In October 1994 three members of the public entered the radioactive waste repository at Tammiku, Estonia, without authorization and removed a metal container enclosing a radiation source, which one of them placed in his pocket. This action resulted in the death of one person and injury to a number of others. The purpose of this report is to provide information so that similar accidents can be avoided in the future.

A serious radiological accident occurred in Istanbul, Turkey, in December 1998 and January 1999 when two packages used to transport 60Co teletherapy sources were sold as scrap metal. This report gives an account of the circumstances which led to the accident and the medical aspects, and the lessons learned.

The radiological accident described in this report took place in Lilo, Georgia, when sealed radiation sources were abandoned by a previous owner at a site without following established regulatory safety procedures. As a consequence, 11 individuals at the site were exposed for a long period of time to high doses of radiation which resulted inter alia in severe radiation induced skin injuries. The present report, which is co-sponsored by the World Health Organization, provides information on the medical management of radiation induced skin injuries as well as a comprehensive report on the circumstances and details of the accident and the lessons to be learned.

This publication provides a practical resource for emergency planning, and fulfils, in part, functions assigned to the IAEA in the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency. If used effectively, it will help users to develop a capability to adequately respond to a nuclear or radiological emergency.

In late January and February 2000 a radiological accident occurred in Samut Prakarn, Thailand, when a disused Co-60 teletherapy head was partially dismantled, taken from an unsecured storage location and sold as scrap metal. This report gives an account of the circumstances which led to the accident, the medical aspects and the lessons learned.

In February 1999 a serious radiological accident occurred in Yanango, Peru, when a welder picked up an 192Ir industrial radiography source and put it in his pocket for several hours. This action resulted in his receiving a high radiation dose that necessitated the amputation of one leg. His wife and children were also exposed, but to a much less extent. The purpose of this report is to provide an account of the circumstances of the accident and its medical aspects.