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Worker hurt as uranium container explodes in nuclear lab
Index:
Worker hurt as uranium container explodes in nuclear lab
Japanese Gov't allows 2 nuclear reactors to run with cracked shrouds
Japanese Gov't eyes power to close nuke plants before emergency
===================================
Worker hurt as uranium container explodes in nuclear lab
OKAYAMA, Japan, Jan. 21 (Kyodo) - A worker was injured in the face
and eyes Tuesday when a container holding a uranium solution exploded
at a laboratory of a prototype uranium-enrichment plant in Okayama
Prefecture of the state-run Japan Nuclear Cycle Development
Institute, officials said.
The institute's Ningyo-Toge Environmental Engineering Center said the
incident poses no environmental threat to surrounding areas, and the
worker's skin was not contaminated with uranium and he was not
exposed to radiation internally.
The 22-year-old man, an employee of a subcontractor in Ibaraki
Prefecture, was bleeding from a cut above his eye caused by glass
shards, and one of his corneas was injured by the solution. He was
taken to a hospital in Kurayoshi, Tottori Prefecture.
The accident happened around 3 p.m. at a chemical laboratory at the
center when the worker was removing uranium from liquid nitric acid
in the 30-centimeter-long glass container, which suddenly burst.
The procedure was a preparation for operations to measure impurities
in depleted uranium, the center said.
''We are very sorry for the accident,'' said Chosuke Kuronuma, head
of the Ningyo-Toge Environmental Engineering Center. ''We will work
to determine the cause and to prevent a recurrence.''
Two other workers were inside the lab when the explosion occurred but
they were not injured, the officials said.
The lab and nuclear safety inspectors from the Ministry of Education,
Culture, Sports, Science and Technology said they are investigating
the cause.
The Ningyo-Toge Environmental Engineering Center is located in
Kamisaibara, a village bordering Tottori Prefecture and close to
Ningyo Pass, which contains uranium ore. It conducted a large
antidisaster drill last November with the Okayama and Tottori
prefectural governments.
The facility specializes in developing techniques used to refine
uranium ores and enrich uranium.
----------------
Japanese Gov't allows 2 nuclear reactors to run with cracked shrouds
TOKYO, Jan. 21 (Kyodo) - The government decided Tuesday to allow
Tokyo Electric Power Co. and Chubu Electric Power Co. to run a
nuclear reactor each with cracks in core shrouds left unrepaired,
saying the damage will have no effect on the plants' safety over the
next five years.
At issue are the No. 3 reactor at Tokyo Electric's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa
nuclear plant in Niigata Prefecture and the No. 4 reactor at Chubu
Electric's Hamaoka plant in Shizuoka Prefecture, whose operations
have been suspended for regular checks.
It is the first time the Industrial and Nuclear Safety Agency under
the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has permitted a specific
reactor to operate without cracks repaired, in line with a policy
adopted last December.
The agency's green light was given on condition that the cracks will
come under the government's regular facility inspections, agency
officials said.
But the agency urged Tokyo Electric to fix some of the cracks in the
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa No. 3 reactor shroud that are believed to be
expanding, before danger becomes imminent, the officials said.
A subgroup under the Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and
Energy, which advises the economy, trade and industry minister on
technical matters, endorsed the government decisions in a meeting the
same day.
The decisions were made at a time when the Tokyo-based and Nagoya-
based power utilities were considering whether to repair the shrouds
in question before resuming operation of the two reactors.
The resumption of operations of the reactors concerned now hinges on
whether the power companies manage to win support from local
governments and residents.
An official of the Niigata prefectural government in charge of
nuclear safety, who attended the meeting, urged the government to
thoroughly check these facilities, strictly assess their safety and
assume the responsibility of explaining results to local residents.
The agency unveiled a plan Dec. 25 to allow nuclear power operators
to resume operating damaged reactors if their safety can be ensured
for a period of five years and inspections are made regularly.
Under the policy, which came in response to Tokyo Electric's reactor
damage cover-up scandal revealed last August, reactors with cracks in
shrouds could be left running if the unscathed areas are strong
enough to cope with an earthquake.
-----------------
Japanese Gov't eyes power to close nuke plants before emergency
TOKYO, Jan. 19 (Kyodo) - The Japanese government is considering
legislation giving it the authority to shut down nuclear power plants
and other high-risk facilities as part of safety measures prior to
emergencies to protect citizens, government sources said Sunday.
Current laws stipulate that the government can order nuclear power
plants to take necessary measures to prevent disasters in times of
earthquakes and catastrophes.
According to an outline of the legislation drawn up by the government
and the ruling coalition, the government may order operations of
nuclear plants to be terminate even before an emergency should it
expect a military attack, while evacuating residents through local
authorities.
In addition to nuclear power plants and research facilities for
infectious diseases, other facilities such as those involving
radioactive substances and chemical factories are also targeted, the
sources said.
The government will begin explaining details of the legislation to
local authorities, private operators of essential utilities such as
electricity and gas, and other concerned parties when the Diet
convenes for its ordinary session Monday, the sources said.
The legislation to protect citizens is to be developed within two
years after the enactment of a set of war contingency bills, which
the ruling coalition hopes the Diet will pass in its regular session.
-------------------------------------------------
Sandy Perle
Director, Technical
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Service
ICN Plaza, 3300 Hyland Avenue
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100 Extension 2306
Fax:(714) 668-3149
E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net
E-Mail: sperle@icnpharm.com
Personal Website: http://sandy-travels.com/
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com/
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