Worker Exposed to Contamination at Oak Ridge TWPC
At least one worker at the Oak Ridge Transuranic Waste Processing Center appeared to be exposed to radiological contamination during an incident in July, according to a Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board site representative report released this week. The July 31 document said the incident occurred “late last week” during extraction of a lead-shielded container from a glove box employing a plastic sleeve via the standard “bag-out” port, according to the report. “During the evolution, a slit was noticed in the sleeve and a radiological controls technician (RCT) assisted the operators in sealing the opening,” the DNFSB officials said. All personnel present were wearing protective gear, including respirators. Radiological testing found radiological contaminants on an operator’s protective gear and company-supplied apparel. However, testing did not identify any contamination on the person’s skin and “nasal smears were below minimum detectable activity levels,” the report says. Further information about the incident was not immediately available.
