Re: US nuke regulators criticized for false safety methods

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

Hank,

Excellent recollection!

The NRC has moved to performance based indicators for nuclear power 
plants. This is a good step and will lead to more accurate assessment 
of a plant's performance, especially since many of the indicators are 
process indicators reflect upon safety.

As is often the case, the UCS pounces on the number of violations as 
an indication of performance. What they fail to state in their news 
briefings, all violations are not equal in significance. There are 
many levels of violations. Many in fact are derived from self-
assessments at the plants. No mention is made that the numbers they 
quote (and I don't know over what time frame they were collected and 
reported) that there were an insignificant number that really 
reflected on any issues requiring significant attention. Going back 
to 1982 and using a vertical slice assessment based on that time 
frame is not a valid comparison. Any deviation from "verbatim 
compliance" in the past has been deemed to be a violation, regardless 
of the safety significance.

So, as in all releases from groups with an agenda, they use a few 
facts, twist the significance, and true meaning with respect to what 
the real effect/outcome is, and hide the other factors that put all 
of their statements into perspective.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sandy Perle					Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100   				    	
Director, Technical				Extension 2306 				     	
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Division		Fax:(714) 668-3149 	                   		    
ICN Biomedicals, Inc.				E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net 				                           
ICN Plaza, 3300 Hyland Avenue  		E-Mail: sperle@icnpharm.com          	          
Costa Mesa, CA 92626                                      

Personal Website:  http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/1205
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com

************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html