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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: Wed, 22-05-2002
ERF description: On April 29, 2002, the State of Illinois, an Agreement State, completed its investigation into a radiography incident that occurred in June 2000, but was not reported to the State of Illinois until 18 months later. After a review of all available information, the State of Illinois cannot definitively eliminate the possibility that an industrial radiographer received a radiation burn while performing industrial radiography. The radiographer was using a 3 TBq (81 Ci) of Ir-192 source while performing radiographs on 20 cm (8 inch) pipe welds. The radiographer alleges that after cranking the source back, he approached the area without looking at his survey meter. He set the meter behind the camera and knelt down in front of the camera. He changed out the film and prepared for the next shot. He then disconnected the guide tube and saw 4-6 inches of the drive cable. He looked over at the survey meter and saw that it was off-scale. He immediately went to the controls and cranked the source fully into the camera. He performed a survey and confirmed the source was shielded properly. He looked at his alarming ratemeter and saw that the battery indicator showed "low battery." His self-reading pocket dosimeter showed off-scale. The radiographer did not report the incident to the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO). The radiographer states that after one or two weeks, he noticed a small red area on the outside of his left lower leg. During August - September 2001, his condition apparently worsened and the area would not heal. In early January 2002, the RSO finally became aware of this matter and notified the State of Illinois on January 15, 2002. A physician concluded that the medical condition could be attributed to the event in June 2000. After thoroughly reviewing all the information available and interviewing involved personnel, the State of Illinois estimated the possible dose to the radiographer's left lower leg was 15 Sv (1500 rem).
ERF rating date: 01-05-2002
ERF contact person: Joseph J. Holonich
ERF address: USNRC, Washington, DC 20555
ERF affiliation: USNRC

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