Re: Double Edged Sword

[Ted de Castro <tdc@XRAYTED.COM>]

Consider Double Edged Sword as "Hazard Communications" as to what could

go wrong!



The fluorescence machine in the example was AT LEAST as secure as

today's' machines - but the guy removed the protections and paid the

price.  Even though the DES sends the wrong message making it seem like

the PRIMARY fix was the better warning light - and BTW they put all the

interlocks back ....... is totally backwards!  Its still a good example,

however, of what the injuries can be like.



Most "modern" machines that come in here still don't meet my hardware

control standards and we almost always have to modify them to comply. 

Actually in that regard - the one decades old are easier and cheaper to

modify because they don't have a mis applied micro processor trying to

undo everything you are trying to do.



I very much dislike the "X-Ray Diffraction Hazards" video - even more so

today.  It sends the message that training is all you need!  Training is

an administrative control and only works voluntarily - a person can

choose to ignore their training, forget it, or simply be distracted.  I

have a full hardware control program here - the film would send the

message that "if one was careful and knew the hazards" it would be quite

alright to use the machine without controls - thus suggesting the

hardware controls are superfluous nonsense and they can take care of

themselves.  I don't want that message here.



We don't use DES here anymore either - I put together my own pc

presentation - geared to my program - but I'm putting it to CD for

archiving and because I started this project way back when we were using

it and I just want to finally do it!



Jim Casto wrote:

> 

> Ted,

> A related (though not directly answering your inquiry)...

> We have used for sometime "The Double-Edged Sword" as a training

> tool for analytical X-ray users (primarily X-ray diffraction). However,

> since most X-ray diffraction machines now are totally

> enclosed/interlocked (i.e. cabinet radiography machines), some

> have responded to me that they find the "D.E.S." out dated.

> As an alternative, we also have researchers view "X-ray Diffraction

> Hazards," by Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and "The Invisible

> Partner," by ALCOA. Invariable, most users have commented favorably

> on the ALCOA tape as being most helpful. I wonder if folks still find the

> "Double-Edged Sword" useful and if other tapes are recommended.

> Jim

> 

> --On Friday, February 21, 2003 9:02 AM -0800 Ted de Castro

> <tdc@XRAYTED.COM> wrote:

> 

> > A year or so ago some people on the list were looking for the old X-Ray

> > Safety film/video of "The Double Edged Sword".

> >

> > Has anyone found it?  Is it still being offered?

> >

> > I was given a umatic tape copy many years ago with written permission to

> > make "as many copies as I wanted" - which I have always taken with

> > discretion.

> >

> > We made VHS copies for our own use and I have now captured it to an AVI

> > file (Almost 7 gigs) and will soon put it to mpeg, video CD and DVD

> > formats.

> >

> > I'm asking the initial question above to see if its been abandoned or if

> > it is still available.  If its been abandoned - then I might seek

> > permission to let the CD formats out.

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> 

> ----------------------

> Jim Casto

> Radiation Safety Officer

> Department of Environmental Health & Safety

> University of California

> Santa Barbara, CA. 93106

> (805) 893-3588

> (805) 893-8659 fax

> Jim.Casto@ehs.ucsb.edu

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