AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - FOUND NUCLEAR GAUGE IN SCRAP YARD
The following was received by email from the state of Ohio:
"The Bureau received a call on June 15 to report that a company working under reciprocity, Chase Environmental [license number 00004KY2001, Louisville, KY], had discovered a gauging device containing a Cs-137 source at the Cohen Brothers scrap yard in Middletown, Ohio. Chase Environmental packaged the gauge and took possession of the gauge for ultimate disposal.
"The shutter on the gauge appeared to be stuck open or non-existent. Dose rates of 407 mR/hr on contact with the area where the shutter should be, and 23.5 mR/hr at 1 foot were measured. No loose contamination was detected. No scrap yard personnel were exposed. The Cs-137 source is estimated at 6 mCi. No identifying information was visible on the gauge.
"A representative of the scrap yard said that they were cleaning up a section of the yard and a load of dirt with the gauge alarmed their radiation monitors on the way out. He said that this device could have been there for 10+ years. The origin of the gauge is unknown.
"The Bureau performed a survey of the scrap yard on June 16 with no other radioactive material detected."
Ohio Item Number: OH200003
Ohio Reference Number: OH 2020-024
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. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf |