The following information was received from the
Arizona Radiation Regulatory Agency via email:
Date and Time Agency Notified: 8:00 AM, 10/15/2010.
Type of Incident: Missing Radioactive Material.
Device Manufacturer, Model No. and Serial No.: Humbolt 5001C, SN 1143.
Sources and Activity: Cs-137, 10mCi; Am-241:Be, 40mCi.
Date last seen or used: 12/03/2007.
Circumstances: The missing gauge was in need of servicing or replacement therefore it was removed from service. The program that generated the inventory list for all equipment, omits the equipment removed from service. The licensee discovered this part of the program on 10/14/2010.
Conclusion: The gauge could have been removed from licensee control any time after 12/03/2007.
The Agency continues to investigate the actions of the licensee and timeliness of reporting the missing device.
The U.S. NRC and the Arizona Governor's office have been notified of this event.
Press coverage is anticipated.
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. For additional information go to
http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf