Date: 15 March 1953

Location: Mayak Enterprise, Russia, USSR

Type of event: criticality accident with plutonium solution

Description:

A criticality accident occurred in a plutonium processing facility. Plutonium separated from spent fuel rods was being processed in nitrate solution. Procedural errors in an unrecognized accumulation of 842 g of plutonium in one vessel, which became critical and brought the vessel contents to boiling. The operators transferred contents of another vessel to the first, ending the reaction. The accident was unrecognized for 2 days when one operator developed symptoms of radiation sickness. This operator had received a 1,000 rad dose, resulting in severe radiation sickness. He also sustained severe radiation burns on his legs, requiring amputation of both legs, but survived another 35 years. A second operator received a 100 rad dose; this worker and a third operator both developed radiation sickness.

Consequences: 3 injuries (1,000, 100, ? rad)

References:

• Azizova, T. V., N. G. Semenikhina, and M. B. Druzhinina, 2005, "Multi-organ involvement and failure in selected accident cases with acute radiation syndrome observed at the Mayak Nuclear Facility," British Journal of Radiology Supplement, 27:30-35.
• McLaughlin, Thomas P., Shean P. Monahan, Norman L. Pruvost, Vladimir V. Frolov, Boris G. Ryazanov, and Victor I. Sviridov, May 2000, A Review of Criticality Accidents, 2000 Revision, Los Alamos National Laboratory (Los Alamos, NM), on line at CSRIC [http://www.csirc.net/docs/reports/la-13638.pdf].
• RNSI, June 2002, "The International Accident Dosimetry Comparison Programme 10-21 June 2002", on line at IRSN [http://www.irsn.fr/va/04_act/04_act_2/04_act_21dossiers_irsn/pdf/va_dp_intercomp.pdf].

© 2004-2005, 2007 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 21 September 2007.
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