Re: "Watchdog group questions safety of nuclear plant"

["Jerry Cohen" <jjcohen@PRODIGY.NET>]

Glad you asked! My recommendation would be:



1- Recognize that there is no such thing as absolute safety

    (except in the graveyard)



2- When characterizing the safety or lack thereof for anything

     one should also be required to provide some perspective and

     discuss what they consider to be an acceptable level.

     (those who insist on achieving absolute safety can be

      dismissed as idiots)



3- Assessment of safety should include consideration not only

    of the seriousness of potential consequences, but also the

    probability for their occurrence.



    Accordingly, IMHO, Rasmussen did a fine job on the

WASH-1400 study. Perhaps some of his methodology could

be improved, but the fundamental approach was superb. If only

everyone would agree, the "impasse" would be over.

                                                                Jerry



----- Original Message -----

From: Jacobus, John (OD/ORS) <jacobusj@ors.od.nih.gov>

To: RadSafe <radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu>

Sent: Friday, August 24, 2001 11:34 AM

Subject: RE: "Watchdog group questions safety of nuclear plant"





> Jerry,

> And what would you suggest to get beyond this impasse?

>

> John, Norman, et al,

>

>     How can it be scientifically determined that anything is "safe"?

>

>     How can one prove the absence of risk?

>

>     In other words, is safety just a warm fuzzy feeling, or can it be

> objectively

> determined? WASH 1400 (The Rasmussen study) in 1974 showed that

> nuclear power was relatively safer than than most things we accept without

> concern. Nevertheless accidents are possible so it is not absolutely safe.

> So----- What do you mean by SAFE, and what could the nuclear power

> industry  and regulators do to "ensure that it remains safe"?????





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