NRC Inspector Lawsuit.

["D. Kosloff" <dkosloff@ncweb.com>]

This was reported by Pamela Newman in "The Energy Daily" on Oct. 17, 1995:
On Oct. 13, 1995 a jury found that Glen James (age 62) "did not contract his
chronic myelogenous leukemia while working at" San Onofre.  Don Horwath, one
of Mr. James' attorneys stated that the sole cause of chronic myelogenous
leukemia is exposure to excessive radiation.  At the time, there were three
similar suits pending in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of
California.  The article also stated that a similar lawsuit by an NRC
resident inspector had been settled out of court in 1994.

An Associated Press article, dated Jan. 13, 1994, reported that Morgan Cox,
a "radiation safety expert" testified that NRC inspector Rung Tang (age 42)
could have ingested a "fuel flea" which "would have exposed her to extensive
radiation without showing up on a detection device".  She worked at the
plant in 1985 and 1986 and was diagnosed with cancer in 1992.

"Cox also testified that Tang's recorded radiation measurements . . .  made
no sense to him.  Tang's recorded total exposure of 34 millirems while
working at the plant is well below the normal amount most people receive
each year in natural 'background radiation' from the environment"

Cox is quoted as saying that "The 34 millirems is totally inaccurate.  It's
incredibly low for having worked at a nuclear plant for a year and a half."

My personal comments:  I was an NRC resident inspector in Region III when
this all occurred in Region V.  My understanding at the time was that NRC
dosimetry in Region III was corrected for background.  I do not recall the
methodology.   I also recall reading a more detailed article, I belive in
"Nuclear News", that stated that Ms. Tang was a regional inspector,  not a
resident inspector.

Don Kosloff dkosloff@ncweb.com
2910 Main St, PERRY OH 44081
440 280 5371

----- Original Message -----
From: Joel Baumbaugh <baumbaug@nosc.mil>
Sent: Tuesday, April 11, 2000 9:03 AM

>  San Onofre Generating station had a former
> NRC inspector sue the station - her lawyers maintained that her exposure
at
> the plant (I forget now, but I believe it was under 100 mrem) was
> responsible for her contracting the disease - even though it occurs
> spontaneously in the worlds population and statistically seems to run in
> some families.  Perhaps one of them subscribed to RADSAFE can help out my
> recollections...
>
>          Joel Baumbaugh (baumbaug@nosc.mil)
>          SSC-SD


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