The following information was received via E-mail:
Kentucky Radiation Health Branch (KYRHB) was notified on 7/15/2022 by the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) from American Engineers, Inc. that a Troxler 3430 portable Moisture Density gauge (Serial Number 20217; Cs-137: 9 mCi; Am-241/Be: 44 mCi) was severely damaged after it fell off the licensee's truck while leaving a worksite. The gauge was unsecured in an open bed and the tailgate left open, resulting in the gauge falling from the truck to the asphalt and being subsequently run over by a semi-trailer truck. The licensee proceeded to pick up all the debris including the source rod and bottom plate and secured it in the bed of the truck and placed a 55-gallon steel drum over the debris and extended a 15-foot caution zone around the truck, until the Fire Department arrived to scan the area for contamination. No outside contamination was detected on the road and readings were the same as background. The KYRHB inspector arrived about 1630 CDT and conducted independent scans and contamination swipes, and no leakage of either source was detected. The shielding around the Cs-137 source remained intact and readings were as expected from the shielded Cs-137 source. The gauge Tungsten shielding block was placed at the exposed source rod end and taped in place to further reduce possible exposure. The Am-241/Be source remained attached to the bottom housing and scans showed the readings to be nominal, and no removable contamination was detected. The debris was transferred to a plastic bucket and secured in the 55-gallon steel drum and transported to the licensee's facility in Glasgow, KY, and was stored in a room with appropriate signage isolated from the gauge storage area. Readings were checked outside the room to ensure that outside exposure rates were at a minimum. A reactive inspection of the licensee is planned at a future date as a follow-up.
Reporting Criteria required by 10 CFR 30.50(b)(4).
Kentucky Event Report ID No.: 220003