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| Entered date | Event description | |
|---|---|---|
| ENS 49005 | 6 May 2013 14:37:00 | The following information was received via E-mail: On 4/19/13 the (Ohio) Bureau of Radiation Protection (BRP) received a call from the RSO of broad-scope licensee Ohio State University (OSU). The RSO stated that he had received a call from a woman who had been helping an elderly neighbor clean out a garage after her husband's death. The husband had been a college professor. The woman and widow had discovered a large, five-gallon can filled with what appeared to be lead. The widow indicated that she believed it contained radium needles. On 4/21/13 the woman contacted BRP to arrange pickup of the device and deliver it to OSU. OSU has volunteered to store the device pending disposal. On 4/22/13, three BRP inspectors went to the home to perform radiological surveys of the container. Wipes were taken of the outside and a field scan of the wipes identified no removable contamination. The maximum dose rate reading at contact was 1.7 mrem/hr. The inspectors were unable to verify that the material was radium. The device was loaded into the BRP truck and transferred to the OSU Radiation Safety Office and placed in a secure radioactive material storage area. On 4/23/13, BRP contacted the US-EPA to request assistance in identification and disposal of the container and material, assuming it to contain one or more radium needle orphan source(s). BRP is also contacting the CRCPD (Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors) for assistance in disposal. On 5/2/13 BRP inspectors visited the widow's home, at her request, to ensure there were no other similar containers or materials present. The inspectors discovered a second container that was identified as containing radium. This container was also taken to OSU and placed in a secure radioactive material storage area. US-EPA was contacted about this second device for inclusion in their investigation. BRP is currently working to obtain more information on the origin of the radioactive materials. No further information is available as of this date (5/6/13). BRP indicated that the 'containers' appear to be homemade lead pigs. The second container has a maximum dose rate reading of 2.5 mrem/hr at contact. Gamma spectroscopy analysis of the second container, along with a partial label found, indicate that the contents may be Radium-226. Ohio Item Number: OH130013 |