The following information was provided by the State of
Louisiana via fax:
On September 12, 2014, LA DEQ [Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality] received a notification from the [licensee] Radiation Safety Officer [RSO]. [The RSO] stated a crew was making exposures at a fab shop [in Walker, LA] at approximately 1730 CDT. The exposure device was on an I-beam when the device slid off of the beam onto the front guide tube outlet connection. The radiographer realized the source could not be retracted back into the shielded position.
The lead radiographer contacted the RSO and received instructions on how to secure/shield the area from potential/unnecessary exposures. An assistant RSO, was dispatched to the site to perform the retrieval and he arrived approximately 1830 CDT. [The assistant RSO] was able to retract/shield the source when he removed the crimped drive cable. The source retrieval was completed approximately 1920 CDT. The crew members exposures were both less than 30 mrem and the assistant RSO's exposure was less than 100 mrem.
The exposure device and associated equipment (crank out control and source guide tube) were shipped to QSA Global for a materials evaluation. The equipment was evaluated and passed the quality assurance requirements for Type B radiography equipment. The male connector on the source guide tube was replaced and was returned to the customer. The equipment involved in the incident and returned to the customer after the repair and evaluation: QSA 880 Delta, s/n D9829. QSA source model A424-9, Ir-192 source, s/n 16863C with an activity of 69 Ci. QSA control model SAN88225R and a Swivel End Stop QSA GST TAN48906.
[The licensee] is Departmental [LA DEQ] approved and licensed to perform source retrievals.
License No.: LA-15838-Lol, AI#s. 12540; 165525.
Louisiana Event Report ID No.: LA-140010