Over-exposure during work with x-ray crystallographic equipment
A case is recorded of over-exposure received by an experienced service engineer of a firm manufacturing x-ray crystallographic equipment. The first indication of an incident was the development of a radiation burn on two fingers of the left hand. Reconstruction of the subject's movements during the previous month indicated that the incident occurred whilst servicing a Technical College diffraction apparatus. The safety shutter mechanisms and a filter disc had been removed to enable the tube head to be aligned by hand. Subsequent measurements at the tube window using thermoluminescent dosemeters, showed the dose rate to be ~120 rads/sec at a tube of 20 Kv, 6 mA. A radiotherapy specialist concluded that the burn's appearance was consistent with a dose of 1500 to 2000 rads of x radiation. The skin appearance and surface tissues appeared to recover after several months. The equivalent whole body dose, estimated by chromosome aberration analysis, was below the level of detection of the technique (i.e. less than ~15 rads.) (UK)
- Research Organization:
- National Radiological Protection Board, Harwell, Eng.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-29-010426
- OSTI ID:
- 4362871
- Journal Information:
- Radiol. Prot. Bull., no. 5, pp. 15-16, Journal Name: Radiol. Prot. Bull., no. 5, pp. 15-16; ISSN RDPBA
- Country of Publication:
- United Kingdom
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Radiation overexposure of an industrial radiographer
Effects of single dose supervoltage whole brain radiation in Macaca mulatta. [X radiation]