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Due to a lapse in appropriations, the NRC has ceased normal operations. However, excepted and exempted activities necessary to maintain critical health and safety functions—as well as essential progress on designated critical activities, including those specified in Executive Order 14300—will continue, consistent with the OMB-Approved NRC Lapse Plan.

Event Notification Report for March 24, 2016

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
03/23/2016 - 03/24/2016

** EVENT NUMBERS **


51791 51793 51794

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Agreement State Event Number: 51791
Rep Org: TEXAS DEPT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES
Licensee: GEOTEST ENGINEERING, INC.
Region: 4
City: HOUSTON State: TX
County:
License #: L02735
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: KAREN BLANCHARD
HQ OPS Officer: STEVEN VITTO 		Notification Date: 03/15/2016
Notification Time: 10:36 [ET]
Event Date: 03/15/2016
Event Time: [CDT]
Last Update Date: 03/15/2016
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
 Person (Organization):
GREG WARNICK (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICA (EMAI)
CNSNS (MEXICO) (FAX)
ILTAB (EMAI)

This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3 " level of radioactive material.

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE - STOLEN MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE

The following information was obtained from the State of Texas via email:

"On March 15, 2016, the licensee notified the Agency [Texas Department of State Health Services] that one of its technicians had stopped by an apartment complex on his way to a temporary job site and had left a Troxler model 3430 moisture/density gauge (SN: 63944) secured with 2 chains in the back of the company truck while he went inside an apartment. When he returned to his vehicle, he found that the chains had been cut, the transport case was on the ground near the vehicle, and the gauge had been removed. The licensee's radiation safety officer reported that the insertion rod on the gauge was locked and the technician had the key. The RSO notified local law enforcement and searched the immediate area. They will continue and expand their search for the gauge. The gauge contained a 40 milliCurie americium-241 source and an 8 milliCurie cesium-137 source. An investigation into this event is ongoing. Further information will be provided as it is obtained in accordance with SA-300."

Texas Incident #: I-9386

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

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Agreement State Event Number: 51793
Rep Org: FLORIDA BUREAU OF RADIATION CONTROL
Licensee: ECS-FLORIDA, LLC
Region: 1
City: TAMPA State: FL
County:
License #: 3440-3
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: MARK SEIDENSTICKER
HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH 		Notification Date: 03/15/2016
Notification Time: 19:43 [ET]
Event Date: 03/15/2016
Event Time: 07:25 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 03/15/2016
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
 Person (Organization):
JAMES NOGGLE (R1DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFIC (EMAI)

This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3 " level of radioactive material.

Event Text

FLORIDA AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE

The following information was obtained from the State of Florida via email:

"[A licensee] employee left the shop this morning at 7:25 a.m. [EDT] in a pick up truck. The soil moisture density gauge was locked but not chained and locked to bed of pick up truck. [The] employee drove about one mile to [the] job site and upon arrival realized the gauge was missing. Multiple employees retraced the route to try and find the gauge but could not find it. The RSO [Radiation Safety Officer] notified local law enforcement and fire department. The RSO noted the gauge is an InstroTek 1955 Explorer 3500, sources serial number is CZ6000; 267-14 and estimated current activity is 40 mCi of Am241 and 10 mCi of Cs137. Incident report from RSO to follow."

Florida Incident Number: FL16-040

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

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Agreement State Event Number: 51794
Rep Org: TEXAS DEPT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES
Licensee: COMMON CARRIER
Region: 4
City: LAPORTE State: TX
County:
License #:
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: IRENE CASARES
HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH 		Notification Date: 03/16/2016
Notification Time: 13:11 [ET]
Event Date: 03/16/2016
Event Time: [CDT]
Last Update Date: 03/16/2016
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
 Person (Organization):
GREG WARNICK (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFIC (EMAI)

Event Text

TEXAS AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - PACKAGE CONTAINING SOURCES LOST THEN FOUND

The following information was obtained from the State of Texas via email:

"The Agency [Texas Department of State Health Services] was notified by a manager for a common carrier of radioactive material that a package had fallen out of the transport vehicle. The package was found by a member of the public on a highway [when he] swerved to miss hitting the package. The person collected the package and called the number on the package. The number was to the manufacturer of the source. The radiation safety officer (RSO) for the company met the member of the public to collect the package. The RSO completed a survey of the package and performed leak testing. The container was a type B package containing two Ir-192 sources, SN29629G and 29630G, joint activity of 8,188.8Gbq (>100 curies each) with transport index of 1.2. The package outer shipping box was damaged although the type B container was in good condition and was not leaking. The sources are currently at the manufacturer's location in storage. The sources were enroute to the manufacturer's Baton Rouge location when the container fell out of the transport vehicle onto the freeway. The details of the time frame the member of the public had the package in their possession is being confirmed and details of the time the package was on the freeway is being acquired. Investigation into this event is ongoing and details will be provided in accordance with SA 300 guidelines."

Texas Incident No.: I-9387

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Thursday, March 25, 2021

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Thursday, March 25, 2021