Semantic search
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
| Start date | Reporting criterion | Title | Event description | System | LER | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENS 47371 | 21 October 2011 04:00:00 | Agreement State | Agreement State Report Involving Apparent Stolen Density Gauges with Cs-137 Sources | On October 22, 2011, at approximately 12:05 AM, the (Pennsylvania) Department's Director of the Bureau of Radiation Protection received notification via a phone call and email from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency's Duty Officer of two 'densitometers' with radiation symbols that were found on the side of the road. It appears that the devices were stolen. This event is reportable under 10 CFR 20.2201(a)(1)(i). On Friday, October 21, 2011 evening (time unknown), two 'densitometers,' sealed source make and model currently unknown, each containing approximately 200 millicuries (mCi) of Cs-137, were reported found on the side of the road in Montoursville, PA in Lycoming County. A Fire Department and Emergency Response Team were deployed, and the two devices were isolated - one at or near Fairview Drive & Cherry Street, and the other on Maple Street in the same general area. Radiation measurements in the range of 30 to 40 micro-roentgens per hour at six feet were noted. The licensee was contacted and quickly recovered the two devices (Serial No. 8-7176 and 8-6891) and the Cs-137 sources at around 1:00 AM on October 22, 2011. (The devices) are now back in (the licensee's) possession. The DEP BRP Director spoke to the licensee's representative around this same time and was informed the sources were found in a shielded configuration, and, they could (now) account for all their radioactive sources. From the information known at this time, there were no noteworthy radiation exposures to the general public or any responding personnel. A reactive inspection is planned by the Department's Radiation Protection Program along with the PA DEP Bureau of Investigations. More details will be added as they become known. Media attention: None at this time Pennsylvania Event Report ID No: PA110028 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 This source is not amongst those sources or devices identified by the IAEA Code of Conduct for the Safety & Security of Radioactive Sources to be of concern from a radiological standpoint. Therefore is it being categorized as a less than Category 3. |