Lucas Heights nuclear reactor under government investigation

SCIENCE Minister Kim Carr has launched an investigation into the safety and operation of Australia's nuclear reactor.

SCIENCE Minister Kim Carr has launched an investigation into the safety and operation of Australia's nuclear reactor.

Senator Carr yesterday asked department officials to work with the independent safety regulator -- the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency -- to examine occupational health and safety practices in place at the radiopharmaceutical product facility at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation at Lucas Heights in Sydney.

The move follows a report by the ABC's Lateline revealing damning details of an earlier investigation conducted by Australia's workplace regulator, Comcare.

The Comcare report found that ANSTO broke federal laws involving safety breaches and failed to investigate allegations of workplace bullying and harassment arising from the breaches.

"I take allegations such as those aired last night very seriously," Senator Carr said. "I have been closely monitoring these events for a considerable time."

In one such event investigated by ARPANSA and cited in the Comcare document, a staff member dropped a vial of radioactive molybdenum 90.

According to the ARPANSA report, obtained by The Australian, radiation levels near the dropped vial were "abnormally high".

"This is 100 times what would have been expected," said the inspectors, who further concluded that facility staff were poorly trained and did not know how to report incidents. Staff received no feedback about safety concerns following the incident.

The inspectors found while similar accidents had occurred over the years, the situation was not corrected. "ARPANSA inspectors noted that ANSTO acknowledged the . . . facility is more akin to a research facility than a production facility," the report states. That means problems will continue, it warns.

Officials at ANSTO pointed The Australian to a media release claiming the Comcare report was "flawed".

A spokesman for Comcare said it stands by its report.