[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: Trial Ordered in Egypt Case
Dear colleagues,
I recently joined the mailing list. I am collecting information for an
paper on 'orphan source incidents' and also for educational purposes. I
searched the radsafe archives. Jose and Sandy seem to score high on the
list for providing good and actual information.
I agree with Jose and also I thank Sandy for his actual updates.
But also I want to address the international non destructive testing
-community.
I am working as a radiation protection advisor in the ndt-field.
On the one hand I regret that incidents occur, but on the other hand they
are a very useful source for upgrading 'safety awareness'. In the past I
was very keen on providing to much 'sensational stories' during education.
My own experience however is that experienced operators do open up their
eyes during refresher training, when they are confronted again with the
danger of their work (for themselves and for others). It seems that after a
while even good trained and well performing operators do slip into the
routines.
Operators sometimes forget that they have a very responsible job.
This counts even more for the company owners and supervisors who are the
decision makers how much time and money is spent on safety-awareness. But
also radiation protection officers should be in close contact with the
field-operators to give the feedback in the field.
We should not forget that industrial radiographers often are confronted
with tight schedules.
I believe it is a partly due to common habit, grown through tough
competition, and lesser level of safety awareness in the past. But gladly
habits have changed and keep changing into the proper direction. The
international ndt-community is improving worldwide, for instance by
requiring proper safety qualification schemes. (good practices can be seen
in the western countries Canada, USA, Europe in general). These
improvements are not only due to tighter regulations. They also result from
a growing awareness inside the ndt-community. And that is exactly the
place where the action lies. Even if the regulatory authority is well
organized, this does not automatically result in good field practices.
We should also look at the people who are responsible for the tight
planning of construction work.
For instance during turn-around maintenance, ndt-work must be finished in
the nightshift otherwise delays are very costly. And turn-around-times and
production schedules are still getting shorter. I can imagine that under
stressful conditions, the extra time needed for taking the appropriate
measures again and again after a while gets a nuisance. We have the company
policy to communicate with the constructor, also during the projects, to
allow for enough time-space to do the work properly and safely. Also staff
and operators are more aware that we do not ask to violate safetyrules to
keep up with the planning, but to take enough time for safety and stop
whenever necessary. In this they are given backup by their supervisors.
Most of the times it is no problem to allow for more time.
Nowadays, much useful worldwide information comes available, for instance
through the IAEA.
We as western practitioners do also have the responsibility to assist the
international community to share our own experience and knowledge.
Hopefully we eventually get lesser and lesser fatal examples.
Paul van Rooijen
Manager HSE
AIB-Vinçotte Nederland BV
Postbus 6869
4802 HW Breda
The Netherlands
tel 00 31 76 571 22 88
fax 00 31 76 587 47 60
e-mail rooyen@aib-vincotte.nl
At 04:14 27-7-00 -0500, you wrote:
>Dear colleagues,
>
> I have not enough evidence on this case, once there is not any Official
>information, either from Egyptian Regulatory Authority or IAEA on the
>Radiological Accident in Egypt. However AP has been providing us good
>material. Thanks to Sandy to collect them and to share with us.
>
>My understanding in this particular accident, taking into account only the
>press information, is that the Egyptian Authority works quickly on
>responsibilities. My curiosity in Egypt, as well in Thailand and Turkey, is
>with the respect the Regulatory Authorities responsibilities. Do not seems
>to me that only the licensee and workers should be responsible, but also the
>Regulatory Authority, unless the Regulatory Authority could prove, as we did
>in Goiania, that were assessed previously the licensee activities and
>workers qualification and they were found OK!
>
>
>In Goiania I, as Regulatory Authority Staff Member and the Regulatory
>Authority, as Institution, besides the Goias Secretary of Health, were
>hardly involved in Federal and State Police and Court investigation.
>
>It was very hard at that time for me, to be the General Response Coordinator
>in Goiania, and at the same time, being investigated by the Federal Police.
>
>Just my opinion
>
>Rozental
>joseroze@netvision.net.il
>
>
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>----
>
>
>Trial Ordered in Egypt Case
>
>CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - A prosecutor on Wednesday ordered eight people to
>stand trial for manslaughter and negligence after they allegedly left
>behind radioactive materials at a construction site that killed a
>father and his son.
>
>The eight - the owner of a welding company and seven employees - face
>up to life in prison if convicted, said security officials said. A
>date for the trial has yet to be set.
>
>After Hassan Fadel Hassan and his 9-year-old son died last month of
>radiation sickness, authorities discovered radioactive iridium in his
>home in the village of Mit Halfa, 18 miles north of Cairo.
>
>The material was allegedly left behind at a construction site by the
>welding company, which had been repairing a natural gas pipeline in
>the village and forgotten the radioactive metal after work was
>finished. Hassan found it and took it home believing it was valuable.
>
>Iridium is used at construction sites to take X-rays to look for
>flaws at points where pieces of metal have been welded together.
>
>Hassan, 60, took his wife, sister and four children to the hospital
>on June 22 after the whole family developed skin discoloration. Hours
>later, Hassan's son died. The family moved to a hospital in Cairo,
>where Hassan died a few days later.
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Sandy Perle <sandyfl@earthlink.net>
>To: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
>Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2000 2:47 AM
>Subject: Trial Ordered in Egypt Case
>
>
>> Trial Ordered in Egypt Case
>>
>> CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - A prosecutor on Wednesday ordered eight people to
>> stand trial for manslaughter and negligence after they allegedly left
>> behind radioactive materials at a construction site that killed a
>> father and his son.
>>
>> The eight - the owner of a welding company and seven employees - face
>> up to life in prison if convicted, said security officials said. A
>> date for the trial has yet to be set.
>>
>> After Hassan Fadel Hassan and his 9-year-old son died last month of
>> radiation sickness, authorities discovered radioactive iridium in his
>> home in the village of Mit Halfa, 18 miles north of Cairo.
>>
>> The material was allegedly left behind at a construction site by the
>> welding company, which had been repairing a natural gas pipeline in
>> the village and forgotten the radioactive metal after work was
>> finished. Hassan found it and took it home believing it was valuable.
>>
>> Iridium is used at construction sites to take X-rays to look for
>> flaws at points where pieces of metal have been welded together.
>>
>> Hassan, 60, took his wife, sister and four children to the hospital
>> on June 22 after the whole family developed skin discoloration. Hours
>> later, Hassan's son died. The family moved to a hospital in Cairo,
>> where Hassan died a few days later.
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> Sandy Perle Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100
>> Director, Technical Extension 2306
>> ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Division Fax:(714) 668-3149
>> ICN Biomedicals, Inc. E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net
>> ICN Plaza, 3300 Hyland Avenue E-Mail: sperle@icnpharm.com
>> Costa Mesa, CA 92626
>>
>> Personal Website: http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/1205
>> ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com
>>
>> ************************************************************************
>> The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
>> information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html
>>
>
>
>************************************************************************
>The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
>information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html
>
>
************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html