Re: Mettler Micro Gram-Atic Balance Alert

[Schoenhofer <schoenho@via.at>]

At 08:30 24.05.1996 -0500, you wrote:
>
>We have discovered a Mettler Micro Gram-Atic Balance on campus that has 6
>Ra-226 anti-static sources. There is no indication on the interior or
>exterior of the balance that it contains radioactive material. This
>balance has been around for many years, and so presumably there were no
>labelling requirements when the balance was obtained. Our sources are
>leaking, and so if you have microbalances at your institution, you may
>want to check them out for unlabelled radioactive anti-static sources.
>=======================================================================
>John Harvey                       | McMaster University 
>Senior Health Physicist           | NRB-110 
>(905) 525-9140 ext 24226          | 1280 Main St. W. 
>harveyj@mcmail.cis.mcmaster.ca    | Hamilton, Ont Canada L8S 4K1
>
>========================================================================
>
Dear John,

Thank you for this interesting message. Do you have an idea, from what time
this balance might be? I am very interested in cases, where radioactive
materials have been used in everyday life or in laboratory - not only
watches and uranium stained tiles and glass or ECD detectors. 

Dear Radsafers,

Do you have similar experience, where unexpectedly sources of radioactive
material have been found? We should be aware, that some devices like leaking
radium sources might pose a   r e a l   hazard to people, especially if
there is no indication of the radioactive content.

Franz Schoenhofer
Head of Department of Radiochemistry and Radioactivity in Food
Federal Institute for Food Control and Research
schoenho@via.at