Nuclear reactor accident - genshirojiko

Japanese: 原子炉事故 - げんしろじこ

An uncontrolled release of radioactive materials into the environment at a nuclear reactor facility due to operational errors, equipment failure, or external disturbances. Generally, nuclear reactor facilities, like other large industrial facilities, contain large amounts of hazardous materials, so if large-scale damage to the facility is assumed, there is a possibility of major damage occurring. A distinctive feature of nuclear reactor facilities is that the damage occurs in the form of radiation exposure, the same as in nuclear weapons. For this reason, nuclear reactor facilities are generally designed after prior evaluation so that even if equipment failure occurs, it will not have a significant impact on public health. Therefore, if an accident is defined as only a situation involving personal injury or property damage, as in general industry, another distinctive feature is that the frequency of such an accident occurring is extremely low.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

原子炉施設において，誤操作，機器の故障，外乱により，保有する放射性物質が制御されずに環境に放出されること。一般に原子炉施設は他の巨大産業施設と同様，多量の有害物質を内包するので，施設の大規模な損壊を仮定すれば大きな被害の発生する可能性がある。原子炉施設の場合，その被害の形態が核兵器と同じ放射線被曝であるという点に特徴がある。原子炉施設はこのこともあって，一般に設備に故障が生じても公衆の健康に重大な影響を与えないように事前評価を行ってから設計されるので，一般産業でいうように人身や財産の損害を伴う事態のみを事故とすれば，そうした事態の発生頻度がきわめて小さいことも特徴である。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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