Re[2]: Avoiding improper use of isotopes in the laboratory

[james.m@atomcon.gc.ca]

    The crime isn't once-in-a-lifetime - there have been several cases on 
    record over the last few years (decades?).  Most haven't been very 
    serious, but I seem to remember an incident (in Houston?) where a young 
    boy was injured.
    
    In some cases the licence-holder's carelessness made the crime easier.
    
    Mike James


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Avoiding improper use of isotopes in the laboratory 
Author:  <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu> at INTERNET
Date:    2000-01-18 12:52 PM


    
    
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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