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Re: OSHA & Radiation (was: Badges for surgery)
This incident shows the importance of emergency planning. Facilities which may
require emergency response personnel to enter a posted area should communicate
with those organizations who would respond to an emergency regarding the meaning
of the posting, the expected hazards, and the appropriate protective actions.
As you said, this can be a matter of life and death.
It is important to train medical personnel regarding the rule that potential
contamination should NEVER interfere with lifesaving medical procedures. (I had
a wakeup call on this, back in 1983. We did not yet have fuel on site, but were
refining our emergency plan. The site nurse told me that should would not
attend to an accident victim until she was sure that he was not contaminated!
We quickly corrected that misunderstanding.)
The importance of training is illustrated by a medical drill, at another nuclear
power plant, where I played a victim. The scenario had 2 victims: me - heavily
contaminated, only slightly hurt, other victim - slight contamination, seriously
injured. I was also instructed to make a lot of noise. (A scene was recorded
on the video of the Nuclear Shift Supervisor telling me to "Shut the **** up.")
The responders did a good job, although, in retrospect, I received too much
attention and the seriously injured victim not enough. The ambulance drivers
took the whole thing a little too seriously. I was scared, for real, when they
drove the ambulance at high speed through a blizzard.
Nuclear power plant emergency plans generally require training for offsite
medical responders. It's a good idea for other facilities.
The opinions expressed are strictly mine.
It's not about dose, it's about trust.
Curies forever.
Bill Lipton
liptonw@dteenergy.com
"Bradt, Clayton" wrote:
> John Jacobus wrote:
>
> "And when was the last (or first) time OSHA inspected a
> hospital? We had an overexposure at our cyclotron
> facility, and OSHA did not respond even when we
> contacted them. We are a federal agency, and do not
> come under state regulations. I assume a state agency
> would have been interested."
>
> We had a near electrocution at a cyclotron facility not too long ago. OSHA
> investigated that incident, but radiation exposure wasn't an issue. OSHA
> has very few people with any radiation background. This of course does not
> prevent them from claiming that they regulate in the area of radiation
> hazards from x-ray and non-AEA materials. They want the turf but won't
> invest in the personnel to do the job.
>
> With regard to the electrocution incident: We have had a running battle with
> local code enforcement people in some municipalities who insist on requiring
> posting on the outside of all buildings where radioactive materials are
> stored/used - regardless of the form or quantities. (For the protection of
> first responders, they claim.) The cyclotron facility was located in one
> such municipality, and had a radiation sign on the outside of the building.
> When the EMTs arrived, they at first refused to enter because of the sign.
> Meanwhile the victim was unconscious on the floor and the pharmacist was
> yelling and cursing at the EMTs to get them to come in to treat him. They
> finally overcame their radiophobia and the individual was transported to
> hospital. The victim recovered but had some severe burns. Here again we
> have an agency (code enforcement this time) guarding turf in an area in
> which they have no expertise. This time with near fatal consequences.
>
> I'm sure there is a lesson here for all of us......but I at the moment I
> just can't think of what it is.
>
> Clayton J. Bradt, CHP
> Principal Radiophysicist
> NYS Dept. of Labor
> Radiological Health Unit
> voice: (518) 457-1202
> fax: (518) 485-7406
> e-mail: Clayton.Bradt@labor.state.ny.us
>
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