The licensee reported to the state that a ionizing static dissipater, licensed under a General License [GL] and used on lines for clearing small parts of dust, was lost. The device is Model: NRD P-2021-8101 with Serial Number: A2HN439 and contained a
Po-210 with an up to a 10 mCi source, on 1/18/12, which has decayed to approximately 0.9 mCi as of 5/9/13.
The licensee has properly returned all other devices for destruction from the facility.
The State has initiated an investigation and will assign an event number as new information is obtained.
- * * UPDATE ON 5/30/2013 AT 1430 EDT FROM TONY CARPENITO TO MARK ABRAMOVITZ * * *
The following update was received via e-mail:
The agency [Massachusetts Radiation Control Program] conducted a site visit on 5/29/13. The general licensee implemented a search through facilities and determined the missing device may have been inadvertently dispositioned during recent building renovations and subsequent departmental reorganizations and relocations. The missing device was last used in 2012. The general licensee is seeking to terminate GL registration due to GL devices having been phased out and replaced with non-RAM [radioactive material] equipment. All other GL devices were accounted for and have already been dispositioned. The missing device component is a small metallic cylindrical object 0.5 inches in diameter and 2.7 inches in length.
The agency considers this event to be CLOSED.
Massachusetts Event Docket #17-0766
NMED Item #130233
Notified the R1DO (Holody) and FSME Event Resources (via e-mail).
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