Authorities at the site of nuclear waste in Hanford in Washington state are investigating a possible radiation leak, reports CBS 6.
The garment of the employee, where in the beginning of last week collapsed tunnel that was discovered radioactive material. Also high levels of radiation were recorded using the robotized device — crawler crane, which workers removed from the reservoir for nuclear waste.
“Was held regulated decontamination procedures, including the removal of contaminated clothing. Further observation of the employee showed that no contamination remained. Any of the other workers were not injured,” said Peter Bengtsson, a spokesman for contractor Washington River Protection Solutions, working at the plant.
WRPS, utilizing special tools to detect leaks, have not found any fluid flowing out of the tank. However, staff are preparing to carry out a visual check using videointroduction.
State officials urged the U.S. Department of energy to investigate the incident and establish whether it is safe at this facility.
May 9 employees of the company found that part of the tunnel on the spot where the warehouse of nuclear waste, collapsed, with a hole the size of about six meters. Officials claim that radiation leaks had not occurred, and the failure of the clean soil.
The tunnel is made of wood and concrete and covered with a three-meter layer of the soil, was built during the cold war for the transport of railway wagons with equipment contaminated in the process of plutonium production. According to the Ministry of energy, it was sealed since the mid 1990-ies.
The collapse of the tunnel has raised fears of widespread radiation leaks at the facility. The tank with double shell AZ-101 contains 3.6 thousand cubic meters of nuclear waste.