ENS 56868
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
06:00 Nov 21, 2023 | |
| Title | Agreement State - Lost Moisture Density Gauge |
| Event Description | The following information was provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Department) via email:
On November 21, 2023, the licensee's radiation safety officer (RSO) advised the Department that one of its technicians had lost a Humboldt 5001EZ moisture density gauge [which contains a nominal activity of 40 mCi of Am-241:Be and 10 mCi of Cs-137]. The technician had finished testing at a temporary job site and then took a phone call. After completing the call, he left the job site with the moisture density gauge sitting on the tailgate. When he realized what had happened, he called the project supervisor who sent workers out to search the testing area and surrounding areas. The technician notified the RSO and started driving back to the site while looking for the gauge. The RSO sent more technicians out to assist in the search and he also notified the local police department. The RSO reported the trigger lock was not on the insertion rod and it was only the gauge that was lost. It was not inside the transport case at the time. Search of the driving route will resume after daylight and the RSO will be checking with other construction workers at this and nearby sites. An investigation into this event is ongoing. More information will be provided as it is obtained in accordance with SA-300. Texas Incident Number: 10069
The following updated information was provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Department) via email: On January 22, 2024, the Department received information from a steel mill in Texas that it had discovered a radioactive source in a load of scrap metal from San Antonio. The investigation revealed the source to be the 40 millicurie Americium-241 source from the licensee's lost device. The source was still in its holder and secured to the device's structure, on which the device serial number was stamped. The cover, electronics, and the Cesium-137 source and source rod were not attached or located. The load of scrap the mill found the source in has been fully processed and none of their other radiation detectors indicated the presence of the Cesium source. The scrap yard is surveying the areas at their facility. The steel mill noted radiation readings of 400 microR/hr on contact. They have secured the source at their facility and the licensee is making arrangements for retrieval/disposal of it. There is no information or indication of any exposure exceeding regulatory limits. More information will be provided as it is obtained in accordance with SA-300. Notified R4DO (Agrawal), NMSS Events Notification (Email), ILTAB (Email), CNSNS (Mexico). 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 |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Frost Geo Sciences Inc Helotes, Texas (NRC Region 4) | |
| License number: | L06015 |
| Organization: | Texas Dept Of State Health Services |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+15.33 h0.639 days <br />0.0912 weeks <br />0.021 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Karen Blanchard 21:20 Nov 21, 2023 |
| NRC Officer: | Ernest West |
| Last Updated: | Jan 30, 2024 |
| 56868 - NRC Website | |
Frost Geo Sciences Inc with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 568682023-11-21T06:00:00021 November 2023 06:00:00
[Table view]Agreement State Agreement State - Lost Moisture Density Gauge 2023-11-21T06:00:00 | |