Date: 1977

Location: Zona del Oleoducto, Peru

Type of event: accidental exposure to source

Description:

An accident with an iridium-192 source resulted from poor supervision of untrained workers using unauthorized equipment. Three persons were injured, with doses up to 16,400 rad to the hands, 90 rad to the eye, and 200 rad whole body dose. Two persons had several fingers amputated and the third suffered injury to the left hand.

Consequences: 3 injuries.

References:

• UNSCEAR, 2000, "Annex E: Occupational radiation exposures," in Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation: United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation UNSCEAR 2000 Report to the General Assembly, with Scientific Annexes, Volume I: Sources, UNSCEAR, on line at UNSCEAR [http://www.unscear.org/docs/reports/annexe.pdf].

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