Mon., June 21, 2010 3:09pm (EDT)

SRS Worker Tested For Contamination
By Noel Brown
Updated: 3 years ago

AUGUSTA, Ga.  —  
A worker at Savannah River Site near Augusta is being tested after puncturing his finger while working with radioactive material. (Image courtesy DOE)
A worker at Savannah River Site near Augusta is being tested after puncturing his finger while working with radioactive material. (Image courtesy DOE)
Officials say an employee punctured his finger while working with radioactive materials at the former nuclear weapons plant last week. Officials say he was sorting items that had been exposed to plutonium in the past including clothing and tools

Will Callicott is a spokesperson for Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, the company now in charge of the site’s cleanup.

"He immediately received medical treatment at the site and that treatment included diagnostic tests that confirmed that some radioactive material was introduced below his skin," said Callicott.

Officials say it will be weeks before more conclusive test results come back.

Last year the Department of Energy withheld $4 million in federal funds from SRS after a string of safety- related injuries at the site.

So far this year SRS has been in good standing regarding its safety record.