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| Start date | Reporting criterion | Title | Event description | System | LER | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENS 56767 | 29 September 2023 13:30:00 | Agreement State | Damaged Moisture Density Gauge | The following report summary was received by email from Virginia Radioactive Materials Program (VRMP): On September 29, 2023, at approximately 0930 EDT, a Troxler moisture density gauge (model number: 3430, serial number: 32732, 8 mCi Cs-137, 40 mCi Am-241:Be) was struck by a bulldozer while the rod was extended out into the soil for measurements. The area was secured. The gauge was left in place so that the source would remain shielded by the soil and the radiation safety officer (RSO) was notified. The impact cracked the plastic housing and significantly bent the source rod handle above the gauge. The RSO verified that the source rod below the gauge was still intact. They were unable to get the source to retract. With the source inserted back into the soil, survey readings were obtained by the licensee as follows: 1 mR/hr on top of the gauge on contact; @ 5 ft away to the side 0.1 mR/hr. According to the RSO, no public exposure occurred. The licensee has fitted a lead pig (lead shielded container) around the source for transport to a licensed nuclear gauge service company. Virginia Event Report ID Number: VA230002 | ||
| ENS 56072 | 24 August 2022 19:03:00 | Agreement State | Damaged Portable Gauge | The following information was provided by the Maryland Department of Environment via email: On August 24, 2022, at about 1840 EDT the Maryland Department of the Environment Radiological Health Program (MDE/RHP) was contacted via telephone from the Emergency Response Department (ERD) staff that the ECS Mid-Atlantic, LLC, Troxler nuclear moisture/density gauge was run over and damaged by an excavator in the project jobsite at the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro Station project. MDE/RHP inspector immediately called and contacted the RSO of the licensee and preliminary information about the accident and measures taken. The MDE/RHP inspection team responded on August 25, 2022 and August 26, 2022 went to the licensee office and conducted investigations. On the day of the accident, at about 1503 EDT the Technician moved the gauge to the side, on the curb beside the trench, and the excavator operator that moved the arm (bucket) down the trench hit the gauge. The source rod of the gauge was in its safe (parking) position and the top of the gauge was damaged. The Troxler gauge is Model 3440, with device serial number 31969 which contain Cesium - 137 sealed source with estimated nominal activities of 8 milliCuries, and Am-241:Be with estimated nominal activities of 44 milliCuries. The gauge was later locked and put into the transportation case and the technician took it to the ECS Mid-Atlantic. Surveys conducted at the surfaces of the gauge are normal; and leak test results are expected. The case has been reported to the Nuclear Material Events Database (NMED) on 8/26/2022. | ||
| ENS 56018 | 22 July 2022 17:15:00 | 10 CFR 30.50(b)(2) | Damaged Nuclear Gauge | The following information is a synopsis provided by the licensee via email: An incident involving a Nuclear Gauge #26 (CPN MC1 DR serial# MD60503240) on a job site (#37: 1564-C) at about 1315 EDT on 07/22/22 in SE Washington, DC 20032. The gauge contained the following sealed sources: 370 MBq (10 mCi) Cs-137 01/17/96 and 1.85 GBq (50 mCi) Am-241/Be 03/27/96. The gauge was damaged by an excavator while it was under the control of an authorized user (AU). The AU went to their car about 50 feet away to grab some paperwork. The operator of the excavator did not see the gauge, and hit it hard enough to crack its plastic shell. The source rod and electronics were not damaged. The AU informed an ECS field supervisor about the incident immediately and cordoned off the 15 foot radius of an area around the damaged gauge. The back-up radiation safety officer (RSO), was contacted and came to the site to evaluate the damage. The gauge's plastic case was broken due to the impact, but the sources were in the shielded position. Several surveys were made using a survey meter (RADIATION Alert M4, calibrated on 12/22/21) at one meter distance, and the readings were found to be less than 0.4 mR/hr range. In addition to contacting the NRC Operations Center on 7/22/22, the Virginia Department of Health was informed at 1755 EDT the same day. All the pieces of the gauge were placed in a box and it was hauled back to the designated storage area in the Chantilly, VA office around 1700 EDT. After performing a leak test and once an all-clear report is received, the damaged gauge will be returned to the authorized distributor in the area, for them to repair it properly. All authorized users will be informed about the incident immediately, and this will be discussed in detail at our safety meetings to reiterate and stress the importance of maintaining physical control of gauges when the gauge is not otherwise secured using two independent physical locking systems to prevent unauthorized access or removal. | ||
| ENS 54150 | 5 July 2019 04:00:00 | Agreement State | Agreement State Report - Lost and Recovered Nuclear Gauge | On July 5, 2019, the licensee discovered that a nuclear gauge was missing from their inventory. The gauge contained a Cs-137 source of approximately 10 mCi and an Am-241 source of approximately 25 mCi. The licensee notified the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Emergency Operations Center. On July 6, 2019, the gauge was found in a parking lot of a funeral home in Hampton, VA. The Hampton Police were notified. Following their procedures, they notified the FBI. The gauge was undamaged. The Radiation Safety Officer for the licensee is en route to retrieve the gauge. The Virginia Department of Health will supply additional details when they become known.
The following information was received via e-mail: On Friday, July 5, 2019 at approximately 1600 EDT, the Virginia Office of Radiological Health (VORH) Duty Officer was notified by the Virginia Emergency Operations Center Duty Officer that a Virginia licensee, ECS-Mid Atlantic, located in Richmond, VA (Virginia radioactive materials license # 760-114-4) had reported a missing portable nuclear gauge. The gauge particulars are as follows: Manufacturer: CPN Model: MC1DR-P Serial Number: MD60303074 Source: Cs-137 containing 370 MBq (10 mCi); serial number: 2149GQ Source: Am-241 containing 1.85 GBQ (50 mCi); serial number: 5396NK On Saturday, July 6, 2019 at approximately 1030 EDT, the VORH Duty Officer was informed that the missing gauge had been found in the parking lot of a funeral home in Hampton, VA and that local law enforcement, fire department, and Hazmat personnel were on the scene. Also, in accordance with their procedures, the local police department informed the FBI. The local Hazmat officer performed a visual and radiological survey of the transportation package (labeled Radioactive - Yellow II) and observed that everything appeared to be intact and the radiation readings indicted that the source was in the shielded position (approximately 1.6 mR/hr on contact with the transportation package). Once this information was obtained, the Hazmat officer advised the FBI of the situation (through local law enforcement) and the FBI terminated their involvement. The licensee's identity was determined from the visual inspection and was contacted immediately. The licensee's (Radiation Safety Officer) RSO immediately traveled to the scene, and at 1219 EDT informed the VORH Duty Officer that he (the RSO) had possession of the gauge and was en route back to Richmond, VA. The licensee is conducting an investigation into the incident and believes that an employee failed to check out the gauge properly and return it to the storage location in Richmond on Wednesday, July 3, 2019 as required by company procedure, and thought that they could return it after the holiday without being detected. When the gauge was observed to be missing on Friday, July 5, 2019 by the Assistant RSO, she texted all technicians and asked who might have failed to return it. The RSO believes that the technician that failed to properly check out the gauge and check it back in panicked and abandoned it at the funeral home on Friday or Saturday. Once the investigation is completed, the licensee will provide the Virginia Office of Radiological Health with their findings. Future updates, based upon that investigation will be made. Notified R1DO (Dimitriadis) and NMSS Events Notification and ILTAB via e-mail. 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. | ||
| ENS 51162 | 16 June 2015 19:00:00 | 10 CFR 30.50(b)(4) | Moisture/Density Gauge Involved in Automobile Fire | A licensee employee working at a job site in Claymont, Delaware went to leave the job site at 1500 EDT on June 16, 2015. The employee got in his vehicle and turned on the ignition. A fire started under and around the dashboard. The employee exited his vehicle and called 911 and the licensee Radiation Safety Officer. The local fire department responded. The front portion of the vehicle had been totally engulfed. The vehicle trunk, where the gauge was stored, received heat and smoke damage. The carrying case of the gauge was partially melted. No visible damage occurred to the gauge itself. The gauge was transported to a service vendor for inspection and repair if needed. The gauge was a Troxler 3440 Moisture/Density gauge, serial number 20118, containing an 8 mCi Cesium-137 source and a 40 mCi Am-241source. The licensee notified NRC R1(Ragland), Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances, Emergency Prevention and Response Section, and Delaware Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health.
The licensee provided the following update via email: The gauge is back in service after being evaluated and recalibrated. Notified R1DO (Dimitriadis) and NMSS Events (via email). | ||
| ENS 51139 | 8 June 2015 18:30:00 | 10 CFR 30.50(a) | Moisture/Density Gauge Damaged by Compactor Roller | At a work site on the U.S. Naval Academy grounds, a compactor roller backed over and damaged a Troxler Model 3430 moisture/density gauge. The gauge contains an 8 mCi Cs-137 source and a 40 mCi Am-241/Be source. Upon inspection of the gauge and surrounding area, the gauge case was found to be separated, but no damage was noted to the sources. The sources were in the shielded position at the time of the incident. The licensee will place the gauge back in its case, transport it to its normal storage location, and contact the manufacturer for repair/disposal. | ||
| ENS 49242 | 5 August 2013 04:00:00 | Agreement State | Agreement State Report - Damaged Density Gauge | The following information was received from the Commonwealth of Virginia via facsimile: On August 5, 2013, an Authorized User (AU) was conducting density testing for asphalt placement for a parking lot using a CPN MC-1-DR. The AU had just performed a density test and set the gauge on the adjacent asphalt approximately 5 feet from the joint for the hot asphalt. The AU stepped to the joint to tell the asphalt roller operator that density values were low. As the AU stepped back, he heard a tandem axle truck backing up. As he stepped to pick up the gauge, he realized the rear tandem axle tire was about to strike the gauge. By the time he pulled the gauge handle, the rear tire rolled over the gauge. He pulled the gauge away from between the rear tandem axle tire and the center axle tire. He then set the gauge down. A survey of the damage gauge was performed by the RSO and the sources were verified to be in their shielded position. The gauge was returned to the shop for shipment to CPN. There was no adverse effect to public health and safety from this event. VA Event Report ID Number: VA-13-05 | ||
| ENS 47830 | 11 April 2012 04:00:00 | Agreement State | Agreement State Report - Damaged Moisture Density Gauge | On April 11, 2012, a technician performing compaction tests using a CPN MC portable moisture density gauge (10 millicuries cesium-137; 50 millicuries americium-241), left the gauge during a test to prepare the next test location 20 to 30 feet away. A compaction roller ran over the gauge and shattered the gauge housing. The technician cordoned off the area and contacted the Radiation Safety Officer. The RSO contacted the Virginia Emergency Operations Center and returned the gauge to its storage area after ensuring the sources were inside their shields. Based on an onsite investigation by members of the Virginia Radioactive Materials Program, it was determined that no individual was likely to have received a radiation dose and that the gauge sources were secured in their shields. The licensee has contacted the gauge distributor to return the gauge. Virginia Report No.: VA-12-001 |