A company in Reading has been fined £16,000 after putting an employee at risk of exposure to ionising radiation.

A worker at Gemini Technology (Reading) Limited, a facility operated by the Ministry of Defence, was put at risk of exposure to 500 mSv per hour on 7 September 2018.

For comparison, the average person is exposed to a dose of 2.7 mSv every year. Doses over 100 mSv can lead to a change in red blood cells.

Even small doses of radiation can lead to an increased risk of developing cancer.

Gemini Technology was called to a site on Crescent Road, Gosport, to fix a problem with an irradiator.

An irradiator is a machine that uses gamma radiation to kill germs and insects. They are commonly used for food, plants, and medical supplies.

The repair involved removing the top of the machine’s safety cover, which put the employee at risk of exposure to dose rates of up to 500 mSv per hour.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that the company had not undertaken suitable and sufficient risk assessments of the work it was carrying out.

Gemini Technology pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act.  

The company was fined £16,000 and ordered to pay £25,000 towards costs at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on 15 September 2023.