The following was received from the
Texas Department of State Health Services (the Agency) via email:
On May 30, 2021, the Agency was notified by the licensee's radiation safety officer (RSO) that a Humboldt model 5001 EZ was stolen from a truck parked overnight at a technician's home. The gauge contains a 40 millicurie americium - 241 source and an 10 millicurie cesium - 137 source. The technician had taken the gauge home on May 29, 2021. The gauge was locked in the truck with two independent chains and locks. The technician went to their truck at 0900 [CDT] on May 30, 2021 and found both were cut and the transport case and the gauge were stolen. The RSO stated the operating arm was locked in the shielded position. The RSO stated the technician drove around in the immediate area in an attempt to find the gauge. The RSO stated local law enforcement had been notified. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300.
Texas Incident Number: 9852
- * * UPDATE ON 11/10/21 AT 1727 EST FROM ART TUCKER (VIA EMAIL) TO HOWIE CROUCH * * *
On November 10, 2021, the Agency was notified by the licensee that they had recovered the missing gauge on November 2, 2021. The licensee confirmed that the gauge cesium operating rod was locked in the shielded position. The licensee agreed to submit a written report to the Agency providing additional information.
Notified R4DO (Gaddy), Mexico CNSNS, ILTAB and NMSS Event Notifications via email.
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