During the recovery operations, the following steps were taken:
(1) The vehicle and container were positioned so the rear of the vehicle was close to the radioactive sources.
(2) Two members of the recovery team installed stairs on the vehicle.
(3) The recovery team was divided into two groups. The first was positioned in an area located 20 m from the radioactive sources. The second remained beyond that area at a safe distance from the location of the radioactive sources.
(4) Two members of the recovery team placed the manipulating devices near the location of the radioactive sources.
(5) One member of the recovery team cleared the surrounding area of the radioactive sources.
(6) One member of the recovery team collected one of the radioactive sources and placed it into a special vessel.
(7) Two members of the recovery team transferred the radioactive source in the special vessel to the vehicle.
(8) Two members of the recovery team standing on the vehicle received the radioactive source and placed it into the container.
(9) In the event that a recovery team member became unable to complete their activity (e.g. due to the dose received), a substitute person was ready and available.
(10) The second half of the recovery team conducted the same actions for the second radioactive source.
(11) One person conducted individual dosimetry control for all members of the
recovery team and recorded the doses.
(12) Two members of the recovery team conducted dose rate monitoring.
(13) All actions were led by a team member assigned to give commands to start or to stop, according to the plan. A signal to stop was given to every worker after 40 s from the beginning of each activity, indicating replacement by the
next worker.
Additionally (just skimming) three members received some medical issues:
> Following the exposure on 2 December 2001, all three patients exhibited in the first 24h symptoms of nausea, vomiting, asthenia (weakness), headaches and dizziness, followed by cutaneous radiation syndrome (CRS). These early clinical manifestations and anamnesis of the patients strongly indicated ARS of a haematological type for the three patients. Furthermore, Patient1-DN developed transitory oropharyngeal syndrome.
Also the PDF has some helpful pictures and diagrams. Looks like both original containers were nearly stacked and sideways on a rocky/hilly path, in a difficult to get to place.
During the recovery operations, the following steps were taken:
(1) The vehicle and container were positioned so the rear of the vehicle was close to the radioactive sources.
(2) Two members of the recovery team installed stairs on the vehicle.
(3) The recovery team was divided into two groups. The first was positioned in an area located 20 m from the radioactive sources. The second remained beyond that area at a safe distance from the location of the radioactive sources.
(4) Two members of the recovery team placed the manipulating devices near the location of the radioactive sources.
(5) One member of the recovery team cleared the surrounding area of the radioactive sources.
(6) One member of the recovery team collected one of the radioactive sources and placed it into a special vessel.
(7) Two members of the recovery team transferred the radioactive source in the special vessel to the vehicle.
(8) Two members of the recovery team standing on the vehicle received the radioactive source and placed it into the container.
(9) In the event that a recovery team member became unable to complete their activity (e.g. due to the dose received), a substitute person was ready and available.
(10) The second half of the recovery team conducted the same actions for the second radioactive source.
(11) One person conducted individual dosimetry control for all members of the recovery team and recorded the doses.
(12) Two members of the recovery team conducted dose rate monitoring.
(13) All actions were led by a team member assigned to give commands to start or to stop, according to the plan. A signal to stop was given to every worker after 40 s from the beginning of each activity, indicating replacement by the next worker.
*edit: formatting