Exposure of Workers at a Facility using a Radiation Generating Device


Print View Posted on: 26 December 2024

Event Date: 15 July 2019 Event Type: Radiation Source
Event Location: Korea, Republic of, Ansan INES Rating: 3 (Final)

In July 2017, at a semiconductor manufacturing company, seven workers were exposed to radiation due to the abnormal use of an X-ray generator(100 kVp, 0.1 mA) for product defect inspection. The X-ray generator was a cabinet-type device with a shielding door interlock, but the workers manually disabled the interlock, allowing the shielding door to be opened while the X-rays continued to emit. While the X-rays were being emitted, the workers inserted their hands and upper bodies into the device to perform the work. Among the seven exposed workers, two workers developed radiation effects on their hands, including erythema, pain, and blisters. Radiation dose assessments conducted that while the effective dose for the seven workers did not exceed the annual dose limit, the skin equivalent dose exceeded the annual dose limit for all of them.

INES Rating: 3 - Serious incident (Final) as per 17 March 2020
Release beyond authorized limits? No
Overexposure of a member of the public? No
Overexposure of a worker? Yes

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

Degradation of Defence In-Depth Yes

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

Changsu Park
Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS)

cspark@kins.re.kr
https://www.kins.re.kr
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