Print View Posted on: 07 June 2013
On 19 November 2012, at 10.50 am, ASN has been informed by the company IBA about the loss of a transport package of radioactive substances in Nîmes (Gard).This package, shipped by CIS BIO International, was intended for Nimes University Hospital and contained a radioactive liquid fluorine 18 source for medical use with an activity of about 20 GBq. The office of the Prefect of the Gard département and ASN have published information on their websites to inform the public and specify what to do in the event of the package being found. The package has so far not been found. The radioactive half-life of fluorine 18 being 1 hour and 50 minutes, the vial has lost most of its radioactivity and is no longer a health risk. However, on the day the package was lost, the vial was a significant radiological risk for anyone finding themselves nearby, especially if the source was removed from its package and handled. On 20 November 2012, ASN’s Marseille regional office conducted an inquiry to examine the circumstances surrounding this transport operation and gain a clearer understanding of the causes of the loss of the package. The first report indicates that the transport company could have not followed the rules for securing packages and could have not used the necessary straps.