The following information was obtained from the State of
Mississippi via email:
On May 24, 2010 around 2:00 a.m. [CDT], a Portable Moisture Density gauge was run over by an asphalt roller. The casing of the gauge was damaged. DRH [Mississippi Division of Radiation Health] was notified and supplied with the following measures of radiation, 22 mR/hr at the surface of the damaged gauge and 0.75 mR/hr at approx. 3 feet from the gauge. DRH [was] informed that the gauge could be safely placed in a sealable carrying case. It was determined that the Cs-137 source was not returning to its fully shielded position. A DRH official went to the site the next morning with a small lead pig. The source holder was extended a few inches in order to tape the pig on the rod's end. The damaged gauge was then taken to MDOT [Mississippi Dept. of Transportation] storage site and a leak test was performed. The wipes were analyzed by the MSDH [Mississippi State Department of Health] Radiological Health Lab. The measured activity was well below the regulatory upper limit of .005 microCuries. Wipe analysis was received 5/26/2010.
Isotope(s): Cs-137, 8 mCi and Am-241:Be, 44 mCi.
Report No: MS-10004