nuclear-news

Officials at the Idaho National Laboratory said radioactive contamination was detected on the skin or clothing of at least six of the workers after Tuesday’s mishap, and two were confirmed to have inhaled radioactive particles.

The accident, which lab officials said occurred during routine procedures, was believed to be the worst in at least four years at the sprawling site, which occupies 890 square miles in the high desert of eastern Idaho…..

Just four of the exposed technicians agreed to precautionary treatments, such as special intravenous fluids, designed to help flush any radioactive particles from their bodies, and all were permitted to return home after an initial round of testing, lab spokeswoman Sara Prentice told Reuters.

Officials said it may be weeks before the full extent of radiation doses received by members of the group is known.

“We’re still collecting and analyzing samples from all 16; there is a lot of work to be done to get the correct information,” Prentice said.

POSSIBLE DAMAGE INSIDE FUEL CONTAINER

The accident occurred inside a deactivated nuclear reactor located within a complex of facilities used for remotely handling, processing and examining spent nuclear fuel, radioactive waste and other irradiated materials.

The technicians were exposed when a foot-long, rectangular container of plutonium fuel inside the reactor was opened during work to prepare the material for shipment to another facility, Johnson said….

Further lung examinations were ordered for two workers whose body scans tested positive for radiation in their lungs and for a third worker whose lungs showed an “anomaly,” Johnson said…..

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/09/us-nuclear-lab-idaho-idUSTRE7A88JI20111109