The following information was from the State of
California via email:
On 04/04/13, [the licensee] RSO, called RHB [California Radiologic Health Branch] to report a lost gauge. The gauge is a Model 503 DR CPN moisture gauge (S/N H33064926) containing 50 mCi (max) of Americium 241:Be. [The RSO] stated that he placed the gauge in the back of his truck next to the tailgate, then got distracted by a telephone call and started driving from 4181 Brew Master Dr, Suite 4, Ceres, CA, on Crows Landing, Hwy N 99 and then onto Hwy 88 without securing the gauge. He discovered the gauge missing [at 1600 PDT] on 04/03/13, upon arrival at a jobsite. The Ceres Police Department was notified of the lost gauge (case # 213-001653). Licensee was advised to place an advertisement in a local paper/craigslist offering a reward of $4000.00 for the safe return of the gauge. RHB will be investigating the incident and licensee will be cited for the items of non compliance associated with this incident.
California Report: #040413
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