The following information was provided by the State of
Texas via email:
On May 26, 2011, the Agency [Texas Department of Health] was notified during routine inspections of the facility's site safety systems, it was discovered that two tritium exit signs were missing from their fixed mounting positions. These signs were affixed to the walls near exits in a secure manner such that they could only be removed by means of removing safety capped mounting screws and then the use of tools to remove them. In this case, it is apparent that these signs were removed by way of vandalism and were essentially pulled off the walls leaving evidence that they were removed without the knowledge of the site personnel. A report was made to the local police department. The signs were installed new in 2010.
In addition, this same vandalistic act occurred at the same location as reported to the Agency [Texas Department of Health] on February 2, 2011. At that time, four tritium exit signs were removed. A report was made to local law enforcement. The exit signs are Isolite Model 2040-95S-B-15-WS, and each contain 9.5 Curies of tritium.
Texas Incident: # I-8858
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
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