ML25112A143
| ML25112A143 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 04/22/2025 |
| From: | Tanya Smith Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response |
| To: | |
| References | |
| EN57596 | |
| Download: ML25112A143 (1) | |
Text
Posted by: Todd Smith, Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), United States of America INES EVENT RATING FORM Page 1 of 1 INES Event Rating Form (ERF)
Version 1 Sender's Name:
Todd Smith Sender's Organization:
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) (United States of America)
Event
Title:
Lost Radiography Device Event Date:
2025-03-06 Location / Facility:
Mentone, Texas / National Inspection Services, LLC Event Country:
United States of America Event Type:
Radiation Source INES Rating:
2 - Incident (Provisional)
Rating Date:
2025-03-13 Impact on people and the environment Release beyond authorized limits?
No Overexposure of a member of the public?
No Overexposure of a worker?
No Impact on the radiological barriers and controls at facilities Contamination spread within the facility?
No Damage to radiological barriers (incl. fuel damage) within the facility?
No Degradation of Defence In-Depth?
Yes Other information Person injured physically or casualty?
No Is there a continuing problem?
No Event Description On March 6, 2025, a radiography crew working approximately 16 km (10 mi) east of Mentone, Texas, reported losing a SPEC 150 exposure device containing a 3.53 TBq (95.4 Ci) iridium-192 source. A trainee set the exposure device on the back of the truck but failed to secure the device in the truck. The source was in the fully shielded position. Shortly after leaving the work site, the radiographers realized the exposure device was no longer in the back of the truck. The radiographers retraced the path they had traveled but did not find the device. Two other trucks passing that way were stopped but the drivers had not seen the device. The licensee has offered a cash award for the return of the device and Texas state authorities issued a press release to alert the public (https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/dshs-notifies-public-missing-radiographic-camera-loving-county). U.S. Department of Energy Radiological Assistance Program teams have assisted the licensee and Texas state authorities in searching for the device.
State authorities have also contacted Federal and local law enforcement for assistance. NRC EN57596 Rating Justification A Level 2 is warranted for a lost Category 2 source not yet recovered. See Section 4.2.2 INES Users Manual 2008 Edition (IAEA-INES-2009) http://www-pub.iaea.org/ MTCD/publications/PDF/INES-2009_web.pdf.
Press Release Attached:
No Technical Document Attached:
No Further Information on Web:
Contact Person:
Todd Smith Affiliation:
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Email:
todd.smith@nrc.gov Telephone:
+13018165100 Organization on Web: