The following information was received from the state of
Texas via email:
On April 30, 2017, the Agency [Texas Department of State Health Services] was notified by the licensee's Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) that a radiography crew working at a temporary field site was unable to retract a 101 Curie iridium-192 source into a SPEC 150 exposure device (camera). The failure occurred after the radiography crew had moved the camera from one location to another at the same job site. The radiography crew notified the licensee of the event. The licensee sent an individual to the site to retrieve the source. The individual found that the guide tube had disconnected from the front of the camera and the flex in the cable was causing the connector to hang up on the camera inlet port. The recovery individual straightened the cable by pulling on the crank out cables and was able to fully retract the source. The RSO stated no over exposures occurred from this event. The RSO stated he believes sand had gotten into the guide tube to camera connection preventing the guide tube from fully latching on the camera outlet connection. The licensee possesses a license issued by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and is operating under reciprocity in the State of Texas. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300.
Texas Incident No.: I-9483