Date: 9 August 1974

Location: India

Type of event: x-ray accident

Description:

A worker using an x-ray crystallography unit was exposed to the x-ray beam. After returning from a lunch break, he operated the unit for 15 minutes before realizing that one shutter was open, exposing his right forearm to the beam. A wound developed on the arm after 14 days which healed after 3 months, leaving a white scar. Dose was on the order of 8,000-12,000 rads to the skin or more.

Consequences: 1 injury.

References:

• Sundara Rao, I. S., P. S. Iyer, A. Kannan, S. P. Zaparde, and G. Subrahmanian, April 1977, "Radiation injury from analytical x-ray equipment," 4th IRPA Congress Proceedings, on line, IRPA [http://www2000.irpa.net/irpa4/cdrom/VOL.3/P3_60.PDF].

© 2007 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 22 September 2007.
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