The following report was received from the
Texas Department of State Health Services (the Agency) via email:
On July 6, 2021, the Agency was contacted by the licensee's radiation safety officer (RSO). The RSO stated that a [former] employee had taken a Troxler moisture density gauge and did not return it. The gauge contains a 40 milliCurie americium - 241 source and an 8 milliCurie cesium - 137 source. The gauge was taken after the employee's employment had been terminated. The Agency attempted to contact the individual by phone twice, but they did not answer and they did not have voice mail to leave a message. At 2237 [CDT] on July 6, 2021, the Agency was notified by the RSO that the gauge had been recovered. The Agency has requested additional information from the licensee. At this time there is no reason to believe any individual would have been exposed. The report is made for informational purposes. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300.
Texas Incident Number: 9865
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