Event Notification Report for April 11, 2014

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STUCK SHUTTER

The following information was received from the State of Texas by email:

"On March 14, 2014, the Agency [Texas Department of State Health Services] received a call from the radiation safety officer (RSO) of a licensee. The RSO stated that during an instrument check on Friday, April 11, 2014, technicians found two line level indicators with stuck shutters. The open position is the normal operating position for these types of instruments. The technicians stated there was no apparent damage to the rod or the shutter mechanisms. The level indicators are located on the sides of a very tall product receiver bin containing polyethylene resin. There were no exposures and employees are not routinely around these sources. The instruments contained Cesium-137 at 5000 milliCuries each. The level indicators are tagged as inoperable and a service company has been contacted to inspect and repair the instruments. Further information will be entered in accordance with SA300."

* * * UPDATE FROM IRENE CASARES TO VINCE KLCO VIA EMAIL ON 4/15/2014 AT 1235 EDT * * *

"The first line of the initial report contained the wrong report date. The first line should have read: On April 14, 2014, the Agency received a call from the radiation safety officer (RSO) of a licensee. Additional information: The gauges are Ohmart model SHLM-BR-4 gauges. The sources are in the out position, but the licensee's RSO stated there has not been any additional exposure to radiation to any individual due to this event. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA300."

Notified the R4DO (Gaddy) and FSME Resources via email.

* * * UPDATE FROM IRENE CASARES TO VINCE KLCO VIA EMAIL ON 4/15/2014 AT 1604 EDT * * *

"On April 15, 2014, the Agency was contacted by the licensee and informed they were able to retract the source and fully close the shutter placing the source in the fully shielded position. Additional information will be provided as it is received in accordance with SA-300."

Notified the R4DO (Gaddy) and FSME Resources via email.

Texas Incident: I-9182

MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE LOST DURING SHIPMENT

The licensee shipped a moisture density gauge to a customer in Billings, Montana. However, the customer notified the licensee that the package had not arrived.

The licensee contacted the common carrier. The common carrier was able to confirm that they had weighed the package at their facility in Salt Lake City, Utah on 4/5/14 and it was scanned at that same facility on 4/9/14. The common carrier said that the normal routing for the package is through the Denver, Colorado office. A search of that facility did not find the package.

The moisture density gauge is a Troxler Model 3440 containing 8 mCi of Cs-137 and 40 mCi of Am/Be as of 2004.

* * * UPDATE FROM MONTE POPE TO DANIEL MILLS ON 4/17/2014 AT 1318 EDT * * *

The licensee notified NRC that the moisture density gauge was found by the common carrier at the Denver, Colorado office. The gauge was found undamaged, and indications are that the gauge never left the Denver office. The common carrier delivered the gauge to the correct address on 4/17/14.

Notified R4DO (Gaddy), FSME (Email), and Canada (Fax).

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

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - MISSING/LOST PORTABLE GAUGE

The following was received from the State of Colorado via email:

"The State of Colorado needs to report a missing/lost portable gauge. The licensee is AG Wassenaar, Inc. (Colorado license number CO 212-01). The gauge is a Troxler model 3430, serial number 36856 with 333 MBq (9 mCi) of Cs-137 and 1.63 GBq (44 mCi) Am-241:Be.

"The technician who was using the gauge was working at one job site and then drove to a 2nd job site. The technician cannot remember if he placed the portable gauge in the transportation box or not, and whether or not the gauge was secured for transport appropriately. When the technician arrived at the 2nd job site at approximately 1430 MDT on 4/11/14, he noticed that the gauge was missing. The technician and radiation safety officer have traveled the area between the two job sites and were not able to locate the missing gauge. The licensee reported the missing gauge at approximately 1750 MDT on 4/11/14.

"The investigation by the licensee and the Department [State of Colorado] is ongoing."

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