The Ministry of Environmental Protection revoked the permit to deal with radioactive materials for the company Gabi Shoaf Ltd., due to an incident of exposure of radiation workers in the company following a series of failures in the functioning of some of the company’s employees.
At the Gabi Shoaf company, radioactive materials are used for radiography. In the month of January, the company’s employees, who performed radiography at the Bekaot site, were exposed to radiation due to improper use of the equipment. This exposure could have been avoided if radiation measurement around the equipment had been performed, as required. This is an unjustified and uncontrolled exposure to a source of ionizing radiation, which is a definite carcinogen. It should be emphasized that regardless of the doses of exposure, this goes against the international rules for radiation safety, which state that any exposure to radiation must be justified and well controlled.
In the investigation of the incident, it was discovered that the workers were without radiation tags, did not prevent the malfunction as required by putting the source into shielding, and did not handle the malfunction in real time by staying away and reporting to the office. Also, the workers were not trained for this type of work, and after discovering the malfunction, they transported the source of radiation in their vehicle, when the source was exposed in the trunk, contrary to the instructions of the permit and while being exposed to radiation. On top of that, a radioactive source was used for which the company did not have a permit – and it is 10 times stronger than what was reported to the ministry.
The company’s management acted contrary to the terms of the permit when it did not report to the Ministry of Environmental Protection immediately, nor did it handle the malfunction in the field, but only after the radioactive source was transported a long distance without shielding, with additional risk to the workers, the public and the environment. It should be noted that this is not the first time that the company has violated the conditions of the permit and endangered the environment, and as part of annual audits conducted by the firm over the years, malfunctions and violations surfaced, which the firm demanded to be addressed immediately.
In light of these, and after considering the risk of continuing the company’s activities with powerful radioactive materials, the head of the noise and radiation prevention department at the ministry, Prof. Stelian Gelberg, rejected the company’s request for access, and stated that it will not receive the permit to deal with radioactive materials again.
Following this incident, and as part of the ministry’s supervision of permit holders to deal with radioactive materials, today (Sunday) the ministry is holding a study day and refinement of procedures for permit holders. The office will continue to examine the matter and, if necessary, will use all the means at its disposal.
Prof. Stelian Gelberg, Head of the Noise and Radiation Prevention Division at the Ministry of Environmental Protection: “Violation of conditions in the permit to deal with radioactive materials led to a serious incident in which they were exposed to a high level of ionizing radiation – something that endangered the employees, the public and the environment. This incident requires the immediate cessation of the company’s dealing with radioactive materials. The Ministry of Environmental Protection works at all times to prevent incidents of exposure to the public, and will continue to enforce as much as necessary in order to protect public health.”
