Date: 25 June 1990
Location: Shanghai, P.R. China
Type of event: irradiator accident
Description:
An accident occurred at an industrial irradiator which used a 23,000-curie cobalt-60 source for sterilization of traditional Chinese medicines. Access to the irradiation room was via a double door which had safety interlocks to prevent enter while the source was unshielded. However, the motor on one door had previously failed, putting the door out of commission, and a power failure disabled the interlock on the second door. One worker additionally violated procedure by turning on lights in the room without turning on electricity of the source system. During this period 7 workers entered the room to arrange product boxes for irradiation, with exposure times up to 40 minutes. A metal shroud prevented them from seeing that the source was exposed. One worker had nausea within 20 minutes, and several were vomiting within 2 hours. Several were hospitalized the following day. Two workers sustained exposures of 1,200 rad and 1,100 rad and were given bone marrow transplants from relatives, but both died (25 and 90 days after exposure, respectively). Exposures to the other 5 workers were at least 200 rad.
Consequences: 2 fatalities, 5 injuries.
References:
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