CBRN event in Spain on Wed 28th February 1996

While decontaminating some pieces of equipment for removal, an organic dissolver was used, it produced aerosols drifting alpha particles, such as Am-241. In spite of the use of masks, with filters for Iodine and particles, 9 out of 13 workers present at the working hall were contaminated: 4 out of them got doses up to 40% of the annual limit, not trespassing the Annual Limit of Intake (ALI) in any case though, 5 other workers present had an indication of lower contamination. The event was realized 4 days later, when air sampling filters where monitored.
Justification:
The INES Users Manual part IV is applicable to non-reactor events. According to point IV-5.1.4 .. when the radiological control procedures and managerial arrangements are inadequate and employees receive unplanned radiation exposures (internal or external) such events may be rated level 1. There where significant working procedure failures that led to this event, therefore it was rated level 1.