Potentially dangerous device that can cause radiation returned, LA County Public Works says
A device that can potentially cause radiation if mishandled is missing, the LA County Public Works Department reported.
LOS ANGELES - A potentially dangerous piece of construction equipment that's used to measure the density of soil and roadway asphalt that went missing from a county truck in the Littlerock area was back in the hands
of the county Department of Public Works Tuesday.
The device, known as a thin layer density gauge, was reported missing Dec. 14 and was last seen in the truck bed of a marked LA County Public Works vehicle at the intersection of 110th Street East and Avenue R-4.
Late Monday night, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger announced that a Littlerock resident had found the device and contacted her office. She said public works officials recovered the device and tested it, determining it was still intact and in working order.
"I am pleased the lost tool was recovered," Barger said in a statement. "An individual contacted my office today to share that they had the gauge in their possession. I'm glad that my message to the community to do their part, be vigilant, and contact officials if found was heeded by the public.
"It's a big relief to know that no one was hurt by radiation sickness in the process of recovering it. However, this cannot happen again. I am calling on Public Works to immediately report back to the Board with a corrective action plan to ensure this type of risk to the public never materializes again."
Officials warned that the device could be hazardous if mishandled or damaged, causing radiation sickness to occur.