A contractor at the Palisades Nuclear Plant fell into a pool of water above the reactor at the plant on Tuesday. That's as owner Holtec International moves toward reopening the shuttered facility.
According to an event report published by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the contractor fell into a reactor cavity and ingested "some amount of cavity water."
The report goes on to state that the "individual was decontaminated by radiation protection personnel but had 300 counts per minute detected in their hair."
A statement sent to WMUK by Holtec said the worker was wearing all required personal protective equipment when the incident occurred.
“The worker was promptly assisted from the water, evaluated, monitored, and decontaminated for removable contamination in accordance with established industry standards and safety procedures," the statement sent by spokesman Nick Culp read.
"Radiological assessments are ongoing and are expected to confirm exposure well below regulatory and administrative dose limits. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission was properly notified, and a review of human performance factors contributing to the incident is underway."
The statement said the worker sustained minor injuries and has since returned to work.
Michael Symonds reports for WMUK through the Report for America national service program.
