Event Notification Report for June 23, 2006

LOSS OF TWO AMERICIUM-241 DETECTOR SOURCES

A representative for the Air Force Master Material License reported that two Americium-241 sources (SSDR NR-1129-D0102-S; Model M43A1) each with a curie content of less than 300 microCuries (less than 600 microCuries total) were determined to be missing from a storage location at the Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida. The sources are used in Chemical Agent Detectors. The date of last confirmed inventory of the sources was December of 2005. The RSO at Tyndall AFB recently changed and a new inventory was conducted at which time the sources were determined to be unaccounted for. The licensee states that there is information that indicates the sources have been transferred to another AFB but that this has not yet been confirmed. Investigation into the current location of the sources is still in progress.


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

SOUTH CAROLINA AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - DAMAGED MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE

The State provided the following information via facsimile:

"The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control was notified on Friday, June 23, 2006, at 4:05 p.m. that a Troxler Model 3440 portable moisture density gauge had been damaged on a job site at the Anderson County Airport. F&R Construction [name deleted], made the report. The gauge was reportedly run over by a roller on the job site. [F&R Construction] responded to the notice, as did an Anderson County HazMat team. Both [F&R Construction] and the HazMat team had survey meters in their possession. Following survey of the damaged gauge, the source could be retracted into its housing and the source shield was closed. A survey of the exterior of the gauge showed no readings above 10 mR/hr and a survey of the area the gauge had been used in produced background readings. Anderson County HAZMAT Team [name deleted] took a wipe of the bottom of the gauge. It produced no reading above background. The gauge was placed in its case and then inside an over pack container. The Licensee was then instructed by DHEC BRH to transport the gauge to their storage location and secure it until Monday. DHEC BRH was kept updated throughout this entire time via cell phone communication with both [F&R Construction] and [Anderson County HazMat team].

"A follow-up phone call made to [F&R Construction] on Monday, June 26, 2006, confirmed that the gauge was secured and awaiting transport on Tuesday to the manufacturer or a licensed service provider to attempt repair. The licensee was advised to submit a written report detailing this event to the Department within 15 days. All corrective action to prevent such an incident in the future was requested to be included. No indication of internal uptake at this point. The event is considered closed and pending the licensee's investigation and report to the Department, updates will be made through the national NMED system."

South Carolina Event Report # SC060008