These tables summarize data on radiation accidents and other incidents (i.e. intentional) that have caused acute radiation injury. They are based on the events listed at the Database of radiological incidents and related events. While this includes the major accidents/incidents, it is not a complete listing, nor is it a uniform sampling. In particular, it is known to be incomplete with regard to medical and industrial accidents involving minor injuries.
| type of event | code | incidents | fatalities | injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| accident involving nuclear reactor | A-R | 11 | 0 | 31 |
| accident involving naval reactor | A-NR | 8 | 33 | 179 |
| accident involving power reactor | A-PR | 2 | 31 | 255 |
| criticality accident | AC | 27 | 17 | 51 |
| criticality accident involving research reactor | AC-RR | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| criticality accident involving other reactor | AC-R | 1 | 9 | 19 |
| accelerator accident | A-a | 14 | 0 | 16 |
| accidental dispersal of radioactive material | A-d | 2 | 0 | 940 |
| accidental internal exposure to radioisotope | A-i | 10 | 12 | 79 |
| irradiator accident | A-ir | 27 | 13 | 39 |
| medical radiotherapy accident | A-mr | 31 | 70 | 228 |
| medical x-ray accident | A-mx | 8 | 0 | 20 |
| orphaned source accident | A-os | 31 | 31 | 113 |
| accidental dispersal of orphaned source | A-osd | 2 | 6 | 24 |
| radiography accident | A-rg | 65 | 1 | 82 |
| accidental exposure to source | A-s | 44 | 5 | 67 |
| x-ray accident | A-x | 51 | 0 | 62 |
| radiation accident (unspecified or other) | A | 44 | 3 | 92 |
| intentional exposure of individual (assault) | I-a | 10 | 4 | 84 |
| criminal act (unspecified) | I-c | 6 | 0 | 15 |
| intentional self-exposure | I-s | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| exposures resulting from theft of source | I-t | 9 | 8 | 19 |
| nuclear weapon test | NT | 4 | 1 | 195 |
| TOTAL | 414 | 251 | 2,617 | |
| combat use of nuclear weapon | NW | 2 | 195,000 | 161,000 |
Note: Casualty figures include fatalities from effects other than ionizing radiation in several cases (for some reactor accidents and the combat nuclear weapon uses). Nuclear weapon tests are only listed if acute radiation casualties resulted; an additional 4 nuclear tests resulted in casualties from thermal flash or blast only (total of 3 fatalities and 64 injuries). The 1961 SL-1 reactor incident is counted as a reactor accident, although it appears to have been intentional, not accidental.
Figures in the remaining tables do not include the combat use of nuclear weapons by the United States in Japan in 1945. Figures for the U.S.S.R. include several nuclear submarine incidents at sea.
| country | incidents | fatalities | injuries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| Argentina | 11 | 1 | 13 |
| Australia | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Bangladesh | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Belarus | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Belgium | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Brazil | 2 | 5 | 23 |
| Bulgaria | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Canada | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Chile | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| China, Republic (ROC) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| China, P. R. (PRC) | 26 | 14 | 125 |
| Costa Rica | 1 | 7 | 81 |
| Czechoslovakia | 5 | 0 | 6 |
| Ecuador | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Egypt | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| El Salvador | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Estonia | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| France | 9 | 2 | 24 |
| Germany (FRG) | 11 | 1 | 14 |
| Germany, East (GDR) | 10 | 0 | 11 |
| Georgia | 3 | 2 | 13 |
| Hungary | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| India | 9 | 1 | 16 |
| Indonesia | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Iran | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Iraq | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Israel | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Italy | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Ivory Coast/Senegal | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Japan | 4 | 2 | 24 |
| Kazakhstan | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Korea, South (ROK) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Mexico | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| Morocco | 1 | 8 | 3 |
| Netherlands | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Nigeria | 1 | 0 | 26 |
| Norway | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Panama | 1 | 17 | 11 |
| Peru | 4 | 0 | 13 |
| Poland | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Russia (post-Soviet) | 29 | 19 | 56 |
| South Africa | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Spain | 2 | 18 | 10 |
| Sweden | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Switzerland | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Thailand | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| Trust Terr. of Pacific Islands | 1 | 1 | 93 |
| Tunisia | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Turkey | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| United Kingdom | 12 | 3 | 22 |
| United States | 56 | 39 | 222 |
| U.S.S.R. | 170 | 90 | 2,714 |
| Venezuela | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Vietnam | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Yugoslavia | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| TOTAL | 414 | 251 | 2,617 |
| region | incidents | fatalities | injuries | total casualties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S.S.R./former Soviet Union | 205 | 113 | 1,808 | 1,901 |
| Europe | 65 | 29 | 113 | 142 |
| United States | 56 | 39 | 222 | 261 |
| P. R. China | 27 | 14 | 125 | 139 |
| Latin America and Canada | 25 | 36 | 158 | 194 |
| Asia (not PRC) | 24 | 7 | 65 | 72 |
| Africa | 9 | 12 | 51 | 63 |
| Australia and Oceania | 2 | 1 | 95 | 96 |
| TOTAL | 414 | 251 | 2,617 | 2,868 |
| period | incidents | fatalities | injuries |
|---|---|---|---|
| pre- 1945 | 3 | 9 | 72 |
| 1945-1949 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 1950-1954 | 29 | 5 | 1,093 |
| 1955-1959 | 11 | 6 | 29 |
| 1960-1964 | 26 | 22 | 80 |
| 1965-1969 | 39 | 13 | 132 |
| 1970-1974 | 39 | 6 | 150 |
| 1975-1979 | 59 | 18 | 165 |
| 1980-1984 | 46 | 28 | 85 |
| 1985-1989 | 49 | 54 | 392 |
| 1990-1994 | 32 | 28 | 56 |
| 1995-1999 | 31 | 20 | 132 |
| 2000-2004 | 23 | 28 | 142 |
| 2005-2009 | 15 | 3 | 27 |
| 2010-2014 | 8 | 1 | 40 |
| 2015-2019 | 1 | 9 | 19 |
| 2020-2022 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 414 | 251 | 2,617 |
| isotope/other | incidents | fatalities | injuries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Am-241 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Au-197 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Au-198 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Cf-252 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Co-60 | 62 | 49 | 291 |
| Cs-137 | 27 | 18 | 73 |
| H-3 | 4 | 4 | 7 |
| I-125 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| I-131 | 6 | 2 | 5 |
| I-131, I-123 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| I-131, Tc-99m | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Ir-192 | 86 | 16 | 206 |
| P-32 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| Po-210 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Ra | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Ra-226 | 2 | 9 | 81 |
| Rh-106 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Sb-124 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Sc-46 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Sr-90 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Sr-90, Y-90 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Y-90 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| multiple isotopes | 3 | 0 | 966 |
| criticality--Pu | 8 | 4 | 11 |
| criticality--U | 15 | 17 | 32 |
| criticality--unknown | 7 | 9 | 32 |
| accelerator | 14 | 0 | 16 |
| reactor | 30 | 65 | 487 |
| x-ray | 63 | 0 | 87 |
| nuclear test | 4 | 1 | 193 |
| unknown | 60 | 45 | 102 |
| TOTAL | 414 | 251 | 2,617 |
| whole body dose (rad) | number exposed | fatalities (percent) | survival time for fatal cases, median (range) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4,100-12,000 | 16 | 16 (100%) | 6 d (1.5-38 d) |
| 1,610-4,000 | 15 | 15 (100%) | 14 d (2-207 d) |
| 610-1,600 | 48 | 35 (73%) | 24 d (10-750 d) |
| 410-600 | 50 | 15 (30%) | 34 d (16-48 d) |
| 110-400 | 142 | 5 (4%) | 49 d (37-96 d) |
| 10-100 | 84 | 0 (0%) | N/A |
Note that the cases represented by the data in this table encompass a range of situations, for example: doses incurred in short periods or over periods of days to months; medical care ranging from intensive treatments to treatments proceeding without having recognized radiation exposure as the issue involved; some cases where the most serious medical issue is from localized radiation exposure, not from whole body dose.
© 2004-2011, 2022 by Wm. Robert Johnston.
Last modified 29 November 2022.
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