This text recounts the tragic story of Hisashi Ouchi, a Japanese nuclear worker who suffered a severe radiation accident in 1999. Ouchi and his colleagues at a nuclear fuel conversion facility made mistakes during their work, leading to a critical radiation incident. Ouchi absorbed a lethal dose of radiation, leading to devastating injuries and illnesses. Despite medical efforts, including stem cell transplantation and skin grafts, he suffered extreme pain and physical deterioration. After 83 days of excruciating suffering, he succumbed to his injuries. The narrative underscores the profound consequences of human error in high-risk environments and the immense challenges in treating severe radiation exposure.
Sure, here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. In 1999, Japanese nuclear worker Hisashi Oshii and his colleagues made a mistake while working at a nuclear fuel conversion company in Tokai.
2. This mistake led to Oshii being bedridden and unable to move for 83 days.
3. Oshii suffered a series of increasingly painful injuries and illnesses, causing his body to decompose while he was still alive, leaving him in a permanent state of acute pain and suffering.
4. Hisashi Ochii's colleagues were Yutaka Yokokawa and Masato Shinohara.
5. The JCO Nuclear Fuel Conversion Facility in Tokimura was not a power generation facility but rather produced fuel rods for other power plants.
6. The procedure involved converting uranium hexafluoride into Uranium Dioxide.
7. The approved concentration of uranium powder for this process was five percent.
8. Due to pressure to meet deadlines, the technicians modified the procedure, using a higher uranium concentration and an illegal method.
9. The mixture became critical, causing a radiation release.
10. Oshii absorbed the highest dose of radiation, while Yokokawa received the smallest dose.
11. The internationally recognized safety limit of radiation per person per year is 20 mSv. Oshii received 17,000 mSv, which is three times the amount considered fatal.
12. Oshii's chromosomes were severely damaged by radiation, making cell replication impossible.
13. Oshii received a stem cell transplant from his sister, which temporarily improved his condition.
14. However, Oshii's condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to extensive skin loss, internal bleeding, and organ failure.
15. Oshii's heart rate reached over 120 beats per minute, causing immense strain on his heart.
16. After multiple attempts to revive him, Oshii's heart stopped for the final time, and he passed away on the 83rd night after the accident.
These are the key facts from the provided text.