Case closed for runaway radioactive capsule
Nine months after a radioactive capsule the size of a tic-tac fell from a Rio Tinto truck in the Pilbara, those involved are officially out of hot water.
The Radiological Council has concluded its investigation with no fines or charges being issued.
While the details of the investigation will not be revealed to the public for security and safety concerns, WA Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson dubbed the incident “a series of unfortunate events”.
Sanderson also called clean-up and recovery efforts “very expensive”.
The report’s findings have been passed onto Sanderson for review.
The Radiation Safety Act remains under review, after it was revealed that the maximum penalty that could have been imposed for the missing capsule was $1000, an amount dwarfed by recovery costs and the potential risks posed to the public and the environment.
Needle in a haystack
The caesium-137 tablet disappeared for more than a week on a 1400km stretch of the Great Northern Highway in January, after it fell off a truck travelling from a Rio Tinto mine in the Pilbara.
The caesium-137 tablet forms part of a radiation gauge commonly used in processing plants. The gauge has since been banned from sale in WA. The capsule emits beta and gamma ray, with health authorities warning that standing within a metre of the capsule is the equivalent of receiving 10 chest X-rays in an hour.
As for how the capsule escaped from the truck, the running theory among authorities is that the container housing the capsule unit collapsed in transit due to road vibrations, and the unit fell through a hole left by a dislodged bolt.
Remarkably, the 8mm capsule was subsequently discovered by search teams, which WA Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson likened to finding a needle in a haystack.
Source: https://safetowork.com.au/case-closed-for-runaway-radioactive-capsule/
