The following report was received via e-mail:
On April 6, 2016, a portable moisture/density nuclear gauge from Earth Solutions NW, LLC was damaged at a construction site near Monroe, Washington.
The technician from Earth Solutions NW, LLC restricted the area around the damaged nuclear gauge and reported the incident using our [Washington Office of Radiation Protection] 206-NUCLEAR emergency number.
Our [Washington Office of Radiation Protection] nuclear engineer assessed the condition of the nuclear gauge over the telephone and determined that the nuclear gauge should be safe to transport, so the nuclear gauge was transported to the Snohomish office of Northwest Technical Services, which is the company that typically maintains and calibrates the gauges for Earth Solutions NW, LLC.
Northwest Technical Services personnel inspected the damaged nuclear gauge and determined the nuclear gauge is intact, and that both radioactive sources are present in their normal locations inside the nuclear gauge. The cesium-137 source [10 mCi] is attached to its source rod, which is bent a bit, but the source is inside the gauge in its shielded position. The americium-241:beryllium source [50 mCi] is not compromised and is also inside the gauge in its normal position.
Based on the professional opinion of Northwest Technical Services personnel, there would not be any radioactive contamination at the construction site where the nuclear gauge was damaged. So, we [Washington Office of Radiation Protection] advised Earth Solutions NW, LLC personnel that it would no longer be necessary to restrict the part of the construction site where the nuclear gauge was damaged.
The next steps that will be taken are:
1) Northwest Technical Services personnel will conduct leak tests of the two sealed radioactive sources in the damaged nuclear gauge, to verify that no radioactive materials have leaked from the two sealed radioactive sources. They will send a written report, including photographs of the sealed radioactive sources and the damaged nuclear gauge.
2) The damaged nuclear gauge will be properly disposed of by Northwest Technical Services personnel.
3) Earth Solutions NW, LLC will send us a written report about the incident.
Gauge model: CPN-131 from Campbell Pacific Nuclear
Washington Incident: WA160001