Event Notification Report for December 15, 2007

TRITIUM AIMING POST LIGHTS MISSING

The Defense Distribution Center Defense Depot in Anniston, AL reported a shortage of 7 aiming post lights, each containing 9 Ci of tritium. The shortage was discovered during a shipment pick denial process. A physical inventory conducted at the time of denial confirmed that the lights were not at the designated storage location. The lights were last accounted for during a September, 2007 inventory. It was noted, however, that 88 Material Release Orders were processed for the lights on the same date that the inventory was conducted. No reported overages by receiving agencies were identified.

The Defense Depot will contact each recent recipient to determine quantities received in an attempt to reclaim the devices.

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.

* * * RETRACTION FROM DAVE MACK TO JOE O'HARA AT 1404 ON 1/17/08 * * *

The depot determined that they did not have a loss of 7 aiming post lights. A database error recorded 50 lights being received at the facility. However, after reviewing shipping documentation and packaging, the depot determined that they only received 43 lights, which resulted in a 7 light discrepancy.

The depot notified Region 2 (Parker).

Notified R1DO(Cobey) and FSME(McConnell)

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT INVOLVING IMPROPER DISPOSAL OF TRITIUM EXIT SIGNS

In December, 2007, the Regal Cinemas complex was sold and underwent renovation by a contracting company, PM Renovations. The contractor removed and disposed of fifty (50) general licensed tritium exits signs. The signs were manufactured by Best Lighting Products, Model # SLXTU1GB20, serial #'s 115741 through 115790. Each sign contained 11.47 Curies of tritium.

The State of Maine during an inspection on 03/11/08 noticed that the signs had been removed and is pursuing discussions with PM Renovations as to their final disposition. The signs may have been taken to one of two landfills located in Norridgewock, ME or Hampden, ME or incinerated. If the signs were disposed of in a landfill, the State will perform an assessment to determine potential impact on water supply.

* * * UPDATE FROM S. SEELEY TO P. SNYDER ON 3/27/08 AT 1443 * * *

The following information was received from the State of Maine via facsimile:

"The event is not yet closed by the State. We are still trying to locate the final resting place of the missing signs. We are also working with our Dept. of Environmental Protection for further action."

Additional information received by the State from PM Renovations suggests that the signs could have gone to the Juniper Ridge landfill facility in Old Town, ME.

Notified R1DO (Bellamy) and FSME (McConnell).

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.

This source is not amongst those sources or devices identified by the IAEA Code of Conduct for the Safety & Security of Radioactive Sources to be of concern from a radiological standpoint. Therefore is it being categorized as a less than Category 3 source.