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Event Report Forms (ERFs) are filed to the IAEA. Sometimes there are multiple event reports, updating the rating, the event description. Here you only see the latest event report

ERF send date: Thu, 09-10-2008
ERF description: On September 29, 2008, a radiographer was performing radiographs in various locations at a work site in Houston, Texas. He was using a camera that contained an Ir-192 source with an activity of 3.1 TBq (85 curies). At one point, the radiographer removed the plug off the front of the camera to test the guide tube, however his alarming dose rate meter began to alarm. He then noticed that the source had come out of the camera about 1.3 cm. About the same time, the radiographer accidentally dropped the camera plug, picked up the plug, and then made two unsuccessful attempts to push the source back in with the plug. He left his position at the front of the camera and walked to the back of the camera to turn the crank until the source went back into its shielded position. The radiographer then inserted the plug, and notified appropriate personnel.

The licensee sent the radiographer’s dosimetry for processing. The result was a whole body exposure of 0.946 cSv (946 millirem). The radiation safety officer discussed the details of the event with the radiographer and re-enacted the event to attempt to estimate the exposure to the radiographer's right hand, because of the close proximity of the source to the hand during the event. Based on the time and distance of the source to the hand, the estimated exposure is 66 cSv (66 rem). The licensee has hired a consultant to get a more accurate assessment of the exposure to the hand. The consultant and State regulators are assessing the circumstances to determine whether the radiographer’s hand contacted the source capsule. If so, he may have received up to 280 cSv (280 rem) to the hand.

Update as of October 21, 2008: The State of Texas calculated the final dose to the right hand as 2.35 Sv (235.65 rem). This individual's whole body dose was measured at 28 mSv (2.762 rem) for calendar year 2008, which is within the 50mSv (5 rem) regulatory limit for whole body exposures.

The provisional rating for this event is Level 2.
ERF rating date: 09-10-2008
ERF contact person: Cynthia Jones
ERF address: Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response Washington, DC USA
ERF affiliation: United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission

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