The
Tennessee Division of Radiological Health (
DRH) performed an inspection of Blues City Brewery (BCB) on 9/21/2011. The facility was previously owned by Coors Brewing Company through 9/1/2006.
During the inspection, it was discovered that a 3.7 GBq (100 mCi) Am-241 source (Industrial Dynamics Company - IDC model 06110-1, serial #5533) was missing. The source had originally been contained inside a level gauge (IDC model FT -100, serial #90205). According to IDC records, IDC had removed the source from the gauge on 9/29/1999, wipe tested the source, packaged it for shipment, and left the package in the possession of the Coors Brewing Company's RSO. The IDC RSO stated that they had no further record regarding the source. BCB conducted a thorough search of their facility for the source without success. DRH contacted the former Coors Brewing Company's RSO, but he did not have any additional information regarding this source.
On 10/25/2012, DRH received a quarterly report (7/1/2012 to 9/30/2012) from IDC that stated they recovered the source.
Tennessee Event TN-12-126.
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