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another intentional contamination incident
This is from the NRC daily events report, and represents another case in
the current "epidemic" of intentional misuse incidents. P-32 seems to
be the radionuclide of choice. The Health Physics Society should
consider setting up a working group to develop a protocol for handling
such incidents. Items which must be considered include: (a) prevention
- eg., security of materials, screening of users, monitoring programs,
(b) immediate actions on discovery - to make sure we cover all the bases
- dosimetry for the "victim," preserving evidence, working with the
facility's security organization, where else to check for other
incidents, (c) actions to prevent recurrence - new security measures,
cultural issues. Academic and research institutions seem to be the most
vulnerable, although nuclear power plants are not immune. We should
address this proactively. If it happens to me, I want a plan in place
and want the benefit of my peer knowledge in developing this plan..
The opinions expressed are strictly mine.
It's not about dose, it's about trust.
Bill Lipton
liptonw@dteenergy.com
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT REGARDING AN INTENTIONAL UNAUTHORIZED EXPOSURE
OF AN |
| INDIVIDUAL USING
PHOSPHORUS-32 |
|
|
| The following text is a portion of a facsimile received in the
NRC |
| Operations Center from NRC Region
4: |
|
|
| "The licensee determined that a researcher had placed approximately
15-30 |
| microcuries of phosphorus-32, less than 10% of the annual limit of
intake |
| (ALI), on a fellow researchers chair with the intention of exposing
that |
| individual to
radiation." |
|
|
| "On July 2, 1999, during a routine survey of a laboratory and an
adjacent |
| office area by one of three researchers working in the laboratory,
the |
| researcher identified contamination on her office chair. The
contamination |
| was significant enough that it met the criteria for reporting the
incident |
| to the licensee's Radiation Safety Office. The Radiation Safety
staff |
| responded, performed additional surveys of the laboratory and
adjacent |
| office area, and ultimately bagged the chair and removed it to
their |
| radioactive waste storage area. The only contamination found by
the |
| Radiation Safety staff was in the immediate vicinity of the fume hood
and on |
| the researcher's chair. A spill of P-32 had occurred in a fume hood
in the |
| laboratory on June 29 or 30. Initially, it was assumed that this was
the |
| source of the contamination on the researcher's
chair." |
|
|
| "On Tuesday, July 6, 1999, the Radiation Safety Officer contacted
the |
| Principal Investigator at the laboratory where the incident occurred
to |
| discuss the possible causes for the spill and to verify that
the |
| contamination had been removed. At this time, the Principal
Investigator |
| told the Radiation Safety Officer that the contamination on the chair
was |
| intentionally placed there and that the researcher who was responsible
had |
| resigned.
..." |
|
|
| "The University of California - Irvine campus police have referred
this case |
| to the Orange County District Attorney's Office, Environmental
Protection |
| Unit, for review. The Los Angeles [Federal Bureau of Investigation]
Office |
| [Weapons of Mass Destruction] Coordinator was contacted by
[Radiologic |
| Health Branch] at the request of NRC [Region 4] and was provided with
the |
| name of the Orange County District Attorney's Office contact for
this |
|
case."
|
|
|
| "This information has been reviewed by the licensee and is current as
of 3 |
| p.m. PDT on August 5,
1999." |
|
|
| Contact the NRC operations officer for additional
information. |
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