INES-event
INES 3

Overexposure of a field radiography worker

A field of radiography worker took overexposure incidentally with radiography equipment containing 2.1TBq (55.8Ci) Ir-192 source at the pipe welding workshop located in Jinju southern part of Korean Peninsula, on March 3, 2009.

The incident caused from the wrong direction of crank handle by radiographer’s confusion. The investigation unfolded that any survey meter was not deployed to working place and the worker did not wear a personal dosimeter as well as an alarm meter. The absence of any detector made cognitive failure of worker that the pig-tail of Ir-192 source was still being outside.

The radiography worker burned severely on his fingers and the extremity dose and whole body dose were estimated as being about 50 Gy and 200 mSv, respectively. This event was rated as level 3 on the INES scale.

Location: Argus, Jinju, South Korea
Event date: Tue, 03-03-2009
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