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The following report was received via e-mail: A radiography exposure device was found by a citizen in some weeds on the side of a road. The citizen called the New Iberia Fire Department who contacted the Iberia Parish Sheriff's Department. The Fire Department then contacted QIT (Quality Inspection & Testing, LLC) by the information posted on the side of the radiography exposure device, (I R Camera). The camera was discovered in some weeds in a parking lot located at 1000 Parkview Dr., New Iberia, LA. A company official for QIT was contacted by the Fire Department who relayed the information to the Business Manager for QIT and the Assistant RSO. Background: The on April 6, 2015, two 'trained and trustworthy individuals' were preparing a 'crew' truck to perform radiography work at a temporary jobsite. (The first Radiographer) was preparing the documentation while (the Assistant Radiographer) was equipping and securing the truck with a Category II radiography source. (The Assistant Radiographer) got distracted and placed the exposure device on the vehicle's rear bumper. Before leaving QIT's office, (The first Radiographer) questioned (the Assistant radiographer) about securing the exposure device for transport.

"The crew left QIT in route to the temporary job.  They passed up the jobsite and did a U-turn where the exposure device was later discovered. They arrived at the temporary jobsite and began to setup for the job.  They became aware that they did not have the exposure device that (the Assistant Radiographer) stated he had placed in the truck's 'vault.'  The crew decided to back-track their route in an attempt to locate the missing exposure device. They did not locate the device because (the QIT RSO) had already retrieved the device from the lot at 1000 Parkview Dr. and returned it to QIT's office.
"The RSO and the assistant RSO began their investigation into this incident. It began with interviewing and getting statements from both individuals directly involved in this incident.
"The next morning April 7, 2015, approximately 11:00 AM, (the QIT RSO) called in a preliminary notification to LDEQ's (Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality), Assessment, Radiation Licensing Section.  The incident was assigned to an investigator/inspector in our Acadiana Regional office. 
"At this time, LDEQ considers this incident still open.  The incident is still under investigation and review by the staff.  Enforcement and corrective actions will be determined by the out-come of the investigation. The incident was considered under control by QIT and reported after the exposure device was back at the QIT office.

The equipment was a S.P.E.C., Model 150 exposure device, S/N 1114 device loaded with approximately 79 Ci of Ir-192. The device was surveyed, secured, placed in the QIT vault and labelled 'NON-USE'. Louisiana ID Number: LA150008 THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "CATEGORY 2" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL Category 2 sources, if not safely managed or securely protected, could cause permanent injury to a person who handled them, or were otherwise in contact with them, for a short time (minutes to hours). It could possibly be fatal to be close to this amount of unshielded radioactive material for a period of hours to days. These sources are typically used in practices such as industrial gamma radiography, high dose rate brachytherapy and medium dose rate brachytherapy. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf