The following report was received via fax:
This memo is to serve as a preliminary report for an incident with a Colorado radiography licensee. Utah Inspection, LLC (Colorado license 1043-01) reported to the [Colorado Department of Health (CDH)] on October 18, 2010 a stuck source/source disconnect for a radiography source. The job site was at a gas compressor station in De Beque, Colorado. Initial reports indicate the source was approximately 60 Ci of Ir-I92.
Utah Inspection contacted the CDH at approximately 2:30 pm on October 18,2010 to report the incident. The licensee reported that while performing a radiography shot, the camera slipped off a wet pipe and landed on the guide tube causing a crimp in the tube which prevented the source from being retracted. The licensee extended the boundaries around the source and maintained surveillance of the source. The licensee contracted with a local Radiation Safety Officer trained in source retrieval activities and was able to retract the source to the shielded position at approximately 7:15 pm on October 18, 2010.
A member of the CDH responded to the incident scene as the retraction efforts were being completed. The RSO contracted for the source retrieval reported an estimated 138 mrem whole body, and the radiographer estimated doses at 50 mrem whole body for himself and 25 mrem whole body for his assistant. Individual overexposure does not appear to be an issue at this point for this incident. The individual from the CDH confirmed that the area was very isolated and the radiographer and assistant were able to maintain their distance from the source.
Colorado Incident I10-13.