Re: Man Sentenced in radioactive Poisoning Case

[Jim Abraham <jimabe@lamar.colostate.edu>]

Franz Schoenhofer wrote:

> In almost all cases I did the dilution of standards myself and my
> collaborators, who were in principle authorized to do even that, recieved
> diluted material, with no potential for harm. If they had wanted to use
> this to scare somebody, they would have been responsible for that. But if
> they - or somebody else - would have been able to break into the lead
> castles for instance by breaking into the room where the lead castles were
> stored and to which only authorized people have access and to use the key
> because I had left it on my desk, then I or my institute would have faced
> big problems.

Franz, you've just proved our "collective" point, and I think essentially you
agree with what we've been saying all along.  The person in question from the
institution in America was an "authorized" user just as yourself.  He was
granted access by way of training and research purposes and given the authority
to to remove radioactive materials from a secured location to use for research
purposes.  He then decided to break the law and remove the radioactive material
from the university and use it for criminal puposes.  By your own definition -
he "would have been responsible for that".  He didn't break into the secured
location - he had access to it.  This is the defining point.  The university is
not responsible in any way in this scenario, period.

Regards,
--
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
James P. Abraham
Alt. Radiation Safety Officer
Radiation Control Office - Environmental Health Serv.
Colorado State University - Fort Collins, CO 80523-6021

Phone:  (970) 491-3928  Fax:  (970) 491-4804
email:  jimabe@lamar.colostate.edu
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>


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