Re: WIPP shipment through Albq. NM

[Doug Aitken <daitken@sugar-land.oilfield.slb.com>]

At 08:00 AM 1/14/2004 -0500, William V Lipton wrote:

>For better or worse, whether something is "safe" is an opinion.  I doubt that

>you're saying that the probability of a serious incident with one of these

>shipments is zero.   Then, the level of safety that is acceptable is a 

>judgment

>call, like it or not.



I think this discussion is pretty pointless. when it gets down to semantics.



I think the concept that most of the posters to this thread are trying to 

get across is one of relative risk.



And the news today of a tanker truck dropping off an overpass and causing 

multiple deaths and extended disruption should emphasize the statements 

made earlier in the discussion highlighting this "concept"



So, maybe we can all agree to get along and agree that there are lots of 

much more dangerous things freely roaming the highways than highly 

controlled shipments of radioactive waste.



As for the comment that there are plenty of controls on other hazardous 

goods out there by DOT, this is totally irrelevant. Governmental "controls" 

rely on two elements: (1) compliance and (2) enforcement.

As is demonstrated on a daily basis, there are weaknesses in both elements 

in general transportation, including hazmat transportation. Remember: an 

18-wheeler is instantly dangerous when it goes out of control, no matter 

its cargo!



I would venture to guess that the trucks involved the WIPP have been pretty 

carefully vetted for basic things like brakes, steering and tires. And that 

the drivers are following the full requirements of NRC and DOT. Recent 

enforcement efforts around Houston have uncovered a rather large percentage 

of 18-wheelers with basic hazardous conditions: inadequate brakes and/or 

tires, steering defects or poorly secured loads.. Never mind drivers hopped 

up on amphetamines......



So the relative risk of a catastrophic event from general cargo 

transportation far outweighs that of WIPP shipments. And this is the 

message that need to be got across.

Doug







Doug Aitken		Schlumberger Drilling and Measurements QHSE 

Advisor

Phone (Sugarland):   	281 285-8009

Phone (Home office): 	713 797-0919	

Phone (Cell): 		713 562-8585

Principal E-mail: jdaitken@earthlink.net

Schlumberger E-mail: daitken@sugar-land.oilfield.slb.com

Mail: 	300 Schlumberger Drive MD2, Room 111

	Sugar Land, TX 77478









************************************************************************

You are currently subscribed to the Radsafe mailing list. To

unsubscribe, send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu  Put the

text "unsubscribe radsafe" (no quote marks) in the body of the e-mail,

with no subject line. You can view the Radsafe archives at

http://www.vanderbilt.edu/radsafe/