[ RadSafe ] Sodium fire reported at Idaho National Lab site

[Bailly, Helen A]

Unfortunately the media does not necessarily report accurately I am a dosimetry technician at the INL - wow go figure huh

The individual was not burned; Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center reports that the CWI employee has been released from observation. After a thorough examination to check for potential injury, physicians report no physical evidence of any injury.

Additionally there was no fire - while treating the residual passivated sodium in the sodium boiler building piping, an apparent water hammer occurred as the result of a sodium water interaction. The apparent water hammer separated a peace of 12-inch pipe that was a dead leg in the system, and ejected treatment solution from the piping.

helen Bailly
Radiation Dosimetry & Records
Senior Dosimetry Technician
INL
(208) 533-0730
 
Life is short - Break the rules!  Forgive quickly!  Kiss slowly!  Love truly! Laugh uncontrollably!... And never regret anything that made you smile.


-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at agni.phys.iit.edu [mailto:radsafe-bounces at agni.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Perle, Sandy
Sent: Friday, November 11, 2011 9:11 PM
To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Sodium fire reported at Idaho National Lab site

These 2 incidents don't help with the media and public perceptions.


Sodium fire reported at Idaho National Lab site

The Associated Press
Published: Friday, Nov. 11, 2011 -  1:17 pm

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho -- An employee believed to have been burned in a fire caused by a sodium reaction at
the Idaho National Laboratory has been released from a hospital, with physicians reporting they found no evidence the cleanup worker was injured.

The U.S. Department of Energy says 10 others were evaluated on scene Friday and released by medical
staff. Officials couldn't immediately comment on the size of the fire,
but suggested it may have been caused by a sodium reaction. Laboratory
fire crews responded to the Materials and Fuel Complex, where officials
say there's no more evidence of a continued reaction or fire.
Firefighters and operations personnel have re-entered the building.

The incident comes several days after 16 cleanup workers were
exposed to radiation when a box containing plutonium powder was opened.

Regards,

Sandy

-----------------------------------
Sander C. Perle
President
Mirion Technologies
Dosimetry Services Division
2652 McGaw Avenue
Irvine, CA 92614
+1 (949) 296-2306 (Office)
+1 (949) 296-1130 (Fax)
Mirion Technologies: http://www.mirion.com/
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