nuclear-news

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions secretive about radiation incident

Delay clouds SRS probe | The Augusta Chronicle, by Rob Pavey, 4 Oct 10, A Savannah River Site contractor’s refusal to share timely information clouded the Energy Department’s inquiry into a June accident in which a worker was contaminated with plutonium.
According to a final accident investigation report, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions initially declined repeated requests for estimates of the radiation dose the worker received after his finger was punctured in a nuclear waste handling area June 16.

“SRNS’s reluctance to share the dose projections from the initial intake impacted DOE’s ability to categorize this event in a timely manner based on dose,” the  94-page report concluded. “After repeated requests from the board, SRNS provided an initial range (low and high) of the worker’s final dose on Aug. 9, 2010.”

The accident occurred in F-Area, where workers sort waste for shipment to a disposal site in New Mexico. The employee improperly inserted a survey flag into a can of radioactive waste, causing the wire shaft of the flag to puncture six layers of protective clothing and his index finger.

Because the level of investigation varies with the severity of the contamination, timely information is essential, the report said.

Delay clouds SRS probe | The Augusta Chronicle

October 5, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | antinuclear, nuclear secrecy, radioactive