On Tuesday, 5/17/05 at approximately
1530 hours0.0177 days <br />0.425 hours <br />0.00253 weeks <br />5.82165e-4 months <br />, technician [DELETED] of our Crozet (Charlottesville),
VA branch was performing a field density measurement with a
Troxler Model 3411 moisture/density
gauge (SN 5278) in an area of pipe backfill at the GEI project site in Charlottesville,
Virginia. When finished with the test, he exited the trench and placed the
Troxler nuclear density gauge at the corner of a fence line opposite the sediment pond behind him and was watching mixed fill being placed as backfill and compacted in the trench. A sheepsfoot roller backed up onto the bank near the fence because a rubber-tired roller was coming down the hill on the access road. [The roller driver] backed over and then pulled away from the
gauge when he realized what he had done.
The technician immediately conducted a visual examination and noted that the source rod base (with the Cesium 137 source) had remained inside the gauge, but the source rod itself was bent and the depth gauge rod broken. The site was roped off and the technician called the Crozet office RSO informing him of the incident. A survey meter was sent out to the site to check the gauge and area for radiation levels. Normal readings were noted with the source still in the rod in the gauge. The lock was still on the trigger; but, with the depth rod broken, the source rod could be extracted from the upper side of the gauge. Duct tape was used to wrap the bent source rod to prevent the rod coming out of the gauge during transit. The Corporate RSO was called and informed of the incident.
The gauge was transported back to the Crozet nuclear storage room and marked out of service until repairs are made.
Despite the fact that the technician was in close proximity to the gauge it was not in his direct line of sight or control.
The sources were
Cs-137 (8.4 milliCuries on 2/10/78) and Am/Be (40 milliCuries on 2/14/78). The
RSO intends to transport the
gauge to
Troxler for disposal.