THE operator of the Fukushima Nuclear Plant, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), has revealed that four workers had an encounter with water containing radioactive materials, leading to precautionary hospitalization.
Japanese media reported that the incident occurred while five workers were engaged in cleaning pipes within the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) system.
ALPS is a pumping and filtration system designed to filter wastewater before its release into the sea. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, ALPS uses a series of chemical reactions to remove 62 radionuclides from contaminated water. However, it is not able to remove tritium from the contaminated water.
TEPCO said that the five people were wearing protective masks and clothing at the time, which prevented ingestion of the fluid.
However, the liquid reached the skin of four workers.
The amount of radiation on the surface of two of them has not fallen below the standard values for safety despite immediate rinsing, their radiation levels measured at or above 4 becquerels per square centimeter, which is the safety threshold.
The workers were then sent to the hospital on Wednesday night. The two will remain hospitalized for about two weeks, according to the reports.
TEPCO has stated that, according to a doctor’s assessment, the likelihood of radiation-related burns for the two hospitalized workers is low.
TEPCO admitted Thursday that the two hospitalized workers did not wear raincoats outside the protective clothing in accordance with the regulations.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson said that the conditions of the hospitalized workers are stable, and they will undergo follow-up examinations during their approximately two-week hospital stay.
TEPCO is actively analyzing the incident to understand how it happened and is reviewing safety measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
This incident follows the Japanese government’s recent decision to release the second batch of treated radioactive wastewater into the Pacific Ocean from its defunct Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Reactor Plant.
