World-wide criticality accidents

["Vargo, George J" <vargo@pnl.gov>]

The number 60 sounds reasonable.  There are a few good sources of information.
Perhaps the best source on the early accidents is:

Stratton, WR  1967.  A review of criticality accidents.  LA-3611

There are some later events with the last on in the US occurring in 1978.  I
have written a paper that describes 14 criticality accidents in Russia between
1953 and 1997 (PNNL-12199).  I would not be surprised if there are not more than
14 in Russia, however, that is all that I have been ableto document.   A paper
based on this technical report should be published in the December 1999 issue of
Health Physics.

George J. Vargo, Ph.D., CHP
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
International Nuclear Safety Program
PO Box 999
902 Battelle Boulevard
Richland, WA  99352-0999
509-375-6836; -2019 (fax)
vargo@pnl.gov
http://insp.pnl.gov:2080

************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html