A worker was carrying out maintenance work close to an X-ray generator used to measure the thickness of steel sheets. The X-ray generator was operating while the maintenance work was in progress, whereas it should have been switched off in order to avoid all risk of accidental exposure of the maintenance personnel. The worker was exposed for about twenty minutes, with part of his body being directly within the radiation beam for about five minutes. The dosimetric reconstruction carried out following the incident, as part of the medical care given to the worker, concluded that a whole body effective dose of about 0.2 millisieverts (mSv) had been received, as well as an equivalent dose to the skin of about 2 Sieverts (Sv) on a highly localised surface area, corresponding to that directly exposed to the beam. The exposure received by this worker led to no immediate health effect, cutaneous in particular (burn, necrosis, etc.); however, given the highly localised but significant exposure of a part of the body, the need for specific medical follow-up will be examined.
Location: Aperam Stainless Steel France Event date: Mon, 31-10-2022
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