Re: Avoiding improper use of isotopes in the laboratory

[Neon John <johngd@bellsouth.net>]

Rene Michel wrote:
> 
> Dear Radsafers,
> 
> The discussion about the "Man Sentenced in the Radioactive Poisoning Case"
> has been interesting indeed.  Many members of the list have expressed their
> personal opinions on who is to blame.  It would be nice and useful, if we
> could shift the approach of this discussion to finding ways to prevent such
> situations from happening. Should there be stricter security measures in the
> laboratories? Or mandatory instruction for workers on the improper use of
> radioisotopes?   I'm interested in knowing your opinions.

Based on the frequency of these events (almost never) and the
potential for serious injury (almost none), why would you waste even
a second's thought on the subject?  I'd worry more about someone
digging the cornerstone out of the affected building, carrying it to
the roof and dropping it on someone.  That would be much more likely
to cause actual harm to someone and is probably more likely to
happen.  What thoughts have you had regarding preventing this crime?

Sorry to sound a bit harsh but it really bothers me that people
spend so much time on such non-events.  Invariably, whenever there
is an attempt to prevent a once-in-a-lifetime crime, projects are
impaired and rights are adversely affected.  It also validates the
hysterics generated by the media.  To me, at least, none of these
are desirable outcomes.

On a larger scale, this sort of worry about non-events, sometimes
forced by the NRC's arm twisting and sometimes by utilities shooting
themselves in the foot, is what has doomed our industry.  With the
benefit of 20-20 hindsight, one can readily see that the response to
much of the nuclear hysteria should have been in effect, "get real"!

John

-- 
John De Armond
johngdSPAMNOT@bellsouth.net
http://neonjohn.4mg.com
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