COM 0212.436 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

MAY 19 '97 a5~3aPM ISOMEDIX CORPORATE P.4i6 , It should be noted that the same irradiator design was associated with the Norway, El Salvador and Israel events. After ttie Norway event, the irradiator manufacturer issued an information notice along .with a design modification to prevent a reoccurrence of the cause of the source rack jam. The notice was apparently ignored by both the other facilities. There are .no documented fatalities associated with industrial irradiators in the United States. An interlock system designed to meet today's requirements does not allow far any type of entry with the source in the exposed position. 4. How long w.il1 it take for cobalt 60 to turn nonradioactive? It depends on the. original level of activity but can be approximated to be around 1~5 years. 5. Is there a guarantee from the manufacturer that the cobalt 6o pencils will not Zeak? Yes; The current guarantee is for 20 years, though pencils properly stored will never leak. 6. What will happen if there is no water in the pool? The radiation levels outside the concrete shield will be no different than when the source rack is in the raised position during routine production. With no water- in the pool, the in-cell radiation monitor would be in an alarm condition thus preventing entry. NRC regulations require that the means to replenish water losses from the pool be incorporated into the design. 7. Do you have any idea on cost of decontamination in case of accident? How much insurance do you carry for this purpose? For a small facility possessing less than 250,000 curies, as planned for Hawaii, with a stainless steel pool liner, the estimated cost would be in the order of $150,000. The source manufacturer would be responsible for the cost of the cleanup should the cause prove to be a manufacturing defect in the source capsule. ISOMEDIX INC. CORPORATE OFFICES • 11 APOLLO DRIVE, WHIPPANY, NEVN JERSEY 07981 • (201) 887-4700 • FAX (201) 887-1476