The following report was received from the Commonwealth of
Virginia Department of Health via email:
On December 26, 2018, the licensee reported a stolen Troxler portable moisture/density gauge. The gauge had been stored at a temporary jobsite (the Lorton Construction Landfill in Lorton, Virginia). It was stolen between December 21, and the start of work on December 26 when it was discovered missing. The Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) contacted the Virginia State Police and the Fairfax County Police Department, the local law enforcement agency. Initial searches near the landfill by the licensee were unsuccessful. The gauge contained a cesium-137 source and an americium-241 source. This report will be updated when the RSO provides additional information, including serial numbers of the gauge and sources and the source activities.
- * * UPDATE ON 12/27/2018 AT 1052 EST FROM CHARLES COLEMAN TO ANDREW WAUGH * * *
The following update was received from the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Health via email:
The licensee identified the stolen gauge as a Troxler Model 3430, serial number 33748. It contained a cesium-137 source, serial number 750-9405, with a nominal activity of 8 milliCuries (4/19/2002) and an americium-241:beryllium source, serial number 47-29401, with a nominal activity of 40 milliCuries (8/12/1999).
There has been no media attention. The licensee may issue a press release regarding the theft.
Notified R1DO (Arner), NMSS Events Notification, and ILTAB 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