After completing 17
moisture density gauge readings on the southern half of the West Slope of Clinton County landfill, the
Troxler (Model: 3440, Serial # 39264) portable nuclear density
gauge owned by [the licensee] was placed on the ground behind a Ford F150 pick up truck owned by [the licensee]. [The
gauge operator] sat at the back of the truck reviewing the field sheets of moisture density readings and preparing for the next group of readings. When it was clear that additional blank forms were needed, [the
gauge operator] went to the cab of the truck to look for the additional forms. No forms were available so the truck was started and backed up to go to the field office to retrieve the forms.
After backing and going forward a few feet, [the gauge operator] remembered the moisture density gauge behind the truck. The truck was backed up beside its original location and the damaged gauge was observed. [The gauge operator], got out of the truck to see the plastic casing of the gauge broken in several pieces. The source rod was still in the shielding but the guide rod was broken.
[The gauge operator] was the only person on that portion of the jobsite at the time of the incident and received no exposure from the source as it was still contained in the shielding. The closest other person to the area was more than a thousand feet away at the time of the incident.
The gauge and broken plastic housing was placed into its transportation box after confirmation of intact sources. The area of the incident was cordoned with orange paint for containment purposes. The licensee's radiation safety officer [RSO], was notified of the incident and the gauge was photographed and photos were sent to him.
The RSO mobilized to the site with a SE International radiation meter to survey the cordoned area of the incident as well to verify that sources were intact in the portable nuclear density gauge. Survey results indicated that both sources, Cs-137 and Am-241:Be were intact and undamaged.
The gauge is a Model 3440 Troxler Moisture Density gauge, serial #39264, with Cs-137 8 mCi, serial #77-6741 and Am/Be 241 40 mCi sources, serial #78-4049.
The licensee has temporarily stored the
gauge in a secure location and will transport the
gauge back to the company office, in
Michigan, for repair.