Re: Police to make arrests over Tokaimura nuclear...

["J. J. Rozental" <joseroze@netvision.net.il>]

My Comment:

In Japan Police plan to arrest about three employees of JCO Co.

In the Radiological Accident in Goiania, the Federal Police also
investigated the responsibilities of the Regulatory Authorities, (Brazilian
Nuclear Energy Commission and Ministry of Health both Federal and the State
of Goias Department of Health), as Organizations.  As individuals 6 were
indicted By Federal Police as involuntary homicide, including myself. After
18 years responsible in Brazil to implement the BSS, I have learned by own
experience in my skin the differences on interpretation about
responsibilities.

Jose Julio Rozental
joseroze@netvision.net.il



----- Original Message -----
From: Sandy Perle <sandyfl@earthlink.net>
To: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2000 12:38 AM
Subject: Police to make arrests over Tokaimura nuclear...


Police to make arrests over Tokaimura nuclear...

MITO, Japan, Aug. 25 (Kyodo) - Police plan to arrest about three
employees of JCO Co., operators of a uranium-processing facility in
Tokaimura, Ibaraki Prefecture, over a fatal nuclear chain reaction
last September that killed two JCO workers and exposed hundreds of
people to radiation, police sources said Thursday.

The employees will be arrested sometime next month on suspicion of
professional negligence resulting in death and injury, the sources
said.

Police also plan to file criminal charges against former JCO
President Hiroharu Kitani and other JCO executives on suspicion that
they violated the nuclear facility operation law, the sources said.

JCO is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Metal Mining Co.

Two JCO workers -- Hisashi Ouchi, 35 and Masato Shinohara, 40 -- have
died from exposure to a huge amount of radiation in the accident.

The accident took place Sept. 30, 1999 when Ouchi, Shinohara and
another JCO worker poured a large amount of uranium into a tank not
designed to hold the radioactive substance, triggering a fissionable
chain reaction.

At least 439 people, including 207 residents in Tokaimura, were found
exposed to radiation, mostly in minor doses.

JCO's business license is based on the Law Concerning the Regulation
of Nuclear Raw Materials, Nuclear Fuel Materials and Nuclear
Reactors, which requires operators of nuclear facilities to obtain
approval before changing any production procedures.

However, in January 1993 the company began using buckets instead of
legally mandated equipment to process uranium, and in 1996 included
the method in a company manual without the knowledge of government
regulators, the sources said.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
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


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