The radiological accident in Goiânia: the initial remedial actions

The removal of a 50.9-TBq 137Cs source from a radiation therapy facility in Goiânia gave rise to a radiological accident in September 1987 whose proportions were aggravated by the 16-d interval from the beginning of a series of acts that resulted in the contamination of people and areas, to the moment of identification and seeking of aid. Data gathered from the declarations of persons involved in the accident, matched with the medical assessment and radiation monitoring of areas affected, made it possible to determine procedures for care of victims and for decontaminating operations of these areas. The priorities of these procedures were to provide care to victims and eliminate critical paths by which other persons might be affected by exposure to radiation or contamination. This paper presents (1) remedial actions taken during the first weeks, (2) management problems associated with the accident, and (3) lessons learned from this episode that are of benefit to us and, hopefully, to others.