ENS 43068
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
02:30 Dec 29, 2006 | |
| Title | Agreement State Report - Theft Of A Troxler Moisture Density Gauge |
| Event Description | On December 29, 2006, at 11:10 am, the licensee contacted the California [Radiologic Health Branch] RHB to report the theft of a Troxler, Model 3430 moisture/density gauge (S/N 38217) containing a nominal 10 millicuries Cs-137 and nominal 40 millicuries Am-241. When the licensee initially reported, they had been informed by their technician that the gauge (secured by two locking cables in the truck bed) had been stolen at 11:00 am on December 29, 2006, while the technician was having lunch at a restaurant in Fontana, CA. Subsequently, during the police investigation, the technician acknowledged that the gauge had actually been stolen out of his truck, sometime the night previously (i.e., between about 6:30 pm December 28, 2006 and 8:00 am December 29, 2006), while the truck was parked in front of his home in San Jacinto, CA.
The licensee prohibits their technicians from taking the gauges home overnight, and intends to take disciplinary action against the technician in this regard. The San Jacinto police have also been contacted, and the licensee intends to place a reward notification in the local press in the San Jacinto area. RHB will continue to follow up on this matter.
The following was received via email from the State of California via email: On Monday, January 28, 2013, the Border Patrol notified us, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), that a trailer had caused the radiation monitor to alarm at its checkpoint in Sierra Blanca, TX (approximately 90 miles east of El Paso on I-10). The individual pulling the trailer stated he was moving to Texas from California. The source of radiation was identified as being a Troxler moisture/density gauge. [The individual] stated that he had purchased the gauge as a tool for finding underground pipe at a swap-meet in Beaumont, CA, back in late August/early September of 2012 (he paid $125 or $150 for it). He stated he had not used the gauge he had only opened the case and looked at it and then put it in his storage shed where it remained until he packed up to move. The gauge was detained by one of our Agency [DSHS] inspectors and [the individual] willingly surrendered it. Gauge information: Troxler Model 3430 SN: 38217 It, and the case, are in very good condition. Based on isotope identification by Border Patrol and the DSHS inspector, it appears that the cesium-137 and the americium-241/beryllium sources are still in the gauge. Notified R4DO (Walker), Mexico, and FSME Event Resource via 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. |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Ninyo And Moore San Jacinto, California (NRC Region 4) | |
| License number: | 5073-30 |
| Organization: | California Radiation Control Prgm |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+13.72 h0.572 days <br />0.0817 weeks <br />0.0188 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Barbara Hamrick 16:13 Dec 29, 2006 |
| NRC Officer: | Pete Snyder |
| Last Updated: | Jan 30, 2013 |
| 43068 - NRC Website | |
Ninyo And Moore with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 557532022-02-20T08:00:00020 February 2022 08:00:00
[Table view]Agreement State Stolen Moisture Density Gauge ENS 526902017-04-17T07:00:00017 April 2017 07:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Damaged Troxler Gauge ENS 430682006-12-29T02:30:00029 December 2006 02:30:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Theft of a Troxler Moisture Density Gauge 2022-02-20T08:00:00 | |