Event Notification Report for April 09, 2021

This material event contains a "Category 2" level of radioactive material.

EN Revision Imported Date: 4/9/2021

EN Revision Text: AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - SEALED SOURCE MISSING IN TRANSIT

The following information was received from the Massachusetts Radiation Control Program via email:

"The licensee reported at 1143 EDT on March 31, 2021 that it discovered on the same day (March 31, 2021) at 1044 EDT that a package (Yellow-II, T.I. 0.5, Type B, UN 2916) containing one sealed source (Iridium-192;105.2 Curies) in a model 880 radiography exposure device [was missing in transit].

"The package was shipped by QSA Global, Inc. on March 26, 2021 for shipment to their customer, Acuren Inspections, Inc. in Corpus Christi, TX. The package was last tracked by [the common carrier] in Memphis, TN on March 30, 2021, but there has been no [package] movement since March 27, 2021. [The common carrier] initiated a trace on the package on March 31, 2021. On March 31, 2021 at 1143 EDT, QSA Global, Inc. reported the event to the Massachusetts Radiation Control Program.

"The reporting requirement is immediate and is 105 CMR 120.281(A)(1), missing licensed radioactive materials in aggregate quantity equal to or greater than 1,000 times the quantity specified in 105 CMR 120.297, Appendix C. The four-hour reporting requirement of 105 CMR 120.077(B), missing shipment of Category 2 quantity of radioactive material, also applies.

"The Agency [Massachusetts Radiation Control Program] considers this event to be open."

Notified: DHS SWO, DOE Operations Center, FEMA Operations Center, HHS Operations Center, CISA Central, USDA Operations Center, EPA Emergency Operations Center, FDA Emergency Operations Center (email), FEMA NWC (email), DHS Nuclear SSA (email), and FEMA NRCC SASC (email), CWMD Watch Desk (email).

* * * UPDATE ON 4/7/2021 AT 0905 EDT FROM BOB LOCKE TO BRIAN LIN * * *

"Licensee reports that it was notified at 1601 EDT on April 6, 2021 that the package had been delivered to its intended destination undamaged."

Notified R1DO (WERKHEISER), NMSS (RIVERA-CAPELLA), IR MOC (KENNEDY), and ILTAB (RICHARDSON) and via email NMSS EVENTS NOTIFICATION and INES NATIONAL OFFICER (MILLIGAN). Also notified DHS-SWO, FEMA-OC, USDA-OC, HHS-OC, DOE-OC, DHS CISA Central, and EPA-EOC and via email FDA-EOC, Nuclear SSA, FEMA-NWC, and CWMD-Watch Desk.

THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "CATEGORY 2" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL

Category 2 sources, if not safely managed or securely protected, could cause permanent injury to a person who handled them, or were otherwise in contact with them, for a short time (minutes to hours). It could possibly be fatal to be close to this amount of unshielded radioactive material for a period of hours to days. These sources are typically used in practices such as industrial gamma radiography, high dose rate brachytherapy and medium dose rate brachytherapy. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf

This material event contains a "Less than Cat 3" level of radioactive material.

EN Revision Imported Date: 4/9/2021

EN Revision Text: AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST MOISTURE GAUGE

The following information was received from the State of California via email:

"On March 31, 2021, Kern County Roads Department contacted the California Office of Emergency Services to report that one of their moisture-density gauges was lost while transporting the gauge back to their facility. The gauge was a CPN model MC1-DPR, Serial Number MD00505649 (10 mCi Cs-137, 50 mCi Am:Be-241, Nominal). At approximately 1130 PDT, the gauge, with the handle/trigger lock in place but outside of the transport case, was left on the tailgate of the truck by the gauge operator. The operator then went into the cab of the truck and started working on paperwork. The gauge operator then left the worksite without securing the gauge. Approximately two minutes later, the operator stopped for gas and found the gauge missing. The operator then retraced his path and could not find the gauge. The Alternate Radiation Safety Officer was contacted and went to the worksite with a survey meter to search for the gauge and could not find it. Kern County Sheriff's Department was contacted and a report was made. The licensee's investigation into this event is ongoing and will be reviewed further by the California Department of Public Health."

California Report Number: 033121


* * * UPDATE ON 4/2/2021 AT 1446 EDT FROM ANDREW TAYLOR TO KERBY SCALES * * *

The following update was received from the State of California via email:

"On April 1, 2021, the Alternate Radiation Safety Officer notified the California Department of Public Health that the gauge was recovered after an individual found it and returned it to the worksite. He stated that the gauge appeared to be intact with no apparent damage. A leak test will be performed to ensure that the sealed sources are intact and not leaking."

Notified R4DO (Alexander), NMSS Events Notification, ILTAB, CSNS (Mexico) via 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