Event Notification Report for May 02, 2006
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
05/01/2006 - 05/02/2006
EVENT NUMBERS
42545
General Information or Other
Event Number: 42545
Rep Org: ILLINOIS EMERGENCY MGMT. AGENCY
Licensee: ILLINOIS DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION
Region: 3
City: PEORIA State: IL
County:
License #: IL-01100-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: DAREN PERRERO
HQ OPS Officer: ARLON COSTA
Licensee: ILLINOIS DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION
Region: 3
City: PEORIA State: IL
County:
License #: IL-01100-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: DAREN PERRERO
HQ OPS Officer: ARLON COSTA
Notification Date: 05/02/2006
Notification Time: 16:09 [ET]
Event Date: 05/02/2006
Event Time: 00:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 05/30/2006
Notification Time: 16:09 [ET]
Event Date: 05/02/2006
Event Time: 00:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 05/30/2006
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
10 CFR Section:
Person (Organization):
RICHARD SKOKOWSKI (R3)
C.W. (BILL) REAMER (NMSS)
ILTAB (Email)
RICHARD SKOKOWSKI (R3)
C.W. (BILL) REAMER (NMSS)
ILTAB (Email)
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST OR STOLEN TROXLER GAUGE
The following information was received from the state via e-mail:
" [The licensee's] Radiation Safety Officer (RSO), Illinois Dept. of Transportation (Radioactive Material License No. IL-1100-01), called to report [to Illinois Emergency Mgmt. Agency] that a Troxler moisture density gauge, Model 3440, serial no.16550 [Cs-137 Source S/N 50-5822, 8 millicuries; Am-241/Be Source S/N 47-11975, 40 millicuries] was stolen from one of their vehicles assigned to their Edwards subsite (Peoria area). The open bed Dodge Ram truck was at a Peoria asphalt plant when the discovery was made. The user went to use the device this morning at the site and when he opened the back of his vehicle to remove the gauge, he noted the gauge was missing from the transport container although initial appearances suggested the container was still secure and intact. The transport container is bolted and padlocked to the bed of the vehicle. In addition the transport case has a locking hasp which is padlocked. This locking device was damaged and the gauging device subsequently removed. It is not known at this time when the device was actually stolen. It was last used on April 17, 2006. Peoria County Sheriffs personnel have been contacted as well as the Illinois State Police.
"[The RSO's] investigation this afternoon showed that no other tools or equipment had been taken from the vehicle although other items contained in the transport case were missing such as the reference block, and cleaning kit. The operator indicated that he could not consciously remember verifying the security of the transport container since the last time the gauge was used in April, only that it appeared to be locked. He was able to confirm that the handle of the gauge had been secured and padlocked following its last use."
Illinois Emergency Mgmt. Agency Item No: IL060020
* * * UPDATE AT 16:20 ON 5/30/2006 FROM D. PERRERO TO ABRAMOVITZ * * *
"On May 29, 2006 the Agency was contacted by the Peoria Fire Department (PFD). The PFD had responded to a request from the Peoria Police Department to investigate a moisture/density gauge which had been found by a member of the public in Kickapoo Creek. Upon investigation by the PFD, it was determined that the radiation levels from the device were as expected for an intact device with no shielding failure. The device was taken into custody and secured by the Peoria Police Department in a remote portion of their Police Property Division. The information on the identification plate on the device was used to positively determine ownership as the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). On Tuesday morning, the IDOT Radiation Safety Officer was contacted and advised of the situation. Arrangements were immediately made for him to personally go to Peoria to identify the gauge, inspect its condition and safely transport the gauge back to their Springfield, IL offices for further repair and evaluation. Upon his arrival he determined that the gauge handle was still locked in the safe position and there was no structural damage to the gauge. The gauge was field tested with negative results for contamination due to leakage. IDOT intends to have the gauge cleaned, serviced, calibrated and put back into service after replacement of the electrical components.
"Pending receipt of the final report from the IDOT RSO which details the correct action taken to prevent a recurrence, we are considering this matter closed."
Notified NMSS (Morell), R3DO (Kozak) and ILTAB (via E-mail).
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.
The following information was received from the state via e-mail:
" [The licensee's] Radiation Safety Officer (RSO), Illinois Dept. of Transportation (Radioactive Material License No. IL-1100-01), called to report [to Illinois Emergency Mgmt. Agency] that a Troxler moisture density gauge, Model 3440, serial no.16550 [Cs-137 Source S/N 50-5822, 8 millicuries; Am-241/Be Source S/N 47-11975, 40 millicuries] was stolen from one of their vehicles assigned to their Edwards subsite (Peoria area). The open bed Dodge Ram truck was at a Peoria asphalt plant when the discovery was made. The user went to use the device this morning at the site and when he opened the back of his vehicle to remove the gauge, he noted the gauge was missing from the transport container although initial appearances suggested the container was still secure and intact. The transport container is bolted and padlocked to the bed of the vehicle. In addition the transport case has a locking hasp which is padlocked. This locking device was damaged and the gauging device subsequently removed. It is not known at this time when the device was actually stolen. It was last used on April 17, 2006. Peoria County Sheriffs personnel have been contacted as well as the Illinois State Police.
"[The RSO's] investigation this afternoon showed that no other tools or equipment had been taken from the vehicle although other items contained in the transport case were missing such as the reference block, and cleaning kit. The operator indicated that he could not consciously remember verifying the security of the transport container since the last time the gauge was used in April, only that it appeared to be locked. He was able to confirm that the handle of the gauge had been secured and padlocked following its last use."
Illinois Emergency Mgmt. Agency Item No: IL060020
* * * UPDATE AT 16:20 ON 5/30/2006 FROM D. PERRERO TO ABRAMOVITZ * * *
"On May 29, 2006 the Agency was contacted by the Peoria Fire Department (PFD). The PFD had responded to a request from the Peoria Police Department to investigate a moisture/density gauge which had been found by a member of the public in Kickapoo Creek. Upon investigation by the PFD, it was determined that the radiation levels from the device were as expected for an intact device with no shielding failure. The device was taken into custody and secured by the Peoria Police Department in a remote portion of their Police Property Division. The information on the identification plate on the device was used to positively determine ownership as the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). On Tuesday morning, the IDOT Radiation Safety Officer was contacted and advised of the situation. Arrangements were immediately made for him to personally go to Peoria to identify the gauge, inspect its condition and safely transport the gauge back to their Springfield, IL offices for further repair and evaluation. Upon his arrival he determined that the gauge handle was still locked in the safe position and there was no structural damage to the gauge. The gauge was field tested with negative results for contamination due to leakage. IDOT intends to have the gauge cleaned, serviced, calibrated and put back into service after replacement of the electrical components.
"Pending receipt of the final report from the IDOT RSO which details the correct action taken to prevent a recurrence, we are considering this matter closed."
Notified NMSS (Morell), R3DO (Kozak) and ILTAB (via E-mail).
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.