ENS 58227
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
05:00 Apr 1, 2026 | |
| Title | Lost Source |
| Event Description | The following information was provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Department) via phone and email:
On February 6, 2026, the Department received a complaint from an individual listing several concerns regarding a licensee. One of the concerns was that the licensee was unable to locate two moisture density gauges. On March 5, 2026, the Department performed an on-site investigation. The investigators found that a new radiation safety officer (RSO) had been hired two weeks prior to the investigators arriving. During the investigation, the investigators found that three gauges could not be accounted for on paper. The RSO stated they were in the middle of an inventory, and they would finish it that day and let us know what they found. Later that night, the RSO contacted the Department and stated they had located two of the gauges. They provided transfer papers showing a gauge had been transferred to another licensee. They also provided pictures of [another] gauge not previously found. The RSO stated that the records that were kept by the previous RSO were in disarray and would take some time to look through, but he was sure they would locate the gauge. On April 1, 2026, the RSO contacted the Department and stated they had reviewed all the paperwork they could find and did not find any document that would provide the location of the third gauge; therefore, they considered the gauge lost. The RSO reported that the gauge was last documented in their possession in March 2025. The gauge is a Troxler model 3430 containing 40 millicuries of Am-241 and 8 millicuries Cs-137. The RSO stated they did not believe the device is an exposure risk to any individual. Additional information has been requested. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300. 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 | |
|---|---|
| Thompson Engineering Inc Houston, Texas (NRC Region 4) | |
| License number: | L 07169 |
| Organization: | Texas Dept Of State Health Services |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+11.1 h0.463 days <br />0.0661 weeks <br />0.0152 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Art Tucker 16:06 Apr 1, 2026 |
| NRC Officer: | Ian Howard |
| Last Updated: | Apr 1, 2026 |
| 58227 - NRC Website | |
Thompson Engineering Inc with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 582272026-04-01T05:00:0001 April 2026 05:00:00
[Table view]Agreement State Lost Source 2026-04-01T05:00:00 | |