How Dangerous Radioactive Is...?
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
What Happened
A non-authorised person unscrewed the screws of the security lock to free the radioactive source of a Gammagraph.
No key is needed to remove the source, it can be done with an screwdriver.
Chronology
Welder
- 4:00 pm: A worker (welder) finds the source of gammagraphy (192 Ir) abandoned in a water pipe. He puts it in the back pocket of his trousers.
- He works for six hours with the source in his pocket and his assistant nearby
- 10:00 pm: He leaves work, takes a bus and travels home (he felt little pain in his right leg). During his return, he travelled for 30 minutes with 15 people.
- He thinks that the red skin is due to an insect sting.
- His wife sat on the trousers for 10 minutes to feed their baby. Two kids slept nearby.
- 11:00 pm: The welder, takes the trousers off the room.
Operator
- 10:30 pm: The operator makes a gammagraphy. The radiation detector doesn’t detect any readings. He assumes the equipment is not working well and stop to have dinner.
- 00:00 am: He enters the water pipe, checks the gammagraphy equipment and finds the no screws nor radioactive source. They start looking for the source.
- 1:00 am: They find the welder in his house (February 21st). He gets out with the source in his hands. The operator hits the welders hand, throws the source to the street and puts a stone to cover it.
- The source is recovered and secured in a container with iron walls 2” thick.
What was done?
Initially, the welder was hospitalised in the Cancer Centre of Lima.
He was then sent to the Military Hospital “Precy de Claart” Grave Burns Treatment Centre in France.
What Went Wrong?
Organisation
- Procedures were not implemented.
- Absence of Safety Culture in the Company’s Management.
- Source inspection and measures were inadequate.
- Lack of training and qualification of the operators.
NATIONAL AUTHORITIES ESTABLISH:
The evaluation of the authorisations and inspections should be developed by an experienced and trained team.
A non-authorised person unscrewed the screws of the security lock to free the radioactive source of a Gammagraph.
No key is needed to remove the source, it can be done with an screwdriver.
Chronology
Welder
- 4:00 pm: A worker (welder) finds the source of gammagraphy (192 Ir) abandoned in a water pipe. He puts it in the back pocket of his trousers.
- He works for six hours with the source in his pocket and his assistant nearby
- 10:00 pm: He leaves work, takes a bus and travels home (he felt little pain in his right leg). During his return, he travelled for 30 minutes with 15 people.
- He thinks that the red skin is due to an insect sting.
- His wife sat on the trousers for 10 minutes to feed their baby. Two kids slept nearby.
- 11:00 pm: The welder, takes the trousers off the room.
Operator
- 10:30 pm: The operator makes a gammagraphy. The radiation detector doesn’t detect any readings. He assumes the equipment is not working well and stop to have dinner.
- 00:00 am: He enters the water pipe, checks the gammagraphy equipment and finds the no screws nor radioactive source. They start looking for the source.
- 1:00 am: They find the welder in his house (February 21st). He gets out with the source in his hands. The operator hits the welders hand, throws the source to the street and puts a stone to cover it.
- The source is recovered and secured in a container with iron walls 2” thick.
What was done?
Initially, the welder was hospitalised in the Cancer Centre of Lima.
He was then sent to the Military Hospital “Precy de Claart” Grave Burns Treatment Centre in France.
What Went Wrong?
Organisation
- Procedures were not implemented.
- Absence of Safety Culture in the Company’s Management.
- Source inspection and measures were inadequate.
- Lack of training and qualification of the operators.
NATIONAL AUTHORITIES ESTABLISH:
The evaluation of the authorisations and inspections should be developed by an experienced and trained team.
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