Event Notification Report for July 16, 2018

RECOVERY OF A STOLEN TROXLER MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE

The following information was obtained from the state of California via email:

"On July 16, 2018, the California Office of Emergency Services (OES) contacted RHB [California Radiation Health Branch] to report the recovery of a stolen moisture density gauge. The gauge recovery was reported to OES by the San Jose Police Department. The service truck containing the moisture density gauge was stolen from a private residence sometime over the weekend, and was found by the San Jose Police Department during patrol early on July 16, with the gauge still chained to the bed of the truck. The San Jose Police Department cut the chain and stored the gauge at the station. The moisture density gauge is a CPN Model MC-1DR-P, S/N MD60508312, containing 10 mCi of Cs-137 and 50 mCi of Am-241. The gauge was collected by RHB and put in RHB storage on July 16. RHB will be following up with the licensee concerning adherence to regulatory and license requirements."

California report no.: 5010-071618

DAMAGED MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE

While performing measurements at a construction site in Big Rapids, MI, a Troxler Model 3430 was struck by a bulldozer while the source rod was extended. While attempting to retract the source, the 9 mCi Cs-137 source disconnected from the source rod. The RSO covered the source and established boundaries around the source.

The licensee contacted the NRC Operations Center to get authorization to transport the source back to their storage facility. Notified R3DO (Reimer) and R3DNMS (McCraw) and placed them on a conference call with the licensee. The licensee was authorized to transport the source, in a sand-filled bucket, back to their facility.

The Troxler serial number is 23659 and also contained a 44 mCi AmBe source. The AmBe source is in the shield.

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - POTENTIAL OVEREXPOSURE

The following information was received by the State of Texas:

"On 09/13/2018, the Agency [Texas Department of State Health Services] was notified by a licensee that an employee received a personnel dosimetry report of 16.0 rem for the second quarter of 2018. The employee had received a report of a 3.3 rem exposure for the previous quarter. The licensee suspects that someone tampered with the dosimeter. The employee works in the nuclear medicine department and always leaves the badge attached to the lab coat on the door to the hot lab. Other employees performing similar work only received minimal exposures. Due to the amount of the reported exposure, the agency will conduct an investigation on site."

Texas Incident: I-9613

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST TRITIUM EXIT SIGNS

The following is a synopsis of information received from the State of Colorado via email:

On 7/16/18, the Colorado Department of Health, Hazardous Materials and Waste Management, was informed by the licensee that, after performing a walk-down of their property, two of the three exit signs containing Tritium could not be located.

The event occurred in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The missing exit signs had an activity of 9.21 Ci Tritium each.

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