The following was received from the
Texas Department of State Health Services (the Agency) via email:
On April 1, 2021, at 1647 CDT, the Agency was notified by the licensee's radiation safety officer (RSO) that a Troxler model 3440 moisture density gauge containing an eight millicurie cesium-137 source and a 40 millicurie americium-241 source had been run over at a field site by a piece of equipment.
The RSO stated the technician using the gauge stated that the cesium-137 source was in the fully shielded position when the event occurred. The RSO stated the technician was moving his equipment to a new test location at the site when the gauge was damaged. The RSO stated the gauge case was shattered and he was not sure how they would recover the gauge. He stated the gauge was reading 40 millirem per hour on contact near the cesium source. The RSO stated a barrier was establish around the gauge and the dose rate readings at the barrier were at background.
The Agency advised the RSO to contact the manufacturer and request assistance in recovering the gauge. The RSO contacted the Agency a short time later and reported the manufacturer could not assist in the recovery. The RSO also stated that during his inspection of the gauge they discovered the cesium source was not in the fully shielded position. Also, it appeared that the source rod was no longer attached to the gauge housing. The RSO stated the source rod was bent so they could not retract the source into the shield.
The licensee decided to recover the source by picking the source rod up from the end opposite of the source using channel locks and placing it in a thirty gallon can half full with sand and then covering the source with sand. The RSO reported the highest dose rate on the container after placing the source in the can and covering it with sand was 0.8 millirem per hour. The RSO contacted the Agency at 1828 CDT on April 1, 2021, and reported that the source was locked in their storage facility. The RSO stated they would work with the manufacturer to dispose of the gauge and sources. The RSO stated the gauge would be leak tested on April 2, 2021. The RSO stated the americium-241 source was not affected by the event. No individual received a significant exposure from the event. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300.
Texas Incident Number: I-9835