ENS Event | |
|---|---|
17:34 Oct 6, 2025 | |
| Title | Damaged Moisture Density Gauge |
| Event Description | The following information was provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Department) via phone and email:
On October 6, 2025, at 1324 CDT, the Department was notified by the licensee's radiation safety officer (RSO) that while performing a measurement with a Troxler model 3440 moisture/density gauge, the technician was struck and killed by a piece of equipment. The gauge contains a 40 millicurie americium-241 source and a 9 millicurie cesium-137 source. The gauge appeared to have some minor damage. The RSO stated the gauge was picked up by a member of the HAZMAT team and placed on the tailgate of the licensee's truck. It was noted that the cesium source was sticking out of the bottom of the gauge about 2 inches. The HAZMAT team reported to the RSO the dose rate at 5 feet from the gauge was reading 5 rem per hour. (Calculation of the gamma dose from the cesium source at 5 feet would be 1.24 millirem/hr.). The RSO stated he had personnel and equipment at the site to measure the dose rate, but the emergency response personnel would not let them enter the area. The RSO stated they had evacuated all personnel out to 100 feet. At 1422 CDT, the RSO reported the police allowed them to enter the area and perform a radiation survey. The RSO reported their survey showed less than 1 millirem per hour at 5 feet from the gauge. The RSO stated they placed the gauge into the transport case and then into the steel security box in the truck bed to transport the gauge back to their office. The gauge will be sent to the manufacturer for inspection. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300. Texas incident number: 10233 |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Terracon Consultants, Inc. Houston, Texas (NRC Region 4) | |
| License number: | L 05268 |
| Organization: | Texas Dept Of State Health Services |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+0.08 h0.00333 days <br />4.761905e-4 weeks <br />1.09584e-4 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Art Tucker 17:39 Oct 6, 2025 |
| NRC Officer: | Robert A. Thompson |
| Last Updated: | Oct 6, 2025 |
| 57971 - NRC Website | |
Terracon Consultants, Inc. with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 579712025-10-06T17:34:0006 October 2025 17:34:00
[Table view]Agreement State Damaged Moisture Density Gauge ENS 558622022-04-27T16:48:00027 April 2022 16:48:00 Agreement State Damaged Moisture Density Gauge ENS 536822018-09-11T04:00:00011 September 2018 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Damaged Moisture Density Gauge ENS 529832017-09-21T12:59:00021 September 2017 12:59:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Damaged Gauge at Construction Site ENS 515412015-11-16T16:15:00016 November 2015 16:15:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Damaged Density Moisture Gauge ENS 454102009-10-03T19:00:0003 October 2009 19:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report Involving a Stolen Troxler Moisture Density Gauge ENS 434972007-07-17T16:00:00017 July 2007 16:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Lost Moisture Density Gauge 2025-10-06T17:34:00 | |