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Home NRC Library Document Collections Events, Reports Associated with Event Notification Reports 2019

Event Notification Report for May 29, 2019

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
5/28/2019 - 5/29/2019

** EVENT NUMBERS **


54074


Non-Agreement State Event Number: 54074
Rep Org: WIGHTMAN AND ASSOCIATES
Licensee: WIGHTMAN AND ASSOCIATES
Region: 3
City: EDWARDSBURG   State: MI
County:
License #: 21-20020-01
Agreement: N
Docket:
NRC Notified By: BRYAN STYBURSKI
HQ OPS Officer: THOMAS KENDZIA 		Notification Date: 05/21/2019
Notification Time: 14:05 [ET]
Event Date: 04/25/2019
Event Time: 15:30 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 05/22/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
20.2201(a)(1)(i) - LOST/STOLEN LNM>1000X
Person (Organization):
JAMNES CAMERON (R3DO)
ILTAB (EMAIL)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
CNSC (CANADA) (EMAIL)
This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material.

Event Text

SOURCE LOST FROM TROXLER DENSITY GAUGE DURING USE

The following is a summary of a phone call with the licensee:

On April 25, 2019, the licensee was using a Troxler Model 3440 density gauge, serial number 24233, with (per Troxler literature) an 8 mCi Cs-137 and a 40 mCi Am-241/Be source, on a project. The technician using the gauge noted the gauge was giving different than expected readings and stopped using the gauge. The gauge was taken to a repair facility to be checked out. On May 21, 2019, the repair facility notified the licensee that the source was found to be missing on May 20, 2019, at approximately 1700 EDT.

The licensee has notified NRC Region 3 Inspector (Gattone), the State of Michigan, and the Berrin County Police. The licensee and Berrin County HazMat are trying to locate the source. Region 3 Inspector (Sulaiman) is headed to the site.

* * * UPDATE ON 05/22/2019 AT 1135 FROM BOB GATTONE (NRC) TO JEFFREY WHITED * * *

The NRC Region 3 Inspector (Gattone) requested that the licensee provide a certificate for the Cs-137 source that was lost. After receiving the certificate, it was determined that the current source activity is 4.5 mCi.

Notified R3DO (Cameron), ILTAB, NMSS Event Notification, CNSC, and NRC Region 3 Inspectors Gattone and Sulaiman via e-mail.

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

Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, March 24, 2021