The following information was received from the State of
Florida via e-mail:
Licensee reports that a handheld x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer [containing 30 mCi of Am-241] was stolen. The device was last seen when used on 7/5/09. The device was placed in the office of user and was noted missing when it was looked for on 8/11/09 to use for a job. On 8/24/09, after searching through the company office, the licensee determined that it was missing/stolen. The licensee reports that [the device] is password locked. Licensee is considering offering a reward. Licensee will submit a written report. Florida is investigating.
Florida incident number: FL09-063
- * * UPDATE FROM STEVE FURNACE TO ERIC SIMPSON AT 1420 ON 09/01/09 * * *
The following notification was received via phone:
The handheld XRF analyzer was found by the licensee stored in a closet onsite. A member of the technical staff had placed the unit in a closet in order to move it out of the area where a cleaning crew was working.
The analyzer is a generally licensed item. The State of Florida expects no further actions to be taken concerning this event.
Notified R1DO (Dwyer) and FSME (McIntosh).
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks.
This source is not amongst those sources or devices identified by the
IAEA Code of Conduct for the Safety & Security of Radioactive Sources to be of concern from a radiological standpoint. Therefore is it being categorized as a less than Category 3 source