ENS 56396
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
06:00 Mar 9, 2023 | |
| Title | Stolen Exposure Device |
| Event Description | The following information was provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Agency) via email:
On March 9, 2023, the Agency was notified by the licensee's radiation safety officer (RSO) that a Source Production and Engineering Company (SPEC) 150 exposure device containing a 121 curie iridium-192 source was stolen from one of the company's trucks. The radiography crew stated they left their job site to get some food at around midnight and stopped at a fast-food restaurant. They went into the restaurant to eat. The radiographers stated they failed to set the alarm on the dark room. They also stated they had left the key for the exposure device transport box in the dark room. The radiographers completed their meals and went back to the job site. When they went to get the exposure device they found it was missing. The radiographers contacted the RSO and a search was conducted for the device. It was not found. The RSO reviewed security footage at the location the radiographers were working and confirmed the exposure device was not on the tailgate of the truck. They reviewed security footage at the fast-food restaurant, but the cameras were not pointed in the right direction to see the truck. The RSO stated there is a restaurant across the street from where they believe the exposure device was stolen that has security cameras. They will go there when it opens to see if the theft was captured by their cameras. The RSO stated that personnel will be sent back to the area where they believe the theft occurred for additional searches. The RSO stated they have sent people out to contact local pawn shops and scrap dealers and notify them of the theft and provide their contact information. Local law enforcement have been notified of the event. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300. Texas Incident number: I-10000 Notified DHS SWO, FEMA Operations Center, CISA Central, USDA Operations Center, HHS Operations Center, DOE Operations Center, EPA Emergency Operations Center, FDA EOC (email), FEMA NWC (email), and NuclearSSA (email).
The following update was provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Agency) via email: On March 9, 2023, at 1935 [EST], the Agency's radiation safety officer and an incident investigator arrived in the area where the exposure device was reported stolen. They searched the area using the Agency's [Radiation Solution Inc] (RSI) RS-700 mobile radiation monitoring system. They did not find the missing device or source. They intend to meet with the licensee's RSO this morning and search a broader area. Notified R4DO (Gepford), and NMSS Events Notification, ILTAB (MacDonald), IRMOC (Ulses), INES Coordinator (Smith), CNSNS (Mexico) via email. The following update was provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Agency) via email: The Agency personnel have completed their search in the Houston area and are returning to Austin. They did not locate the missing exposure device. The licensee will continue looking for the device. Notified R4DO (Gepford), and NMSS Events Notification, ILTAB (MacDonald), IRMOC (Ulses), INES Coordinator (Smith), CNSNS (Mexico) via email.
The following update was provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Agency) via email: On March 15, 2023, the Agency conducted interviews with the licensee and individuals involved in the event. Using the licensee's GPS records, it was determined that the theft occurred between 2314 and 2355 CST the night of March 8, 2023. Notified R4DO (Kellar), and NMSS Events Notification, ILTAB (MacDonald), IRMOC (Crouch), INES Coordinator (Smith), CNSNS (Mexico) via email.
The following update was provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Agency) via email: On May 23, 2023, the Agency received a phone call from an apartment manager in Houston, Texas. The manager stated that he was cleaning an apartment when he found the exposure device on the balcony of the apartment. The manager provided the serial number of the device which matched the number of the stolen device. The Agency contacted the licensee who drove to the location and recovered the device. The licensee reported that the source was still fully shielded and that dose rates on the device were normal. The Agency notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent who has been involved with this event that the device had been located and recovered. The licensee reported that it had been in phone contact with the FBI agent. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300. Notified R4DO (Vossmar), NMSS (Rivera), NMSS Events Notification (email), ILTAB (MacDonald), IRMOC (Grant), INES Coordinator (Smith), CNSNS (Mexico) via email, DHS SWO, FEMA Operations Center, CISA Central, USDA Operations Center, HHS Operations Center, DOE Operations Center, EPA Emergency Operations Center, FDA EOC (email), FEMA NWC (email), and Nuclear SSA (email). THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A 'Category 2' LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL Category 2 sources, if not safely managed or securely protected, could cause permanent injury to a person who handled them, or were otherwise in contact with them, for a short time (minutes to hours). It could possibly be fatal to be close to this amount of unshielded radioactive material for a period of hours to days. These sources are typically used in practices such as industrial gamma radiography, high dose rate brachytherapy and medium dose rate brachytherapy. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf* |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Statewide Maintenance Company Houston, Texas (NRC Region 4) | |
| License number: | L06229 |
| Organization: | Texas Dept Of State Health Services |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+3.03 h0.126 days <br />0.018 weeks <br />0.00415 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Arthur Tucker 09:02 Mar 9, 2023 |
| NRC Officer: | Bill Gott |
| Last Updated: | May 23, 2023 |
| 56396 - NRC Website | |
Statewide Maintenance Company with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 563962023-03-09T06:00:0009 March 2023 06:00:00
[Table view]Agreement State Stolen Exposure Device 2023-03-09T06:00:00 | |