An outline of the intake event at the Los Alamos National Laboratory

Otani, Tetsuo; Kato, Masato   ; Kitamura, Akihiro   ; not registered 

On March, 2000, plutonium-238 intake event occurred at the Los Alamos National Laboratory(LANL), USA. The Accident Investigation Board performed the accident investigations in accordance with Department of Energy (DOE) and released the report of the accident on July, 2000. The accident occurred while LANL worker was checking the equipment of glovebox in the Plutonium Processing and Handling Facility of LANL. The lifetime effective dose to the most affected worker was estimated to be as high as 3Sv, and corresponding dose to three other workers probably exceeded their annual exposure level. Since we have many gloveboxes similar to the ones in LANL, and we must improve worker's safety consciousness against glovebox-operation in the future, we have studied this report and compiled as a safety lecture note for the JNC employee. And we compiled to introduce this accident outline to domestic nuclear enterprises and institutes.