A spokesperson for the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) can be quoted on the following:
“Nuclear medicine is used for the diagnosis and treatment of various heart, lung, brain and bone conditions as well as cancer, in around 250 Australian hospitals and clinics every week.
“One in two Australians will, on average, need a nuclear medicine at some point during their lifetime.
“At around 7.30am on 7 June, a Quality Control Analyst who works in the medicine production area was undertaking a routine movement of a medicine product, when a spill occurred involving around 1 millilitre of liquid.
“The staff member was wearing full protective clothing. A health physicist checked the analyst and confirmed no skin contamination. An Occupational Physician then cleared the analyst to go home. The staff member is back at work today.
“ANSTO has informed both Comcare and the independent nuclear regulator, ARPANSA, of the incident, and will, of course, cooperate with any subsequent enquiries. “In the past 2 years, there have been two radiological spills in the nuclear medicine quality control area that have been reported to Comcare. What happened yesterday is very different to the incident of August last year that was widely reported in the media. ANSTO continues to provide support for the employee involved in last year’s incident.
“Tests show the analyst involved in yesterday’s incident did not receive skin contamination and the analyst has returned to work today.
“ANSTO ceased production immediately following the incident and has started an investigation to establish the facts of what happened yesterday and how a recurrence can be prevented. ANSTO is working to minimise impacts on nuclear medicine supply.”
Media contact: Phil McCall 0438 619 987
Published: 08/06/2018