Stichting Laka

Event Report Forms (ERFs) are filed to the IAEA. Sometimes there are multiple event reports, updating the rating, the event description. Here you only see the latest event report

ERF send date: Tue, 19-11-1991
ERF description: At the opening of a waste container part of fissile materials contained (400 gr of uranium oxyde and 100 gr of plutonium oxyde) were dispersed in five rooms of the laboratory. The protective clothing of five workers was contaminated. This incident has not had consequences for the environment. The duration of cleaning and the lessons learned led to the classification at level 2.
On Tuesday 5 November, contamination took place in a chemical purificaiton laboratory room during the opening of a container holding a package of uranium oxide and plutonium waste.
The incident occurred during the identifying and monitoring of these fissile materials by two workers. The materials originated from the dismantling of glove boxes of the plutonium technology workshop at Cadarache.
The waste products were packaged in a metal box, enclosed in a double vinyl envelope, and inside of the container.
The quantity of uranium and plutonium contained in the waste products is evaluated respectively at 400 and 100 grammes. When the container was opened, part of these fissile materials were dispersed in the room in spite of the packaging of the metallic box enclosed in the double vinyl envelope. Investigations are being conducted by the operator to determine the cause of this dispersion.
The two workers carrying out the check were equipped with appropriate protective clothing (suit, gloves and mask), as were the three workers from the radiation protection service who intervened when the alarm went on indicating contamination.
The protective clothing of the five workers was contaminated. They were decontaminated on the spot, then sent to the on-site medical service where they underwent biological tests which proved to be negative.
The metering room, where the monitoring operation took place, and four adjoining rooms were contaminated and access to them has been closed off.
The operator is in the process of developing the procedures to both recover the package in order to determine the causes of this anomaly and clean the contaminated rooms.
This incident has not had consequences for the environment.
In response to a demand by the Nuclear Installation Safety Directorate, a surveillance visit was conducted on Wednesday the 6th November by the Environment of the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur Region.
Taking into consideration the duration of the contamiantion of the laboratory (a few days), the lessons to be drawn as concerns the packaging of this type of waste, this incident is classified as level 2 on the severity scale.

BASIS FOR RATING:
DIFFICULTIES IN RATING:
ERF rating date: 01-11-1991
ERF contact person: Mr. J. Breuil
ERF address: 99 rue de Grenelle, F-75700 Paris, France
ERF affiliation: Ministere de l'industrie, Service central de surete des, installations nucleaires

This map shows a selection of reports from nuclear and radiological incidents stored in the IAEA NEWS-database.
Locations are estimates. Contact us if a location is wrong.
The map shows a maximum of 100 incidents. If hundred incidents or more are within the map, the yellow perimeter indicates from where events are excluded. Drag or zoom the map to explore different areas.

Power Reactor Research Reactor Radwaste Facility Enrichment Facility Radiation Source Irradiation/Accelerator Facility Transportation

Fuel Fabrication Fuel Reprocessing Research Facility Mining/Milling Radioisotope Processing/Handling Facility Other