RE: Energy Dept. Nuke Contractors Fined

["Grant Wilton" <gwilton@chem.swri.edu>]

I find it interesting that workers who suffer accidents more often than not
don't have to accept any responsibility for the accident. It's always
somebody elses fault.  The company I work for provides eye protection for
work conducted in hazardous areas, if I don't wear them and am subsequently
injured in the eyes it's not my fault.  This mentality is absolutely absurd
yet is pervasive.  This mindset is a leading contibutor to the "Nation of
Victims" era in which we currently reside.  It's a crime that common sense
and personal responsibilty have been regulated out of existence.

These thoughts are mine and mine alone.


Grant Wilton
Senior Research Scientist
Southwest Research Institute
gwilton@chem.swri.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
[mailto:radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu]On Behalf Of Spikepsych1@aol.com
Sent: Friday, May 26, 2000 8:47 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: Energy Dept. Nuke Contractors Fined


Energy Dept. Nuke Contractors Fined

By MARK JEWELL
.c The Associated Press


SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - The Energy Department has fined two contractors at
nuclear sites in Washington and Colorado a total of $123,750 for failing to
adequately protect workers exposed to radioactivity.

The agency also cited a contractor at the Idaho National Engineering and
Environmental Laboratory, but levied no fine.

Bechtel Hanford, Inc., a contractor at the Hanford reservation in
south-central Washington, was fined $82,500 over a June 1999 incident in
which three workers were exposed to airborne radioactivity after they
unwrapped a ``highly contaminated'' piece of equipment, the DOE said.

No signs were posted to warn of the hazard, and employees continued to work
in the area for about 13 days without protective gear, though none appeared
to have suffered any ill health effects, the DOE said.

A statement released Thursday by Bechtel Hanford said the company ``takes
responsibility for this incident ... and agrees with the conclusions from
the
DOE.''

The DOE also ordered a fine of $41,250 against Kaiser-Hill Co., LLC, the
main
cleanup contractor at the former Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant outside
Denver.

It involved a February 1999 incident in which an employee performing
decontamination work received a dose of radioactivity that entered his body
through a cut on his finger, the DOE said. An investigation revealed
shortcomings in safety procedures.

Spokeswoman Greta Thomsen said the company would not contest the fine. ``As
a
result of our corrective actions, we've greatly improved our work controls
and procedures,'' she said.

Both fines were reduced because the companies took corrective steps, the DOE
said.

International Isotopes Idaho, Inc., a subcontractor at INEEL in southeastern
Idaho, was cited but not fined after two workers were exposed to a small
amount of radioactivity while they were replacing ventilation filters last
July, the DOE said. They were not harmed. Investigators determined the
subcontractor failed to adequately plan how to protect the workers.

AP-NY-05-26-00 0108EDT
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