| Accident scenario |
| Accident occurred in July 1969. Two
industria1 radiographers were accidentally exposed to 12.5 Ci of cobalt-60
when they wrongly assumed that the source had been wound back from the
projection tube into the shielded container after the completion of a series
of radiographs. Consequently, the mem were exposed to the unsieldedsource
as they dismantled and carried the radiography equipment to their van and
during the journey (1asting approximately 1 h and 50 min) back to headquarters.
Only then was it realized that the source was unshielded. Their film badges,
worn at waist level on the front of the body, were sent immediately to
the Radiological Protection Service for dose evaluation; dose of 51 and
46 rads were recorded |
| Chromosomal dosimetry |
| Blood samples obtained from the men
11 days after the exposure were cultured for 45 and 48 h using a separated
lymphocyte method. |
| References |
| Dolphin GW, Bolton D, Humphreys DLO, Speight
DL and Strading GN: Biological and physical dosimetry after a radiation
accident. Nature, 227: 165, 1970. |
| Chromosome aberration analysis |