On January 21, 2014, the Agency [State of Texas] was notified by the licensee that while conducting a routine source inventory, it could not find a beverage fill device containing a 100 millicurie
americium-241 source. The licensee stated the unit was removed from the production line several years ago and placed in storage. The licensee stated the source shutter on the device was locked in the closed position when it was placed in storage. The licensee stated the unit has the appropriate labels on it. The licensee does not believe the lost source presents a risk of exposure to any individual as long as the device is not altered.
The licensee is interviewing employees and contractor personnel in an attempt to locate the source. The licensee stated the source was inventoried in 2013, but could not provide a specific date. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300.
Texas Incident Number: I-9147
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