Source Stuck in a Pantasafe

["Tom Conley" <TConley@kdhe.state.ks.us>]

We have a licensee who owns a Pantasafe Major radium storage safe.  It was
made by Pantatron LTD. of London in the early 60's.  This safe has drawers
that can be slid out of the shield remotely and they have dropped a cesium
brachytherapy source behind one of the drawers several years ago.  This has
not been a problem until recently when they decided to stop using it and
now they want to retrieve the source so they can dispose of the safe.

Unfortunately it is very well built and there is no obvious way of getting
inside where the source is without cutting.  There are no drawings
available.

Is anyone familiar with this safe (I think it is the only one in the US but
they were sold in Europe)?  Any help would be appreciated.

Feel free to contact me directly by email

Thanks in advance.

Thomas A. Conley, CHP
Public Health Physicist
Kansas Department of Health and Environment
tconley@kdhe.state.ks.us

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