Welder versus radiation...
Discussion
...radiation wins!
And this, children, is why, when it says "radiation inside", we leave the radiation inside.
Long story short: Peruvian welder, for reasons unknown, pockets the Iridium-192 source from a radiological instrument used to inspect welds. Did he take it out of the instrument? Why did he pocket it? We don't know. Management fails extravagantly and comprehensively, as the report details.
He leaves it in his back pocket for a while. Say, five hours or so.
Unbeknown to him, he's had a dose. A big dose. A big, leg-killing dose. Cue lesions, super-infections, amputation, and the loss of his genitals and anus.
I hesitate to say NSFW, because your average H&S manager would love you to read this and look at the very graphic pictures of the unfortunate man's injuries. Let's say NSFL (not safe for lunch).
http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1...
And this, children, is why, when it says "radiation inside", we leave the radiation inside.
Long story short: Peruvian welder, for reasons unknown, pockets the Iridium-192 source from a radiological instrument used to inspect welds. Did he take it out of the instrument? Why did he pocket it? We don't know. Management fails extravagantly and comprehensively, as the report details.
He leaves it in his back pocket for a while. Say, five hours or so.
Unbeknown to him, he's had a dose. A big dose. A big, leg-killing dose. Cue lesions, super-infections, amputation, and the loss of his genitals and anus.
I hesitate to say NSFW, because your average H&S manager would love you to read this and look at the very graphic pictures of the unfortunate man's injuries. Let's say NSFL (not safe for lunch).
http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1...
Sad tale, surprised that any weldor working on pipelines would not be aware of high radiation doses especially with anything to do with xray film non destructive testing.
Welding to large pipe standards you would think the weldors and supervisors would include learning about testing techniques and the dangers associated with testing knowing that testing especially something with radiation stickers and shields around the test area was a major danger and not something that an idiot would unscrew to get at the source which in essence was a bit of radioactive slug on the end of a bit of steel wire.
I knew about radiation testing and sources because it was taught to me 1st year of my apprenticeship luckily trained in the UK.
I seem to remember a similar case in Mexico (i think) where someone dismantled a dumped dental xray machine and took home a beautiful iridescence blue isotope home for months that passed through many hands.
Welding to large pipe standards you would think the weldors and supervisors would include learning about testing techniques and the dangers associated with testing knowing that testing especially something with radiation stickers and shields around the test area was a major danger and not something that an idiot would unscrew to get at the source which in essence was a bit of radioactive slug on the end of a bit of steel wire.
I knew about radiation testing and sources because it was taught to me 1st year of my apprenticeship luckily trained in the UK.
I seem to remember a similar case in Mexico (i think) where someone dismantled a dumped dental xray machine and took home a beautiful iridescence blue isotope home for months that passed through many hands.
69 coupe said:
Sad tale, surprised that any weldor working on pipelines would not be aware of high radiation doses especially with anything to do with xray film non destructive testing.
Welding to large pipe standards you would think the weldors and supervisors would include learning about testing techniques and the dangers associated with testing knowing that testing especially something with radiation stickers and shields around the test area was a major danger and not something that an idiot would unscrew to get at the source which in essence was a bit of radioactive slug on the end of a bit of steel wire.
I knew about radiation testing and sources because it was taught to me 1st year of my apprenticeship luckily trained in the UK.
I seem to remember a similar case in Mexico (i think) where someone dismantled a dumped dental xray machine and took home a beautiful iridescence blue isotope home for months that passed through many hands.
That was the Goiânia accident in Brazil.Welding to large pipe standards you would think the weldors and supervisors would include learning about testing techniques and the dangers associated with testing knowing that testing especially something with radiation stickers and shields around the test area was a major danger and not something that an idiot would unscrew to get at the source which in essence was a bit of radioactive slug on the end of a bit of steel wire.
I knew about radiation testing and sources because it was taught to me 1st year of my apprenticeship luckily trained in the UK.
I seem to remember a similar case in Mexico (i think) where someone dismantled a dumped dental xray machine and took home a beautiful iridescence blue isotope home for months that passed through many hands.
CommanderJameson said:
That was the Goiânia accident in Brazil.
which was considerably worse - at least the Welder didn't break the source and spread contamination around.Control of sources (or lack of) is a recurring issue in many parts of the world.
I've worked quite a bit in Chile and visited Peru a number of times. One thing I found, while working with explosives too, was that the level of basic education that you can take for granted is much less than you would expect in Europe.
People aren't stupid or thick. They just don't know general stuff that we take for granted. Putting them on a course doesn't always help either. They can repeat back what they have been taught and answer questions on it but you can't always count on them applying the knowledge in the field.
I worked with a guy who was the customer's Safety Officer and he'd done all the right courses etc. We were dealing with some electrically initiated explosives the initiators of which were experimental. They hadn't been tested to ensure that they were safe in any electromagnetic environment so I'd imposed a strict ban on any transmitters in the area of the magazine where they were being stored (above and beyond the normal restrictions which were regularly flouted anyway). I was a bit alarmed to turn up one day and find the Safety Officer using the crate containing the test items as a rest for his mobile phone which was on and working. The fact that it was an RF emitter just hadn't occurred to him.
Their approach to health and safety can be alarming too. I've seen 4 or 5 guys standing in a puddle using power tools all from the same 4 gang extension lead which was sat in the puddle with them and quietly fizzing to itself. I also declined to turn on a large portable industrial fan when I discovered that to do so I was expected to push two bare wires into the mains outlet on the wall. The mains outlet didn't have an on/off switch either. It was always live.
The whole place isn't like it but knowledge and good working practice is patchy to say the least!
People aren't stupid or thick. They just don't know general stuff that we take for granted. Putting them on a course doesn't always help either. They can repeat back what they have been taught and answer questions on it but you can't always count on them applying the knowledge in the field.
I worked with a guy who was the customer's Safety Officer and he'd done all the right courses etc. We were dealing with some electrically initiated explosives the initiators of which were experimental. They hadn't been tested to ensure that they were safe in any electromagnetic environment so I'd imposed a strict ban on any transmitters in the area of the magazine where they were being stored (above and beyond the normal restrictions which were regularly flouted anyway). I was a bit alarmed to turn up one day and find the Safety Officer using the crate containing the test items as a rest for his mobile phone which was on and working. The fact that it was an RF emitter just hadn't occurred to him.
Their approach to health and safety can be alarming too. I've seen 4 or 5 guys standing in a puddle using power tools all from the same 4 gang extension lead which was sat in the puddle with them and quietly fizzing to itself. I also declined to turn on a large portable industrial fan when I discovered that to do so I was expected to push two bare wires into the mains outlet on the wall. The mains outlet didn't have an on/off switch either. It was always live.
The whole place isn't like it but knowledge and good working practice is patchy to say the least!
No need to go as far as Peru.
A few years ago, Germany was worried at the appearanceof stainless steel parts that were radioactive. It was traced to consigments of S/S stock from India. One container was 'hot' enough to give you a max.safe annual dose in a day.
See: http://agmetalminer.com/2009/02/17/radioactive-sta...
It's happened more recently too: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/radio...
But people are amazingly careless with radiation.
See this, which is from a radiology industry site, concerned with accidents. SDome of the reports read like 'Darwin Awards', althohg no one dies: http://relir.cepn.asso.fr/index.php/en/reports/ind...
JOhn
A few years ago, Germany was worried at the appearanceof stainless steel parts that were radioactive. It was traced to consigments of S/S stock from India. One container was 'hot' enough to give you a max.safe annual dose in a day.
See: http://agmetalminer.com/2009/02/17/radioactive-sta...
It's happened more recently too: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/radio...
But people are amazingly careless with radiation.
See this, which is from a radiology industry site, concerned with accidents. SDome of the reports read like 'Darwin Awards', althohg no one dies: http://relir.cepn.asso.fr/index.php/en/reports/ind...
JOhn
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