AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - MISSING RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
The State provided the following information via email:
"Date of Event: March 8, 2005 (reported to DOH December 1, 2005)
Location of Event: Pacific, Washington
"In a phone call made Thursday, December 1, by DOH staff to set up a time to meet with a licensee for a routine inspection, we were informed that a part of the licensed material they store had been stolen. The material stolen was 2,719 pounds magnesium metal plate that contained 2 and 3 percent Thorium-232. The plate thickness varied between 1.125 inches to 2.25 inches, with most measuring 1.25 inches. The plate dimensions varied. The longest and most numerous pieces were 72 inches long. The width varied from 3.38 inches to 65 inches with most measuring 8.25 inches. The largest plate weighed 590 pounds with three plates weighing around 250 pounds. Most pieces weighed 50 pounds. This is approximately one third of the licensee's inventory of this material. The size of the material left behind was larger than that taken and could be the reason the entire inventory was not stolen.
"Bolt cutters were used to cut off the locks to the storage building where the plate was stored. The material was loaded onto trucks and driven off the premises.
"The theft was reported to the local police when the theft was discovered by the licensee. The police report number of 05378 was given to this case. An insurance claim has also been filed. The licensee replaced the locks in a manner that will prevent them from being cut through again. Each door has two locks for a total of four locks.
"No media notified.
"Isotope and Activity involved:
Thorium-232, activity less than 6 millicuries. Activity was calculated based on the entire weight of 3% thorium alloy.
"Overexposures? (number of workers/members of the public; dose estimate; body part receiving dose; consequence): Not known.
Lost, Stolen or Damaged? (mfg., model, serial number): Stolen.
Disposition/recovery: There has been no recovery to date.
Leak test? N/A
Vehicle: (description; placards; Shipper; package type; Pkg. ID number) N/A
Release of activity? Not known.
Activity and pharmaceutical compound intended: N/A
Misadministered activity and/or compound received: N/A
Device (HDR, etc.) Mfg., Model; computer program: N/A
Exposure (intended/actual); consequences: N/A"
Washington Event Report # WA-05-070
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. |