Event Notification Report for May 02, 2025

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - DAMAGED MOISTURE DENSITY GAUGE

The following information was provided by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) via email:

"On April 23, 2025, at 1240 EDT, the radiation safety officer of AB Consultants, Inc. reported an incident to the MDE involving damage to a portable nuclear gauge Troxler model 3440 (serial number 78275, 8 mCi Cs-137 and 40 mCi Am-241/Be sources). The incident took place at a road construction site near the Upper Marlboro area. The gauge was not in use at the time of the incident and the technician was present near the gauge. A multipurpose compactor, operated via radio remote control, accidentally struck the plastic housing of the gauge causing visible damage. According to the gauge technician, the compactor lost control during the remote operation, resulting in an unintended collision with the gauge.

"No personal injuries were reported. The area was immediately secured, and emergency personnel, including firefighters, responded to the scene. MDE staff arrived thereafter, conducted a site survey, interviewed personnel, and inspected the damaged gauge. The radioactive sources within the device were confirmed to be intact. As a precaution, the gauge was safely packaged and transported to North East Technical Services Inc. (NETS) for leak testing and further evaluation. Decisions regarding repair or disposal will be based on NETS' findings. A follow-up radiation survey of the area was conducted after the gauge's removal, and no radiation levels above background were detected.

"MDE has requested that the licensee submit documentation of the leak test results, calibration details of the gauge and provide transfer and/or disposal certificates upon completion of the evaluation by NETS. MDE radiological health program will follow up this reactive investigation until the device is repaired or disposed of."

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST I-125 SEED

The following information was provided by the Florida Bureau of Radiation Control (BRC) via email:

"The BRC received a notification of a lost 0.140 mCi I-125 seed from Watson Clinic at 1815 EDT on April 25, 2025. The sample was previously implanted and lost during a recent surgery. The facility states that they surveyed all locations between the operating room, patient room, and the patient belongings. An X-ray confirmed the material was removed from the patient."

FL Incident Number: FL-25-039

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