On July 25, 2020, at approximately 11:00 a.m., a Westinghouse employee performing routine work in the pelleting area at the Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility (CFFF) passed out due to a personal medical emergency. Site emergency first responders responded per plant procedures and training until Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel arrived. The employee was transported to an offsite medical facility accompanied by a plant health physics technician due to the potential for radioactive contamination based on the work location of the employee.
The Westinghouse team followed the established safety protocols. Through the coordination by the on-site team, Health Physicist, and medical first responders, they quickly assessed the situation and provided outstanding care. The information provided at the hospital indicates the emergency response by the Westinghouse team is a testament to our dedication to upholding safety culture standards throughout the site and community.
While at the medical facility, a full survey of the injured party was performed, and low levels of radioactive contamination were found on their hands. Decontamination was done, and all direct surveys were between 50 and 75 DPM/100 cm2, well below our free release threshold of 200 DPM/cm2. Contamination surveys were also completed on the ambulance, impacted hospital areas, equipment, and medical staff. All results were below limits, indicating no spread of contamination during the treatment of the employee. All potentially contaminated materials related to treatment or decontamination while in transit or at the medical facility were collected and returned to CFFF for disposal.
There was no release to the environment, and no process or plant equipment involved. Surveys were taken at the hospital and of all emergency response equipment and personnel, which revealed no contamination spread.
A 24-hour event notification was made to the NRC per 10CFR70.50(b)(3) regulations: An event that requires unplanned medical treatment at a medical facility of an individual with spreadable radioactive contamination on the individual’s clothing or body. The event report is expected to be made publicly available on the NRC webpage the week of July 27.
