Incidents - Data Entry |
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USTUR health physics database |
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The Incident Tab
The ‘Incident’ tab highlights possible intake dates by summarizing each radiological incident that the worker was involved in. It provides the researcher with a concise narrative summary that integrates key information from the other health physics tabs.
Note: All incidents, including those that did not result in an intake, must be entered into the USTUR database such that all possible intakes are available to the researcher.
The Incident Indicator
The 'Incident Indicator' categorizes possible intakes. If multiple 'indicators' appear to be valid (i.e. following a contamination event, air samples were taken), identify the primary incident indicator. The six ‘incident indicators’ utilized in the USTUR database are: high air samples, bioassay, contamination, criticality, wound, and other.
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| Select an 'Incident Indicator' to categorize the possible intake. |
Data Entry
High Air Samples
High air concentrations present an inhalation hazard and may point to an intake even if the worker was wearing a respirator.
- Example:
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Four 24-hour samples pulled at 0830 12/5/69 indicated contaminated air to 1.2 x10-11 uCi/cc alpha. Assault masks were worn for short periods of activity involving load in of boxes to the sorting hood, but no respiratory protection was worn for routine operations. Follow up surveys revealed the following contamination: Large seal out port - backside of sorting hood (>40,000 dpm), sample bag (>40,000 dpm), bottom side of glove port (20,000 dpm). Pu/Am ratio of 14 to 1 (the ratio of 239/240/242Pu to 241Am and 238Pu). Nasal Smear: negative.
- Data Entry:
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Incident Indicator – Air Sample.
Primary Contaminant – Select the contaminant (radionuclide or type of radiation) or mixture from the drop down list.
Time 1 – Enter the sample period start time.
Time 2 – Enter the time that air sample was pulled (if only a single time is recorded in the hard file, enter it as Time 2).
Chemical State/Form – Enter chemical form and/or solubility.
Exposure Duration – Enter duration of exposure if known (i.e. momentary, <5 minutes, 3 hr).
Location – Enter building and area where incident occurred.
Description – Enter the date, time, and results of air sampling; cause of high samples; results of follow up surveys; radionuclide ratios/special isotopic mixtures, respiratory protection worn, bioassay requests, chelation therapy, and any other pertinent information.
Source – Enter the source of incident data as: document date – document name (i.e. 5/22/79 - internal dosimetry memorandum from site health physicist). Do not include specific personnel or registrant names.
Worksite Code – Enter the alpha numeric code used by the site to categorize the event if one is recorded in the hard file (i.e. rad occurrence type).
Bioassay
The ‘Bioassay’ Incident Type should be used with extreme caution and it is not appropriate if the incident can be attributed to an air sample, contamination, criticality, or wound. ‘Bioassay’ is appropriate when high bioassay results alerted health physicists to an intake that could not be attributed to a known incident. It can also be used if a ‘special’ non-routine bioassay was requested in response to an incident that is not described in the hard file.
- Example:
- The first indication of an intake was in March 1958, when a routine urine sample indicated positive alpha counts. These counts were later determined to be from 241Am. There was no documented event to establish the time of exposure, but it is likely that the intake occurred between March 1952 and March 1954. During this time, the registrant repeatedly manipulated 3-4 mg quantities of 241Am as a part of his graduate research at University of California Radiation Laboratory - Berkeley. He transferred to Lawrence Livermore Laboratory in 1954, but did not continue to work with 241Am. The route of intake was initially assumed to be a single inhalation with a possibility of ingestion, but post-mortem radiochemistry results indicate that the soft tissues of the left hand contained 1.9% of the total body 241Am content. Thus a wound was likely involved. The registrant reports in the personal history of a medical examination record that he received treatment in a hospital for a hand laceration in 1953. The report does not state the precise location of the injury nor does it indicate if it was incurred while he was at work.
- Data Entry:
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Incident Indicator – Bioassay. (Note: If the bioassay was triggered by a known event, the incident should be recorded in the database using that Incident Type.)
Primary Contaminant - Select the contaminant (radionuclide or type of radiation) or mixture from the drop down list.
Time 1 – Exact date is likely unknown, enter first date in range of possible incident dates.
Time 2 – Enter latest date in a range of possible incident dates (if only a single time can be estimated, enter it as Time 2).
Chemical State/Form – Enter the chemical form and/or solubility of the contaminant(s).
Exposure Duration – Enter the duration of exposure if known (i.e. momentary, <5 minutes, 3 hr).
Location – Enter the building and area where incident is thought to have occurred
Description – Enter the bioassay date and results, most likely time and mode of intake, information that supports this intake estimation, radionuclide ratios, chelation therapy, and any other pertinent information.
Source – Enter the source of incident data as: document date – document name (i.e. 5/22/79 - internal dosimetry memorandum from site health physicist). Do not include specific personnel or registrant names.
Worksite Code – Enter the alpha numeric code used by the site to categorize the event if one is recorded in the hard file (i.e. rad occurrence type).
Contamination
Record all contamination events even if they were successfully decontaminated and nasal swipes were negative.
- Example:
- A Process Operator detected skin contamination on his left hand while checking his hands in a hand counter in the men's locker room. A follow-up survey of the employee's locker revealed contamination: coveralls (1,000 dpm); surgical glove (10,000 dpm); four hood gloves in the hand and fingers smearable (5,000 dpm - 10,000 dpm); left thumb (2,000 dpm); left finger pads (1,000 dpm). All skin contamination was decontaminated to non-detectable measurements. Nasal Smear: Negative.
- Data Entry:
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Incident Indicator – Contamination.
Primary Contaminant - Select the contaminant (radionuclide or type of radiation) or mixture from the drop down list.
Time 1 – Enter the first time in a time range.
Time 2 – Enter the end time in a time range (if a single time is recorded in the hard file, enter it as Time 2).
Chemical State/Form – Enter chemical form and/or solubility.
Exposure Duration – Enter duration of exposure if known (i.e. momentary, <5 minutes, 3 hr).
Location – Enter building and area where incident occurred.
Description – Enter the events that caused the contamination, survey locations and results, radionuclide ratios, decontamination results (though decontamination agents need not be included as they will be recorded in the Contamination table), nasal/oral smear results, bioassay requests, chelation treatment, and any other pertinent information.
Source – Enter the source of incident data as: document date – document name (i.e. 5/22/79 - internal dosimetry memorandum from site health physicist). Do not include specific personnel or registrant names.
Worksite Code – Enter the alpha numeric code used by the site to categorize the event if one is recorded in the hard file (i.e. rad occurrence type).
Criticality
Record any criticality incidents that the worker was involved in.
- Example:
- Criticality accident in a plutonium waste chemical recovery facility: External exposure.
- Data Entry:
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Incident Indicator – Criticality.
Primary Contaminant - Select the contaminant (radionuclide or type of radiation) or mixture from the drop down list.
Time 1 – Leave blank.
Time 2 – Enter the time of the criticality.
Chemical State/Form – Enter the chemical form and/or solubility.
Exposure Duration – Enter the duration of exposure if known (i.e. momentary, <5 minutes, 3 hr).
Location – Enter the building and area where incident occurred.
Description – Describe the criticality event, dosimetry measurements, types of dosimeters used, and any other pertinent information.
Source – Enter the source of incident data as: document date – document name (i.e. 5/22/79 - internal dosimetry memorandum from site health physicist). Do not include specific personnel or registrant names.
Worksite Code – Enter the alpha numeric code used by the site to categorize the event if one is recorded in the hard file (i.e. rad occurrence type).
Fire
Record all contaminated fires.
- Example:
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A plutonium fire occurred outside the glove box during an attempt to unclog the drain line on a circulating oil coolant system for metallic plutonium lathe operations. "A center punch was inserted into the drainpipe in attempt to dislodge any obstruction...the second blow produced a large amount of sparking accompanied by a football-sized ball of fire...The paper and plastic pen [enclosing the drain piping] ignited." The fire lasted about 1 minute before it was extinguished with a portable extinguisher. Contamination spread throughout the building and 25,000 square feet of an adjoining building.
- Data Entry:
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Incident Indicator – Fire.
Primary Contaminant - Select the contaminant (radionuclide or type of radiation) or mixture from the drop down list.
Time 1 – Enter the time that the exposure began.
Time 2 – Enter the time that the exposure ended.
Chemical State/Form – Enter the chemical form and/or solubility.
Exposure Duration – Enter the duration of exposure if known (i.e. momentary, <5 minutes, 3 hr).
Location – Enter the building and area where incident occurred.
Description – Describe the criticality event, dosimetry measurements, types of dosimeters used, and any other pertinent information.
Source – Enter the source of incident data as: document date – document name (i.e. 5/22/79 - internal dosimetry memorandum from site health physicist). Do not include specific personnel or registrant names.
Worksite Code – Enter the alpha numeric code used by the site to categorize the event if one is recorded in the hard file (i.e. rad occurrence type).
Wound
Record any wounds such as lacerations and punctures.
- Example:
- A Process Operator received a contaminated puncture wound to the middle finger of the right hand while working in the leach hood. The employee was attempting to move a pan by using a length of stainless steel pipe. The pipe had a bur which inflicted the injury. The employee's finger measured 500 dpm and was decontaminated. At Battelle wound counter 1.6 nCi of 239Pu were measured in the wound. Wound was excised after which no contamination could be detected.
- Data Entry:
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Incident Indicator – Wound.
Primary Contaminant - Select the contaminant (radionuclide or type of radiation) or mixture from the drop down list.
Chemical State/Form – Enter the chemical form and/or solubility.
Time 1 – Leave blank.
Time 2 – Enter the time that wound was incurred.
Exposure Duration – Enter the duration of exposure if known (i.e. momentary, <5 minutes, 3 hr).
Location – Enter the building and area where incident occurred.
Description – Describe the wound, how it was incurred, radionuclide ratios, activity in the wound, decontamination, excision, chelation treatments, bioassay requests, and any other pertinent information.
Source – Enter the source of incident data as: document date – document name (i.e. 5/22/79 - internal dosimetry memorandum from site health physicist). Do not include specific personnel or registrant names.
Worksite Code – Enter the alpha numeric code used by the site to categorize the event if one is recorded in the hard file (i.e. rad occurrence type).
Other
If an incident is not a high air sample, bioassay, contamination, criticality, or wound, choose ‘Other’ as the ‘incident indicator.’
- Data Entry:
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Incident Indicator – Other.
Primary Contaminant - Select the contaminant (radionuclide or type of radiation) or mixture from the drop down list.
Time 1 – Enter the first time in a time range.
Time 2 – Enter the end time in a time range (if a single time is recorded in the hard file, enter it as Time 2).
Chemical State/Form – Enter the chemical form and/or solubility.
Exposure Duration – Enter the duration of exposure if known (i.e. momentary, <5 minutes, 3 hr);
Location – Enter the building and area where incident occurred.
Description – Describe the incident, radionuclide ratios, contamination, chelation treatments, and bioassay requests.
Source – Enter the source of incident data as: document date – document name (i.e. 5/22/79 - Internal dosimetry memorandum from site health physicist). Do not include specific personnel or registrant names.
Worksite Code –Enter the alpha numeric code used by the site to categorize the event if one is recorded in the hard file (i.e. rad occurrence type).
This page was last updated on April 4, 2008. usturwebmaster@tricity.wsu.edu