LOSS AND DISCOVERY OF TRITIUM (H-3) SOURCES
"This report is for an item on U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) License Number 21-32838-01, Docket Number 030-38500. A 30-day report will be sent to NRC Region III in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 10, Part 20.2201.
"On 17 September, at approximately 0855 EDT, the Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC) received a phone notification from one of their Installation Safety Managers concerning a possible radioactive device found inside a dumpster at an off base construction development site in Stafford County, VA. MCCDC Safety Personnel inspected the device and did not discover any breaches nor cracks of the large tritium vial. The device contained a tag with the radioactive symbol and the statement 'IF FOUND RETURN TO NEAREST MILITARY ACTIVITY.' The device was recovered and transported to the low-level radioactive waste storage locker on the Quantico Marine Corps Base.
"Item Name: COLLIMATOR, INFINITY AIMING REFER Nomenclature: COLLIMATOR INF A M1A1 National Stock Code: 1240-00-332-1780 Model: 10556235 Serial Number: 1504 Radionuclide: Tritium (H3) Activity: 10 Curies
"The Department of the Navy, Naval Sea Systems Command Detachment, Radiological Affairs Support Office, contacted the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) Safety Office via telephone on 1 October 2019. The TACOM Radiation Safety Program Manager notified NRC Region III Senior Health Physicist (Piskura) to verify if this item was reported as lost. She could not verify if the item was previously reported as lost and informed TACOM on 2 October 2019 to notify the NRC Operations Center. Additional information will be provided in the 30-day report."
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 |