Date: September 1977

Location: Rockaway, New Jersey, USA

Type of event: accident with industrial irradiator

Description:

One person was briefly exposed to a cobalt-60 source in an industrial irradiation facility before he realized the source was exposed, after which he left immediately. The accident resulted from failure of a safety interlock designed to lower the source into a safety pool when personnel are present. He developed acute radiation sickness from an exposure of about 200 rem.

Consequences: 1 injury.

References:

• Fehribach, Paul, 20 March 2001, "SteriGenics: The Untold History," on line, Organic Consumers Association [http://www.organicconsumers.org/irrad/SteriGenicsIL.cfm].
• Ortiz, P., M. Oresegun, and J. Wheatley, 2000, "Lessons from major radiation accidents," on line, Internationl Radiation Protection Association [http://www.irpa.net/irpa10/cdrom/00140.pdf].
• 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].

© 2004, 2006, 2008 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 26 October 2008.
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