Event Notification Report for November 12, 2006
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
11/11/2006 - 11/12/2006
EVENT NUMBERS
42988
General Information or Other
Event Number: 42988
Rep Org: ALABAMA RADIATION CONTROL
Licensee: BUILDING & EARTH SCIENCES, INC.
Region: 1
City: ALBERTVILLE State: AL
County:
License #: 1266
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: DAVID A. TURBERVILLE
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN MacKINNON
Licensee: BUILDING & EARTH SCIENCES, INC.
Region: 1
City: ALBERTVILLE State: AL
County:
License #: 1266
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: DAVID A. TURBERVILLE
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN MacKINNON
Notification Date: 11/13/2006
Notification Time: 16:03 [ET]
Event Date: 11/12/2006
Event Time: 12:45 [CST]
Last Update Date: 11/17/2006
Notification Time: 16:03 [ET]
Event Date: 11/12/2006
Event Time: 12:45 [CST]
Last Update Date: 11/17/2006
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
10 CFR Section:
Person (Organization):
PAMELA HENDERSON (R1)
DUNCAN WHITE (R1)
GREG MORELL (NMSS)
ILTAB (NSIR)
PAMELA HENDERSON (R1)
DUNCAN WHITE (R1)
GREG MORELL (NMSS)
ILTAB (NSIR)
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT FROM ALABAMA - STOLEN TROXLER MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE
Information was received via facsimile
"SUBJECT: Stolen Gauge Containing Radioactive Material - Alabama Event 06-46
"On the morning of November 13, 2006 at 8:00 am, (deleted) of Building and Earth Sciences, Inc. notified the Alabama Office of Radiation Control Duty Officer that a Troxler Model 3430 moisture density gauge was stolen from the back of pickup truck that was parked at a commercial storage location in Albertville, Alabama. Building and Earth Sciences, Inc. is authorized to possess and use radioactive material under their Alabama Radioactive Material License No. 1266. Preliminary information indicates that the gauge was discovered stolen approximately 1:30 pm on the afternoon of November 12, 2006. (Deleted) indicated that the Albertville Police Department had been notified and responded to the incident. The gauge was believed stolen sometime between 12:45 pm and 1:30 pm on November 12, 2006. The stolen gauge was identified as a Troxler model 3430, serial number 37367 with 8 millicuries of Cs-137, and 40 millicuries of Am-241:Be. (Deleted) indicated that a number of other items were stolen from the victim including three motorcycles and an air compressor.
"This information is current as of 3:00 pm CDT - November 13, 2006."
* * * UPDATE PROVIDED BY ALABAMA (TURBERVILLE) TO KOZAL VIA FAX ON 11/17/06 AT 0848 * * *
"On the morning of November 16, 2006, [Deleted] of Building and Earth Sciences,. Inc, notified the Alabama Office of Radiation Control that the Albertville Police Department had found the Troxler model 3430 moisture density gauge that was stolen from the licensee on November 12, 2006. Building and Earth Sciences, Inc is authorized to possess and use radioactive material under their Alabama Radioactive Material License No. 1266. The police department was given as anonymous tip and found the device in its transport container located in an abandoned lot in Albertville, Alabama. [Deleted] surveyed the device and found radiation levels were acceptable. An inspection of the device confirmed that this was the device stolen from the licensee on November 12, 2006. It was noted that someone had poured bleach on the unit. This appeared to be the only damage to the unit. [Deleted] took possession of the unit and was advised to perform a leak test of the unit before placing it back in service."
Notified R1DO (Henderson), NMSS EO (Camper), R1 (White) via-email and ILTAB (Sandler) 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.
Information was received via facsimile
"SUBJECT: Stolen Gauge Containing Radioactive Material - Alabama Event 06-46
"On the morning of November 13, 2006 at 8:00 am, (deleted) of Building and Earth Sciences, Inc. notified the Alabama Office of Radiation Control Duty Officer that a Troxler Model 3430 moisture density gauge was stolen from the back of pickup truck that was parked at a commercial storage location in Albertville, Alabama. Building and Earth Sciences, Inc. is authorized to possess and use radioactive material under their Alabama Radioactive Material License No. 1266. Preliminary information indicates that the gauge was discovered stolen approximately 1:30 pm on the afternoon of November 12, 2006. (Deleted) indicated that the Albertville Police Department had been notified and responded to the incident. The gauge was believed stolen sometime between 12:45 pm and 1:30 pm on November 12, 2006. The stolen gauge was identified as a Troxler model 3430, serial number 37367 with 8 millicuries of Cs-137, and 40 millicuries of Am-241:Be. (Deleted) indicated that a number of other items were stolen from the victim including three motorcycles and an air compressor.
"This information is current as of 3:00 pm CDT - November 13, 2006."
* * * UPDATE PROVIDED BY ALABAMA (TURBERVILLE) TO KOZAL VIA FAX ON 11/17/06 AT 0848 * * *
"On the morning of November 16, 2006, [Deleted] of Building and Earth Sciences,. Inc, notified the Alabama Office of Radiation Control that the Albertville Police Department had found the Troxler model 3430 moisture density gauge that was stolen from the licensee on November 12, 2006. Building and Earth Sciences, Inc is authorized to possess and use radioactive material under their Alabama Radioactive Material License No. 1266. The police department was given as anonymous tip and found the device in its transport container located in an abandoned lot in Albertville, Alabama. [Deleted] surveyed the device and found radiation levels were acceptable. An inspection of the device confirmed that this was the device stolen from the licensee on November 12, 2006. It was noted that someone had poured bleach on the unit. This appeared to be the only damage to the unit. [Deleted] took possession of the unit and was advised to perform a leak test of the unit before placing it back in service."
Notified R1DO (Henderson), NMSS EO (Camper), R1 (White) via-email and ILTAB (Sandler) 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.