RGJ.com: Device that contains radioactive material lost in northwest Reno (printer-friendly article page)
RGJ.com: Device that contains radioactive material lost in northwest Reno : "
Bayer Bauserman
Device that contains radioactive material lost in northwest Reno
Ray Hagar (RHAGAR@RGJ.COM) and DAVID JACOBS (djacobs@rgj.com)
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
December 10, 2005
A moisture density gauge containing nuclear material was lost in northwest Reno on Friday night when a driver inadvertently left it on his tailgate, Reno police said.
Officials from Kleinfelder Inc., told police that the gauge was lost when the driver was en route from the Somersett development in northwest Reno to the corner of Seventh Street and McCarran Boulevard when the gauge turned up missing, police said.
"The driver's route was checked a number of times by a number of people, and the thing is still outstanding," said Reno police Sgt. Dave Evans.
The "Troxler" moisture density gauge is about 21/2-feet in length. It has a bright yellow base with two source rods rising approximately 2 feet from the base. The item weighs 35 pounds, according to police.
Moisture density gauges can contain small amounts of radioactive material and are used to measure moisture and compaction in soils, concrete, asphalt and other aggregates, according to a report from the Maryland Department of the Environment. The device is not a hazard to the public as long as the radioactive material remains locked in the device, according to the Maryland report.
The gauge emits very low levels of radioactive material when it is unopened, Reno police said. When activated, the device emits a greater level of radioactive material, but the levels are still considered very low and are not lethal, according to a police report.
If it were somehow activated, "you could get a dose equivalent to a number of X-rays," said Daniel Kammen, a professor of nuclear engineering and director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley.
"It should not prove fatal to anyone, no matter what they did," he said by telephone at press time Friday. "It should not prove a serious health risk. But it is a little bit alarming because no one wants to get the equivalent of a number of X-rays."
The situation "really depends" on what the device is being used for, Kammen said.
"If the employee was there with it, it presumably was not in the 'on' configuration," he said.
"The worst case you can think of is that it was set up to do some testing, and for some reason was abandoned. It doesn't make any sense why that would happen," Kammen said.
"That would be a case where someone could happen upon it and basically sit with their rear end on top of it. They could get a dose that is not good."
"It shouldn't have been left around," Kammen said. "It is a little bit odd for one to be left around. There's not a lot of them sitting around to be left around. It's certainly not a good thing."
Attempts to reach Kleinfelder on Friday night were not successful. A message was left for the company.
"
Bayer Bauserman
Device that contains radioactive material lost in northwest Reno
Ray Hagar (RHAGAR@RGJ.COM) and DAVID JACOBS (djacobs@rgj.com)
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
December 10, 2005
A moisture density gauge containing nuclear material was lost in northwest Reno on Friday night when a driver inadvertently left it on his tailgate, Reno police said.
Officials from Kleinfelder Inc., told police that the gauge was lost when the driver was en route from the Somersett development in northwest Reno to the corner of Seventh Street and McCarran Boulevard when the gauge turned up missing, police said.
"The driver's route was checked a number of times by a number of people, and the thing is still outstanding," said Reno police Sgt. Dave Evans.
The "Troxler" moisture density gauge is about 21/2-feet in length. It has a bright yellow base with two source rods rising approximately 2 feet from the base. The item weighs 35 pounds, according to police.
Moisture density gauges can contain small amounts of radioactive material and are used to measure moisture and compaction in soils, concrete, asphalt and other aggregates, according to a report from the Maryland Department of the Environment. The device is not a hazard to the public as long as the radioactive material remains locked in the device, according to the Maryland report.
The gauge emits very low levels of radioactive material when it is unopened, Reno police said. When activated, the device emits a greater level of radioactive material, but the levels are still considered very low and are not lethal, according to a police report.
If it were somehow activated, "you could get a dose equivalent to a number of X-rays," said Daniel Kammen, a professor of nuclear engineering and director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley.
"It should not prove fatal to anyone, no matter what they did," he said by telephone at press time Friday. "It should not prove a serious health risk. But it is a little bit alarming because no one wants to get the equivalent of a number of X-rays."
The situation "really depends" on what the device is being used for, Kammen said.
"If the employee was there with it, it presumably was not in the 'on' configuration," he said.
"The worst case you can think of is that it was set up to do some testing, and for some reason was abandoned. It doesn't make any sense why that would happen," Kammen said.
"That would be a case where someone could happen upon it and basically sit with their rear end on top of it. They could get a dose that is not good."
"It shouldn't have been left around," Kammen said. "It is a little bit odd for one to be left around. There's not a lot of them sitting around to be left around. It's certainly not a good thing."
Attempts to reach Kleinfelder on Friday night were not successful. A message was left for the company.
"
posted by Greta Jane at Sunday, December 11, 2005
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