Re: Turkish Cobalt Source Incident

["J. J. Rozental" <josrozen@netmedia.net.il>]

THE ACCIDENT IN TURKEY

The Radiological Accident in Turkey is another case of abandoned source, as
had happened in Juarez, (Mexico) and  Goiania (Brazil), and in  many other
places without any information. The Radiological Accident in Turkey proves
that lessons from similar accidents in recent past were not fully learned.

I'll avoid description and I'll give only short details. For official
information the interested people should contact the IAEA.

Activity of the Co-60 sources at may/June 1998, around
 
Source A 90 Ci, found in a junkyard, now under the Turkish competent
authority control, main cause of injuries of many persons exposed to
radiation (see below)
Source B 250 Ci was found in it appropriate container, now under the Turkish
competent authority control 

Source C 700 Ci, is still missing -- An operational Turkish Emergency Team
made a complete survey in all possible location where the source could be
left, however nothing was found.


Injured people: look at  NRPB Response Statement - Serious Radiological
Incident in Turkey -- http://www.nrpb.org.uk/R1-99.htm
I will transcript the information because it is interesting to know about
the WHO Radiation Emergency Medical Preparedness Assistance Network (REMPAN)

(observation: I question the source activity below, seem to me that the
activity is 90 Ci (Source A) and not the follow information of  400 Ci

 NRPB  RESPONSE STATEMENT  - SERIOUS RADIOLOGICAL INCIDENT IN 

	IAEA and WHO have asked NRPB to provide medical assistance to the Turkish
authorities following a radiation accident. Preliminary information suggests
that sixteen persons were exposed to radiation from a 15 TBq (400 Ci) Co-60
source at a scrap metal yard. All the people have been hospitalized in
Turkey. Two of the patients were exposed, according to preliminary
evaluation, to a dose of around 5 Gy each, and three others are thought to
have had similarly high doses. Five patients appear to have received doses
less that 3 Gy, and the remaining six patients (including five children)
less than 1 Gy. 
As a result of NRPB membership of the WHO Radiation Emergency Medical
Preparedness Assistance Network (REMPAN), Dr Chris Sharp, medical consultant
from NRPB, has been asked to help and he has traveled to Istanbul. He and
another member of REMPAN, Professor Jean-Marc Cosset of the Curie Institute
in France, will work with their Turkish medical colleagues. They have also
asked that NRPB give assistance in cytogenetics and Dr David Lloyd, head of
the NRPB Cytogenetics Group, will carry this out. Cytogenetic analyses
enable a retrospective assessment of doses to be made. This can help in
planning the optimum medical treatments for patients who have received high
doses of radiation. NRPB has made these arrangements with the IAEA, Vienna. 
Background Information on REMPAN
For many years, WHO has been collecting and distributing health information
on cases of overexposure to ionizing radiation and on techniques for
diagnosis and treatment of casualties. WHO recommendations based on analysis
of this information have assisted health authorities in the improvement of
emergency medical preparedness and assistance at the local, national and
international level. In carrying out these activities, WHO has collaborated
closely with IAEA, UNSCEAR, ICRP, ILO and other international bodies as well
as with national institutions. 
The Chernobyl accident gave a strong new impulse for further development of
WHO activities in the field of radiation emergency medical preparedness. In
1988, WHO took a decision to accede to the convention on early notification
of a nuclear accident and to the convention on assistance in the case of a
nuclear accident or radiological emergency. The specific role of WHO in the
family of UN organizations is to address aspects directly relevant to the
medical community and health authorities in member states. WHO has
established REMPAN for the promotion of radiation emergency medical
preparedness and for practical assistance and advice to countries in a case
of overexposure from any source of radiation. 

J. J. Rozental
<josrozen@netmedia.net.il>
Israel


At 03:23 PM 3/8/99 -0600, you wrote:
>Several weeks ago there were some postings on RADSAFE about an incident
>involving a cobalt source in a salvage yard and resultant sickness and
>injuries.  Does anyone have any further details on what the outcome was.
>Fatalities?  Recovery?  I plan to use this in source control training as an
>example of what can happen when sources are not properly controlled.
>
>Thanks
>Harry
>
>Harold.Reynolds@RFETS.gov
>303.966.2708
>
>
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jjrozental

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