ENS 47559
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
07:00 Dec 28, 2011 | |
| Title | Agreement State Report - Two Nuclear Gauges Found at Metal Recycling Facility |
| Event Description | The following report was received from the State of Colorado Radioactive Material Unit via facsimile:
This memo is to serve as a preliminary report for an incident concerning fixed nuclear gauges which were discovered at a Colorado scrap yard which is not licensed for that type of material. The Department [State of Colorado] was notified on December 28, 2011 that two gauges were identified at Rocky Mountain Recycling in Commerce City, Colorado. The initial notification indicated that they were both TN 5100 gauges [subsequently determined to be TN 5200 gauges] with an original activity of 20 mCi in 1986. Rocky Mountain Recycling currently has a Colorado provisional radioactive materials license (Colo. 9016-01) and is licensed for six sections of scrap pipe which are contaminated with NORM in the form of pipe scale. For normal operations, Rocky Mountain Recycling does not possess a radioactive materials license. The Department responded to Rocky Mountain Recycling on December 29, 2011. Two fixed gauges were at that location, both TN Technologies model 5200 gauges with serial numbers B1130 and B1131. Both gauges contain Cs-137 (verified using an ldentiFinder). Gauge B1130 contains 20 mCi as of December, 1986 and gauge B1131 contains 20 mCi as of October, 1986. The gauges were being stored in a steel drum away from public access. A wipe test was taken in the field on the drum prior to opening and no contamination appeared to be present. Wipe tests were also taken on the shutters of both gauges and no contamination appeared to be present. Both gauges appeared to be in good shape, there was some rust and weathering on the outside of the source housing but otherwise the source housing and shielding appeared to be in working condition. The gauges were found without a lock to keep the shutter in the closed position. One gauge (B1131) was found with the shutter partially opened. Gauge B1130 could not have the shutter completely opened due to the steel mounting frame being bent. Both shutters could be manipulated by hand. Rocky Mountain Recycling provided padlocks to lock the shutter in the closed position for both gauges. Dose rate measurements were taken around the shielding of the gauges. On contact, both gauges measured approximately 2.5 mRem/hour. With the shutter open, the highest reading in the beam of gauge B1130 was approximately 60 mRem/hour on contact, 15-20 mRem/hour at approximately 1 foot, and 3-3.5 mRem/hour at approximately 1 meter. With the shutter open, the highest reading in the beam of gauge B1131 was approximately 70 mRem/hour on contact, 10 mRem/hour at approximately 1 foot, and 1.5 mRem/hour at approximately 1 meter. Around the drum the gauges were stored in, the highest reading on contact was 1.5 mRem/hour, the highest reading at one foot was 0.3 mRem/hour, and the highest reading at 1 meter was 0.08 mRem/hour. Colorado Report Number: I11-23 |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Unknown Commerce City, Colorado (NRC Region 4) | |
| License number: | NONE |
| Organization: | Colorado Dept Of Health |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+33.67 h1.403 days <br />0.2 weeks <br />0.0461 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Phillip Peterson 16:40 Dec 29, 2011 |
| NRC Officer: | Bill Huffman |
| Last Updated: | Dec 29, 2011 |
| 47559 - NRC Website | |
Unknown with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 581462026-01-09T08:00:0009 January 2026 08:00:00
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