Investigation into Cause of Cs-137 Source Leakage
During the morning of September 28, 2011 a pig containing a sealed source used for source checking detectors, tipped over in the Collider-Accelerator Department (C-AD) Radiological Control van. Several hours later, the Radiological Control Technician (RCT) detected low levels of radioactivity on his shoes, and the floor mat of the vehicle, as well as a personal vehicle owned by a facilities and operations (F&O) tradesman who took the RCT to lunch at the BNL cafeteria. Areas that were checked for contamination included offices, work station, RCTs themselves, the tradesman and the cafeteria. Several areas of contamination were detected in the parking lot, the floor of the source storage building, and also detectors where the source had been used that day. All areas were secured or decontaminated. The initial results reported in the afternoon of 9/28 were preliminary, and the final determination on its report ability was deferred until more information could be obtained after additional smear results were performed.