ENS 54940
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
05:00 Oct 8, 2020 | |
| Title | Lost Then Found Moisture / Density Gauge |
| Event Description | The following is a synopsis of information received via phone and facsimile:
The Department (Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Radiological Health) was notified around 0815 CDT on October 9, 2020, by the Nebraska State Patrol, of a lost, and subsequently recovered, nuclear gauge. The gauge was a Troxler 3400 series moisture density gauge containing a 9 mCi Cs-137 source and a 44 mCi Am-241/Be source. During the afternoon of October 8, 2020, the gauge was on the tailgate of a pickup truck. The gauge user entered the vehicle before securing the gauge package. The user was distracted and began driving away. The gauge fell out of the back of the vehicle. An employee from the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) found the lost gauge near Norfolk, NE. The NDOT employee notified the Nebraska State Patrol and the gauge manufacturer, Troxler. Using the serial number of the gauge, Troxler was able to determine the gauge belonged to Olsson Associates. Olsson Associates was notified of the recovered gauge, and the gauge user retrieved the gauge. The estimated time between the loss of control and recovery is estimated to be one hour. During the evening of October 8, 2020, the corporate Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) for Olsson Associates was notified of the incident. He did not report the event to the Department. A representative of the Department spoke with him at 1030 CDT on October 9, 2020. The RSO then provided a brief account of the incident to the Department representative. The RSO noted that the gauge package appeared to be undamaged. The gauge itself did not appear damaged. The gauge was surveyed to confirm the presence of the source, and a leak test will be performed immediately. 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 |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Olsson Associates Lincoln, Nebraska (NRC Region 4) | |
| License number: | 02-34-01 |
| Organization: | Ne Div Of Radioactive Materials |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+32.7 h1.363 days <br />0.195 weeks <br />0.0448 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Travis Smith 13:42 Oct 9, 2020 |
| NRC Officer: | Donald Norwood |
| Last Updated: | Oct 9, 2020 |
| 54940 - NRC Website | |
Olsson Associates with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 549402020-10-08T05:00:0008 October 2020 05:00:00
[Table view]Agreement State Lost Then Found Moisture / Density Gauge ENS 525252017-02-01T17:00:0001 February 2017 17:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Lost/Found Moisture Density Gauge 2020-10-08T05:00:00 | |