Westinghouse rapped over worker medicals

Wednesday, 15 October 2014

Westinghouse has been criticised by the Swedish nuclear regulator for failing to carry out required medical examinations of some workers at its fuel fabrication plant in Västerås.

Westinghouse Electric Sweden AB informed the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (Strålsäkerhetsmyndigheten, or SSM) on 29 September that its internal audit had found that some 60 so-called 'Category A' workers at the Västerås plant lacked valid medical examinations. Category A workers are those working within controlled areas of the plant and with the highest risk of exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Västerås plant (Image: Westinghouse)

These Category A workers are those that could face an annual effective dose of six milliSieverts (mSv) or above; the annual equivalent dose to the lens of the eye of 45 mSv or more; or, the annual equivalent dose to the extremities or the skin of 150 mSv or above.

Under Swedish law, workers are required to undergo a medical examination before being employed in Category A activities. They are then required to have an examination at least every three years while they remain in that work. It is the employer's responsibility to ensure that these medical examinations are carried out and recorded.

The regulator said it believes that Westinghouse has "failed in its control concerning the radiological medical surveillance of Category A workers." It has requested that the company conducts an investigation into the incident. It must report to SMM by 24 October on "what actions it has taken and an action plan with time-bound measures to ensure medical examination and periodic checks are made within the parameters prescribed by it."

SSM told Westinghouse in early October that the workers concerned must not be engaged in any activities that risk exposure to radiation until they have undergone and passed a medical examination.

Westinghouse said that over the subsequent couple of days, those affected workers were either directed to other work or internal training, while a few chose to take time off.

"All employees have now carried out the medical control and have returned to their normal work tasks," the company noted. "We are examining our routines to ensure that this will not happen again."

SSM investigator Nils Addo said, "We believe that Westinghouse has broken the requirements prescribed by it and are now demanding that they come in with an investigation and root cause analysis."

Västerås is also the location of Westinghouse's nuclear services and nuclear automation business units. Together with the fuel fabrication plant, these facilities employ about 1000 people. It is mainly the fuel fabrication plant that is subject to SSM's regulatory supervision.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News