Event Notification Report for September 05, 2019
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Event Reports For ** EVENT NUMBERS ** |
| 54243 |
| Agreement State | Event Number: 54243 |
| Rep Org: OR DEPT OF HEALTH RAD PROTECTION Licensee: Region: 4 City: HERMISTON State: OR County: License #: Agreement: Y Docket: NRC Notified By: DARYL LEON HQ OPS Officer: RICHARD SMITH | Notification Date: 08/28/2019 Notification Time: 16:35 [ET] Event Date: 08/28/2019 Event Time: 11:02 [PDT] Last Update Date: 08/28/2019 |
| Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE | Person (Organization): RAY AZUA (R4DO) NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL) |
| This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material. |
Event Text
| AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE FOUND IN SCRAP YARD The following is a summary of information received from the State of Oregon via phone call: On August 28, 2019, at 1102 PDT, the Oregon Department of Health and Radiation Protection received a report from the R.S. Davis Scrap Yard, that a moisture density gauge was found in a 55 gallon drum that was crimped at the top so the gauge will not fall out. The gauge is a CPN MC-3 Porta Probe with a 10 mCi Cs-137 source and a 50 mCi Am/Be 241 source. The scrap yard employed a contractor to take radiation readings and perform a swipe test of the gauge. The gauge housing appears to be damaged but the source housing seems intact. The contractor was unable to inspect the bottom of the gauge inside the drum. The following was measured: A reading of 13 mR/hr on contact at the side A reading of 200 mR/hr on contact at the bottom A reading of 3 mR/hr one foot from the side Swipe Test results were less than background The State of Oregon Radiation Inspector believes the gauge is damaged because normal radiation readings for a similar gauge at one meter would be 0.4 mR/hr. The State of Oregon will be conducting an investigation of this event. The gauge is currently under the control of the scrap yard. Oregon Event Reference Number: 19-0037. 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
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Wednesday, March 24, 2021