ENS 48242
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
05:00 Aug 28, 2012 | |
| Title | Agreement State Report - Damaged Troxler Gauge |
| Event Description | The following report was obtained from the Arkansas Radioactive Materials Program via e-mail:
On August 27, 2012, the Radiation Control Program of Arkansas received notification from the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management that a tractor trailer had run over a nuclear gauge at the 192 mile marker on Interstate 40 near Hazen, Arkansas. The driver of a Motorists Assist Truck familiar with moisture density gauges identified the gauge parts on the side of the highway. The gauge had been struck by a vehicle and broken up. The driver reported the presence of the gauge parts to his construction company Project Manager who in turn notified Highway Police. At 1914 the west bound lane of Interstate 40 was closed and remained closed until 2155. The Highway Police asked for assistance from the Radiation Safety Officer of the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) who drove to the scene. The 44 millicurie, Americium-241:Beryllium source was still contained within the original threaded cavity with the Caution-Radioactive Material label covering it. The base of the gauge was broken to the point that only the threaded cavity and surrounding lead remained. The 9 millicurie, Cesium-137 source remained attached to the source rod and inside the original shielding. The shielding was sheared off just above the tungsten sliding block (shutter). The AHTD Radiation Safety Officer, upon arrival, secured the Americium-241:Beryllium source in a polyethylene box brought to the scene. The Cesium-137 source was removed from the gauge shielding by the AHTD RSO and this source was placed in a lead shield brought to the scene. Two Health Physicists from the Arkansas Radiation Control Program were also dispatched and upon arrival took wipes of both sources. These smears were field counted utilizing a Ludlum-2241 and Ludlum 44-9 pancake probe. No loose contamination was found. All potential serial numbers were recorded and the sources were transferred to the Radiation Control Program by the AHTD RSO. The Health Physicists transported the sources to a secure storage area at the State Health Department. On Tuesday morning, Troxler identified the owner of the gauge by the serial number. The gauge is a Model 3430, Serial Number 21024. The gauge is owned by Anderson Engineering of Little Rock, Arkansas. Arkansas Radioactive Material License Number ARK-0519-03121. It appears that an Anderson Engineering technician had been working at a construction job site in De Valls Bluff, Arkansas. On Monday evening, he left this job site and returned to the Anderson Engineering Little Rock Office. The gauge was left unsecured in the back of the pickup. On Interstate 40 West at mile marker 192, the gauge fell out of the pickup bed, where it was struck by at least one vehicle. Upon arrival at the Anderson Engineering offices, the technician removed the Troxler Gauge Storage Box from the pickup bed and noted that it was empty. The technician believed that he had left the gauge at the job site. On the morning of August 28, 2012, he returned to the jobsite to search for the gauge. On Tuesday, August 28, 2012, the Radiation Safety Officer was contacted and retrieved the two sources from the Arkansas Department of Health and secured these in the Anderson Engineering permanent storage area. The Arkansas Radiation Control Program has assigned Incident Number AR-2012-006 and is continuing to investigate.
The following was received from the State of Arkansas via email: The sources were disposed of through the manufacturer on 2/22/2013. The Department [Arkansas Department of Health] considers this event to be closed. Notified R4DO (Haire) and FSME Event Resource via email. |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Anderson Engineering Little Rock, Arkansas (NRC Region 4) | |
| License number: | ARK-0519-0312 |
| Organization: | Arkansas Department Of Health |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+12.45 h0.519 days <br />0.0741 weeks <br />0.0171 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Steve Mack 17:27 Aug 28, 2012 |
| NRC Officer: | Bill Huffman |
| Last Updated: | May 3, 2013 |
| 48242 - NRC Website | |
Anderson Engineering with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 482422012-08-28T05:00:00028 August 2012 05:00:00
[Table view]Agreement State Agreement State Report - Damaged Troxler Gauge 2012-08-28T05:00:00 | |