Re: FedEx blames human error, scans over stray iridium

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

To have an idea on  this incident (could be an accident of bad
consequences), shipment of 8 (eight) Ir-192 sources total of 866 Curies,
look at the NRC Daily events Report --
http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/DAILY/990427dr.htm and
http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/DAILY/990503dr.htm

Also the subject can be found at "The Ten O'Clock News",
http://wb56.com/news/04279902.htm  --  "Deadly radioactive package goes
missing" -- Bound for Mexico, deadly iridium was lost for 10 days.

To whom those are engaged  on Radiological Emergency Planning  and
Preparedness, this incident,  specially the survey to found the sources,
represents a good training to integrate user, regulatory authority, local
and national emergency response. Also lessons learned should be highly
emphasized. 

A few  months ago a serious radiological accident happened in Turkey,
sixteen persons were exposed to radiation to doses from 1 to 5 Gy. Despite
long survey  a 700 Ci Co-60 source still was not found.

Accidents have caught  countries by surprise (Chernobyl and Goiania). Also
the above cases.

I have been informed in this list about many Congress and Symposium
on Safety and Radiation Protection, however Emergency does not have enough
attention. Also training,  on Radiological Emergency is not realistic.

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

At 09:50 AM 7/6/99 -0500, you wrote:
>Wednesday June 30, 3:19 pm Eastern Time
>
>FedEx blames human error, scans over stray iridium
>
>LONDON, June 30 (Reuters) - Express courier Federal Express (NYSE:FDX 
>- news) said on Wednesday it had concluded human error and 
>insufficient package scanning procedures were responsible for a 
>shipment of radioactive material going missing for 10 days in April. 
>
>The 90 kg iridium shipment en route from Boston to Mexico was 
>eventually found in the dangerous goods area in FedEx' facility at 
>London's Stansted airport in the UK on April 26.  
>
>``There was human error and there was a problem with the tracking,'' 
>Clifford Morley, company spokesman for Europe, Middle East and Africa 
>told Reuters.  
>
>He said that FedEx was now ``improving its scanning appliance 
>techniques'' as a result of the internal inquiry into the incident.
>
>``We're not perfect. The thing about incidents like this is that we 
>can look into it, take the appropriate measures and make 
>improvements,'' he added.  
>
>The package was later delivered safely to its original destination in 
>Mexico.
>
>It was packed in a lead casing and was correctly labelled, FexEx 
>said.
>
>Iridium is used in checking oil pipeline welding.
>
>Sandy Perle
>E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net 
>Personal Website: http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/1205
>
>"The object of opening the mind, as of opening 
>the mouth, is to close it again on something solid"
>              - G. K. Chesterton -
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>
jjrozental

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