Event Notification Report for November 24, 2020

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOSS TRITIUM EXIT SIGNS

The following information was received from the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Agency) via email:

"On November 24, 2020, the Agency was contacted by the radiation safety officer (RSO) of a Texas licensee reporting that two self-luminescent tritium exit signs were not able to be located. The signs are Sealed Source Inc. Isolite signs each containing 7.5 curies (original activity) of tritium manufactured in April of 2015. The RSO stated that the area they were in had some work done and that he believes the signs may have been thrown into construction dumpsters after being replaced. The signs were first discovered missing on November 11, 2020. The RSO has been actively searching for the signs but as of today he has determined that they are no longer at the facility. The RSO stated that he will attempt to determine the final disposition of the construction dumpsters believed to have contained the devices. Additional information will be provided as it is received."


Texas Incident Number: 9814

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 REPORT - FIXED GAUGE SHUTTER MALFUNCTION

The following information was received from State of New Jersey via email:

"The licensee reported on 11/24/20 that during a 6-month shutter check, one Cs-137 (50 mCi) fixed gauge shutter was found to be not closing completely. The gauge manufacturer was contacted and came on site to fix the shutter. Leak tests were taken before and after and found to be under 0.005 æCi. More information will be provided by the licensee."

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