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Re: Trial Ordered in Egypt Case
Dear colleague Dhr. Van rooyen,
No doubt NDT is the major practice registering workers and public
accidents. The most recent IAEA document on this issue is:
Lessons Learned from Accidents in Industrial Radiography, Safety Reports
Series N 7, 1998
The most recent IAEA register is the radiological accident in Yanango, Peru
In February 1999, a radiation accident happened at the construction site of
a hydroelectric power station in Yanango, Peru, 300 kilometers east of Lima.
The victim was a welder working on the site, who inadvertently picked up an
iridium industrial source intended for gammagraphy operations but left
uncontrolled. He put it in the back pocket of his trousers. He was initially
hospitalized at the Lima Anti-Cancer Centre, suffering from severe radiation
burns, and later transferred to the Serious Burns Treatment Centre of the
Percy Military Hospital at Clamart (Hauts-de-Seine) in France. He remains
there under treatment, and it is expected that he will benefit from a
treatment technique used for serious burns, which proved effective on
Georgian security guards who were victims of a serious radiation accident in
1997.
In General, however in special to Gamma Radiography, it is very important
the Radiation Protection Officer continually to explain the reasons on what
ignorance or failure to follow good radiation protection practice by
any one worker can influence the radiological risks for the other workers
and public
About information for your paper on 'orphan source incidents'
We understand for orphans sources those sources outside
the regulatory control or lost or abandoned altogether.
Orphans sources was a question that received higher priority in Brazil after
the Radiological Accident in Goiania, and especially for myself, the
authority to
licensing and to formulate the inspection programme of all users of
radioactive material in the country. After the Accident in Goiania it was
decided to formulate
an inspection program that we called "fine comb". We
started reviewing the nature and background of the problem, in particular
problems associated with old medical radium sources and industrial gauges
using Ra+Be sources and Gamma Radiography apparatus using Cs-137 sources.
I can tell very interesting anecdotes about the sources that we found, and
entered in the country 20 years before than the Brazilian Nuclear Energy
Commission was created, in 1956. In this including Radium sources and
certification
signed by the Director of the Laboratory Curie, M. Curie and dated of
1925.
On this aspect I recommend to you to contact Mr. Pedro-Ortiz Lopez, IAEA
Staff Member,
At P.Ortiz-Lopez@iaea.org
He is conducting a Programme on Safety of Radiation Sources and Security of
Radioactive Materials and associated with had mentioned. The Major Tasks for
1999/2000 are:
Finalize a Safety Guide on assessment and effectiveness of national
programme of control of radiation sources and radioactive material.
Develop and publish training material for licensing and inspection of
facilities and verification of the safety of sources.
Implementation of the Resolution 11 of the General Conference (42) on The
Safety of Radiation Sources and the Security of Radioactive Material.
I also strongly recommend downloading the following IAEA text published in
the IAEA Bulletin Volume 41, Number 3
http://www.iaea.org/worldatom/Periodicals/Bulletin/Bull413/index.shtml
Radiation Safety & Security LOST & FOUND DANGERS
Orphan Radiation Sources Raise Global Concerns
by Pedro Ortiz, Vilmos Friedrich, John Wheatley, and Modupe Oresegun
PREVENTING THE NEXT CASE
Radioactive Materials & Illicit Trafficking
by Klaus E. Duftschmid
A CENTURY'S CHALLENGES
Historical Overview of Radiation Sources in the United States
by Joel O. Lubenau
If you whish you can mention to Pedro-Ortiz that I provide you the
information and e-mail
I hope this help
Jose Julio Rozental
joseroze@netvision.net.il
Israel
----- Original Message -----
From: Dhr. Van rooyen <rooyen@aib-vincotte.nl>
To: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2000 3:22 PM
Subject: 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
> >>
> >>
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> >>
> >
> >
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> >
> >
>
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