The State provided the following information via email:
Washington State DOH was notified of a missing gauge 31 August 2006 by the licensee's radiation safety officer (RSO).
A portable gauge (Troxler model 3440, serial number 14393), had been checked out by an authorized gauge user on 29 August for transport to a temporary job-site. The gauge user had secured the gauge in a personal vehicle that day. As of the morning of 31 August, the user had not been heard from or seen since 29 August. Phone calls were made to the user's emergency contact numbers by the company RSO on 29 & 30 August trying to locate the user and gauge. The calls were unsuccessful with locating the person or gauge.
The licensee had issued the user a corporate cell phone upon hiring. Previous attempts to call the cell phone had failed. On 31 August, attempts to call the cell phone confirmed it was in service. The RSO was able to trace the location of the cell phone via its GPS (global positioning system) feature. Both the job supervisor and RSO went to the cell phone's location and found the vehicle, the gauge & the user. The gauge was locked inside the transport container, and had been locked, at all times, inside the vehicle's trunk. The gauge had been secured and in possession of the user at all times even though the user had been out of touch.
Corrective actions can be difficult when personnel choose to disregard established policies / procedures. The user was properly trained, approved & had a satisfactory work-history. Corrective actions will include refresher training and discussions with all staff about following state and company rules.
The incident was successfully concluded due to the powerful GPS resource in the cell phone. Decisive action by the licensee & the employee's job service supervisor allowed for the retrieval of the gauge. Requesting law enforcement involvement was done but played no part in recovery since the gauge was found relatively quickly.
No known media attention.
Notification Reporting Criteria: Immediate notification per WAC 246-221-240.
Isotope and Activity involved: 1 portable gauge, containing 2 sealed sources: one gamma source containing 8 millicuries cesium-137, and one neutron source containing 40 millicuries americium-241 / beryllium.
Washington State event number WA-06-052