Kansas for radiation testing (KJRH TV Tulsa)
    kjrh.com
  5. Source
    Cesium 137 spill at TU Campus (Wandres Law)
    injurylawyertulsa.com
Tags
cesium-137radioactive-spillradiologicalcontractor-negligencenotification-failurepetroleum-engineeringOklahomaNRCprivate-r1hazmat
Added June 2026Updated June 2026Via ingestion