The State provided the following information via facsimile:
This facsimile serves as initial notification of an event of a leaking Cs-137 check source found inside a generally licensed device - Beckman Coulter Model 3801 LSC - at Boston University, Boston, MA. The event was reported by Beckman Coulter to the Massachusetts Radiation via letter dated April 25, 2008. The preliminary information of this event [is as follows:]
On March 25, 2008, a Field Service Engineer (FSE) for Beckman Coulter performed a service call on a Beckman Coulter LS 3801 liquid scintillation counter (LSC) at Boston University in Boston, MA. At the time the service was performed, the FSE discovered an elevated radiation reading inside the LSC. Upon further investigation, the FSE discovered elevated radiation reading originated from a metal base plate used to support lead shielding inside the LSC. A wipe test of this base plate revealed removable contamination of ~ 0.03 microcuries. Upon discovery of the contamination, the FSE immediately notified Beckman Coulter's RSO and Boston University personnel. The contamination was limited to the metal base plate inside the LSC and no personnel were contaminated. Due to the position of the base plate, directly beneath lead shielding, no additional exposure to the user of the LSC would have resulted. The LSC was being decommissioned at the time and it is out of service. The dislodged Cs-137 source (currently 18 microcuries) was recovered from the LSC by the FSE and it is currently being held by Boston University. Beckman Coulter is investigating how the source holder may have been damaged. No contamination was found outside of the LSC, thus no additional decontamination measures were necessary as a result of this event.
MA Report 05 - 7780