At 0917 EDT on 8/25/11, Integrity Testlab received a facsimile notification from Integrity Testlab's dosimeter processor,
Landauer, that an assistant radiographer's July 2011 dosimeter had received/recorded 9.587 R.
According to the assistant radiographer, his dosimeter had come off his work clothes during radiographic operations on 7/29/11. When he discovered that his film badge was not on his work clothes, he looked for and found the dosimeter near the exposure device. He believes that his dosimeter had 4 or 5 exposures during the time the dosimeter was near the exposure device.
The exposure time for each exposure was about 40 seconds in length. On 8/2/11, the assistant radiographer informed the RSO what had occurred on 7/29/11. The RSO instructed the assistant to complete a statement on what transpired on that date. The RSO verified the assistant's statement with the radiographer.
The RSO verbally instructed the assistant how to best secure the dosimeter on the rate alarm meter pouch and to periodically check that all required dosimetry remains on his person during radiographic operations.
The RSO reviewed all daily pocket dosimeter readings recorded for the month of July. He determined that the assistant had performed radiography for a total of 9 days in July. The RSO also noticed that he had performed radiography with the same radiographer 8 of those 9 days. The radiographer's pocket dosimeter reading recorded 200 mR, while his assistant's daily readings totaled 201 Mr. The RSO contacted Landauer in order to get the radiographer's July recorded dosimeter results and Landauer verbally informed the RSO that the total was 87mR for the month of July for the radiographer.
After reviewing all documentation, the RSO believes that the assistant's dosimeter was accidently exposed to excessive radiation and that this was not an actual overexposure. Furthermore, the RSO intends to inform all personnel involved in Integrity Testlab's Radiation Safety Program about this event and to instruct the personnel on the importance of securing their dosimetry on their person.
An 880 Sigma device was involved during this occurrence and it had contained Ir -192, 55.5 Ci.