On 1/16/12, the licensee replaced the
tritium exit signs in their facility. These
exit signs were installed in the late 60's. They put the signs back into the original packaging to return them to the manufacturer. Gexpro [exit sign distributors] picked up the signs with the understanding that they would be shipped to SRB Technologies Inc. (the sign manufacturer). SRB technologies did not receive the signs. A search of the Gexpro warehouse did not locate the signs. Additionally, SRB Technologies had no record of receiving the signs.
A total of 6 tritium exit signs are unaccounted for. The serial numbers of the signs are 600275, 600276, 600277, 600278, and 600279. The remaining exit sign did not have a serial number attached any longer.
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