Internal contamination of radiation workers during radioactive waste management


Print View Posted on: 13 December 2013

Event Date: 02 December 2013 Event Type: Radiation Waste Facility
Event Location: Hungary, Rad. Waste and Disposal Facility at Puspokszilagy INES Rating: 2 (Provisional)

On 2nd December 2013 three radiation workers opened 4 metal drums filled with compacted radioactive wastes containing 241-Am. The purpose of opening the drums was the waste sorting and compaction of waste at higher pressure. During operation contamination occurred. The control measurements found the worker’s hands, clothing, and the waste compactor room contaminated.
The workers were measured by whole body-counter. According the whole-body measurements carried out on 12th December the activities of incorporated 241-Am were as follows: 0,9 kBq, 1,8 kBq and 9,0 kBq for the three workers, respectively.
Further whole-body counting measurements and urine analysis are on-going to get more accurate data and to confirm the first measurements.

INES Rating: 2 - Incident (Provisional) as per 13 December 2013
Release beyond authorized limits? No
Overexposure of a member of the public? No
Overexposure of a worker? Yes

Contamination spread within the facility? Yes
Damage to radiological barriers (incl. fuel damage) within the facility? No

Degradation of Defence In-Depth No

Person injured physically or casualty? No
Is there a continuing problem? No

Dr. Geza Safrany
National Research Institute for Radiobiology and Radiohygiene

safrany.geza@osski.hu
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