RE: 60th criticality accident

["Paul E Ruhter" <RUH@inel.gov>]

Since no one has corrected an apparent error, please note that the criticality
accident that occurred on 10/17/78 at the INEEL did NOT have any fatalities, nor
any exposures associated with it.   The accident occurred as a result of
chemical addition errors in a reprocessing operation conducted remotely in a
heavily shielded cell.  There was a release of fission gases through the
ventilation system, but the "cloud" decayed to background levels before it left
the INEEL boundaries.

A brief anecdote from that event: I had been designated as the technical
spokeman for an interview which occurred 2-3 days after this criticality event.
The reporter ask if there had been any personnel exposures? - "No"; had there
been any property damage? - "No"; had there been any exposures off-site? - "No".
The reporter then asked "Well, what's the big deal?" I reminded the reporter
that DOE was not the party that had requested the interview!  Other than
procedural compliance issues, there was "no big deal", thanks to the design of
the facility.

Paul Ruhter
Manager, Radiation Dosimetry & Records
Idaho National Engineering & Environmental laboratory
ruh@inel.gov


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