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Event Notification Report for October 15, 2019

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center

Event Reports For
10/14/2019 - 10/15/2019

** EVENT NUMBERS **


5394954310543145431554316


Agreement State Event Number: 53949
Rep Org: TEXAS DEPT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES
Licensee: COVESTRO LLC
Region: 4
City: BAYTOWN   State: TX
County:
License #: L01577
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: KAREN BLANCHARD
HQ OPS Officer: MARK ABRAMOVITZ 		Notification Date: 03/21/2019
Notification Time: 11:14 [ET]
Event Date: 03/20/2019
Event Time: 00:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 10/14/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
NEIL O'KEEFE (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)

Event Text



EN Revision Imported Date : 10/15/2019

EN Revision Text: AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - FIXED GAUGE STUCK SHUTTER

The following report was received from the state of Texas via e-mail:

"On March 21, 2019, the licensee notified the Agency [Texas Department of State Health Services] that during routine shutter checks on March 20, 2019, it had discovered that the shutter on one of the Ronan Model SA-1 gauges (SN: M-3824) was stuck in the open position. Open is the normal operating position for this gauge. The gauge contains a cesium-137 source with a calculated current activity of 10 milliCuries. Due to the location of the gauge, there is no increased risk of exposure. The licensee plans to replace the gauge."

Texas Incident #9667

* * * UPDATE AT 1518 EDT ON 10/14/19 FROM MATTHEW KENNINGTON TO JEFF HERRERA * * *

The following update was received from the Texas Department of State Health Services via email:

"Licensee contacted the Agency on October 9, 2019, to report that the vendor was successfully able to close the stuck shutter and the old source is being packaged and prepared for disposal. The gauge was replaced with a Vega SHLD-1. File is closed."

Notified the R4DO (Kellar) and NMSS Events (via email).


Non-Agreement State Event Number: 54310
Rep Org: ALT & WITZIG ENGINEERING
Licensee: ALT & WITZIG ENGINEERING
Region: 3
City: CARMEL   State: IN
County:
License #: 13-18685-1
Agreement: N
Docket:
NRC Notified By: MARK HERBER
HQ OPS Officer: CATY NOLAN 		Notification Date: 10/04/2019
Notification Time: 15:57 [ET]
Event Date: 10/03/2019
Event Time: 19:00 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 10/04/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
20.2201(a)(1)(i) - LOST/STOLEN LNM>1000X
Person (Organization):
HIRONORI PETERSON (R3DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
ILTAB (EMAIL)
This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material.

Event Text

STOLEN AND RECOVERED NUCLEAR DENSITY GAUGE

The following is a synopsis of information received via phone:

On October 3, 2019, at approximately 1900 EDT, a CPN nuclear density gauge containing 10 mCi of Cs-137 and 50 mCi of Am-241 was discovered to be stolen when the person in possession of the gauge found the storage box on his truck open and the gauge not inside. Local law enforcement was notified and subsequently recovered the gauge on October 4, 2019 at 0800 EDT. The gauge did not appear to be damaged and the lock was still intact. The gauge is now in the possession of the licensee.

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


Non-Agreement State Event Number: 54314
Rep Org: PAVEMENT INSPECTION TECHNOLOGIES
Licensee: PAVEMENT INSPECTION TECHNOLOGIES
Region: 1
City: BRIDGEPORT   State: CT
County:
License #: 06-35542-01
Agreement: N
Docket:
NRC Notified By: CHRISTOPHER GENDUSO
HQ OPS Officer: JEFF HERRERA 		Notification Date: 10/06/2019
Notification Time: 19:21 [ET]
Event Date: 10/06/2019
Event Time: 00:00 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 10/07/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
20.2201(a)(1)(i) - LOST/STOLEN LNM>1000X
Person (Organization):
ANNE DeFRANCISCO (R1DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
ILTAB (EMAIL)
This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material.

Event Text

STOLEN NUCLEAR DENSITY GAUGE FROM TRUCK

The following report is a summary of the information received via phone call:

On 10/6/19, the radiation safety officer (RSO) noticed that one of the company vehicles appeared to have been broken into and the windows were smashed. The RSO conducted an inventory of the density gauges and determined that one of them was missing. The RSO then contacted local law enforcement (LLEA) and reported the incident. LLEA arrived on site at approximately 1640 EDT to obtain the incident information. The incident is still under investigation.

The gauge information is as follows:
Manufacturer: Humboldt
Model: 5001
Serial Number: 2529
Source Quantity/Activity:
Am-241/Be - 50 milliCuries
Cs-137 - 10 milliCuries.

* * * UPDATED ON 10/7/19 AT 1404 EDT FROM CHRIS GENDUSO TO KERBY SCALES * * *

The Pavement Inspection Technologies RSO reported that the gauge was recovered intact.

Notified R1DO (Dentel), ILTAB and NMSS Events (email).

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


Agreement State Event Number: 54315
Rep Org: MARYLAND DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Licensee: ENGINEERING CONSULTING SERVICES MID-ATLANTIC
Region: 1
City: HANOVER   State: MD
County: ANNE ARUNDEL
License #: MD-03-092-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: ALAN GOLDEY
HQ OPS Officer: KERBY SCALES 		Notification Date: 10/07/2019
Notification Time: 15:07 [ET]
Event Date: 10/01/2019
Event Time: 12:00 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 10/07/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
GLENN DENTEL (R1DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
ILTAB (EMAIL)
This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material.

Event Text

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - MISSING / RECOVERED PORTABLE DENSITY GAUGE

The following was received from the Maryland Radiological Health Program via phone and email:

"On October 2, 2019, at 0825 EDT, the Maryland Department of the Environment Radiological Health Program (MDE-RHP) was contacted via telephone by the Vice President and Office Manager of Engineering Consulting Services Mid-Atlantic, LLC (ECS), Maryland license number MD-03-092-01, that a portable density gauge was missing. The gauge was identified as a Troxler model 3430, S/N 34485, with nominal activities of 10 mCi Cs-137 and 40 mCi Am-241/Be. The last leak test was performed on July 23, 2019.

"On October 1, 2019, at approximately 1200 EDT, ECS management started to track down the location of the portable density gauge as an internal audit revealed that this gauge was not signed out by the user. Later that afternoon, the gauge user was found at home by ECS management. The user then revealed that his vehicle was in a minor accident in Hanover, MD and the Anne Arundel County police impounded his vehicle with the gauge locked in the trunk. Multiple attempts were made to recover the portable gauge after hours on October 1, 2019 from the impoundment lot but without success. The gauge remained secured in the trunk of the vehicle while within the fenced and secured impoundment lot overnight. The Radiation Safety Officer from ECS recovered the portable density gauge at 0855 hours EDT on October 2, 2019. The gauge was found intact and returned to ECS storage.

"MDE/RHP will conduct a reactive investigation."

Notified R1DO (Dentel), ILTAB and NMSS (email)

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


Agreement State Event Number: 54316
Rep Org: TEXAS DEPT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES
Licensee: ASSOCIATED TESTING LABORATORIES, INC
Region: 4
City: HOUSTON   State: TX
County:
License #: L01553
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: KAREN BLANCHARD
HQ OPS Officer: HOWIE CROUCH 		Notification Date: 10/07/2019
Notification Time: 19:06 [ET]
Event Date: 10/07/2019
Event Time: 00:00 [CDT]
Last Update Date: 10/08/2019
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
RAY KELLAR (R4DO)
ILTAB (EMAIL)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFICATION (EMAIL)
- CNSNS (MEXICO) (EMAIL)
This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material.

Event Text

TEXAS AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STOLEN MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE

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

"On October 7, 2019, the licensee notified the Agency [Texas Department of State Health Services] that one of its Troxler model 3411-B moisture density gauges, containing 40 milliCuries of americium-241/beryllium and 8 milliCuries of cesium-137, had been secured inside the bed of a technician's pickup truck at a temporary job site when the truck was stolen. The technician had driven over to and gone into a port-a-can. There were other jobsite workers in the area. When the technician came back outside, the other workers told him his pickup was being driven away - they had not realized he was not driving it until they saw him. They attempted to follow the vehicle but were unsuccessful in locating it. The local police department was notified but have not yet arrived on the scene. The licensee reported that per the technician, insertion rod on the gauge was locked, the transport case was locked and was secured with two chains to the bed of the truck, and the tailgate was locked. The licensee stated it does not appear that an exposure could result to persons in unrestricted areas. The licensee and technician are attempting to collect information from persons who were in the area. More information will be provided as it is obtained in accordance with SA-300.

"Gauge: Troxler Model 3411-B, SN: 8489

"Sources: Americium-241/Beryllium, 40 milliCuries, SN: 47-4872, Cesium-137, 8 milliCuries, SN: 40-5728"

Texas Incident No.: 9719

* * * UPDATED ON 10/8/19 AT 1214 EDT FROM KAREN BLANCHARD TO KERBY SCALES * * *

The following update was received from Texas Department of State Health Services via email:

"The licensee has notified the Agency that the vehicle and gauge were recovered by the local police at approximately 2230 CDT on October 7, 2019. The gauge was still fully secured in the vehicle as it had been when the vehicle was taken. More information will be provided as it is obtained in accordance with SA-300."

Notified R4DO (Keller), ILTAB, NMSS Events, and CSNS Mexico (email).

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