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| Entered date | Event description | |
|---|---|---|
| ENS 54791 | 18 July 2020 11:17:00 | The following was received by the state of Maryland via email: On July 17, 2020 at 2115 EDT the Maryland Radiological Health Program was notified of a lost or stolen portable moisture density gauge. A technician for J. D. Hynes and Associates was at a job site at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 30610 College Backbone Road, Princess Anne Maryland. The technician completed the job and was preparing to store the gauge in the transportation case when he was distracted. He then drove the truck approximately 16 miles back to the office at 32185 Beaver Run Drive, Salisbury, MD 21804. The technician discovered the gauge was not in the case. The technician contacted his supervisor and the owner at 1730 EDT and then returned to the job site at approximately 1800 EDT to search for the gauge and discovered the site was locked. The project superintendent was contacted and a key for entry was obtained by the licensee supervisor. Both the licensee supervisor and technician entered the jobsite and searched for the missing gauge and did not locate it there. Then they searched along the travel route independently from each other to try and locate the missing gauge. Both employees searched until approximately 2100 EDT when it got too dark to see. The licensee contacted Wicomico County Police Department and Somerset County Police department and both county fire departments. The gauge was a Troxler 3400 series with 9 mCi Cs-137 and 44 mCi AmBe sources. The serial number is 75791. A reactive inspection will be conducted on Monday July 20, 2020.
The following update was received via email: A portable density gauge was lost from the J.D. Hynes and Associates, Inc. on July 17, 2020 between approximately 14:45 EDT to 15:20 hours EDT. The gauge was identified as Troxler, model 3440P, serial number 75791 with nominal activities of 8 mCi of Cs-137 (on 1/7/2019) and 40 mCi of Am-241:Be (on 2/11/2019). The last leak test was performed on March 6, 2020. The gauge was lost while returning to office from the job-site. On July 17, 2020, at approximately 10:00 hours EDT, the density gauge was placed in the tailgate of a pick-up truck by the gauge operator after warm up and daily calibration, and waiting for the day's work at a building construction in the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Campus located at 30610 Collage Backbone Road; Princess Anne, Maryland 25813; in Somerset County. Work was suspended at about 14:45 hours EDT due to water leakages in the underground pipes. The gauge operator proceeded to drive back to the licensee's office located at 32185 Beaver Run Drive, Salisbury, MD 21804, in Wicomico County. After driving for about 25 minutes (about 18 miles) and arriving at the office parking lot the gauge operator realized that the gauge was not placed in its transportation case. The gauge was missing from the bed of the open tailgate of the pick-up truck. The event has been reported to the Maryland State Police, in Salisbury; the Incident Number is: 2020-00322775. Maryland Department of Environment, Radiological material Division will conduct a reactive investigation. Notified R1DO (Carfang), NMSS Event Notifications (email) and ILTAB (email). 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 52987 | 22 September 2017 14:05:00 | The following information was received via email: An irradiator operator was leaving the panoramic irradiator vault and was following procedures to close the vault door. Audio and Visual alarms functioned properly and the vault door was sliding shut when the door stopped. The operator took immediate actions and was able to close and lock the door. All security systems were checked, found to be working and engaged. He tagged the Irradiator 'out-of-service' until an investigation can be conducted and corrective actions are implemented. The source rack remained in the shielded position during this event. There was no threat to public health, safety or homeland security. UMCP (University of Maryland College Park) will provide RHP (Radiation Health Program) with a written report. A RHP Inspector will conduct an investigation. |
| ENS 52893 | 9 August 2017 15:27:00 | The following was received from the Maryland Department of the Environment via email: On August 8, 2017, Hillis-Carnes, Maryland Licensee MD-03-054-01, notified the Maryland Radiological Health Program (RHP) that a field technician had his van carjacked at the Key's Point temporary job site. His Troxler moisture density gauge model 3430 (serial number 31733) was still in the van and locked. The licensee notified Baltimore police. On August 9, 2017, the Maryland Department of the Environment Emergency Response Division was notified by the Baltimore police that the van and the Troxler gauge were recovered at O'Donnell Heights the evening of August 8. An RHP inspector went to the site and took possession of the gauge and is notifying the licensee so they can retrieve it. Troxler 3430 has a Cesium 137 sealed source less that 9 milliCuries and a 44 milliCurie AmBe source. No indication of any damage. 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 |