Re: tritiated water uptake

[lavelyp@uclink2.berkeley.edu (Paul Lavely)]

Sandy Perle wrote

>Paul Lavely makes some good points. However,  I think too much assessment
>of the term
>"epidemic" versus the fact that ONE case of an intentional contamination,
>is one too
>many. It doesn't really matter if it's 1, 2 or 100 deliberate acts. It's
>uncalled for, and the
>effects of the contamination in itself are not what drives this attention.
>Paul asks for
>documented cases to be formulated. One wonders how many deliberate acts
>are conducted
>that go undetected, OR covered up.. Covered up!!!!!!!!  Couldn't happen.

I have never stated that even one case of misuse, poisoning, or other forms
of assault was acceptable. What in my words could lead one to believe that
I would accept even one case of an intentional contamination as being
acceptable?

A misuse (my opinion) of the word epidemic is not doing any of us a
benefit. In fact, if I someone who is anti-nuclear and had heard of the
NIH, etc. cases had refereed to these as evidence of an "epidemic" I would
strongly disagree as I believe most other HP's would. I would also try to
put these isolated events into perspective based on frequency of
occurrence, how serious the consequences were, and what happened to the
perpetrator.

I have stated (both on Radsafe and to the NRC) that this type of misuse is
a criminal act and should be treated as such. I do not believe that we need
to see an "epidemic" of armed robberies before we are outraged - even one
is too many. The point here is that this "epidemic" is a one in a hundred
thousand to a one in a million occurrence. Is there any city in the U.S.
that can claim a rate of murder, assault, or other violent crimes occurring
at that frequency. If it is true that violence in the workplace is a
leading cause of death and injury in the working population, them isn't it
our goal to communicate that it is only to be expected that some of the
hundreds of thousand (millions?) who have access to radioactive materials
would use them as a weapon?

Sorry if you felt that my use of the definition of the word epidemic was
"too much assessment", but I believe that we can only communicate when the
correct use is made of words. Epidemic simply did not fit. HP's are always
talking or writing about how to educate the media and public. We state that
this is a goal. We bemoan ignorance about risk and radiation. Is there
anyone who believes that professional HP's referring to these isolated
events as an indication of an "epidemic" serves these communication and
education goals? Does the use of the wrong word ever help to foster good
communication? Don't we have a duty to do the best we can to place
radiation risk in perspective and to communicate accurately? Let us not
forget that Radsafe provides a permanent record of what we say and that
what we say is expected to be indicative of our beliefs. If I were an
employer facing a case of an intentional misuse, I would certainly not want
my professional HP staff to have referred to these isolated events as
evidence of an "epidemic." I also wouldn't want to be placed in the
position of trying to explain these words (that there is an epidemic). Note
- forget those disclaimers - in most of these Radsafe postings you are
speaking for your company.

In California, a deliberate act of contaminating or irradiating a person by
misuse of radioactive materials may be either a misdemeanor or a felony (as
determined by the District Attorney). Covering up a misuse is a conspiracy.
In California, a conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor or a felony is in
itself a felony. I find it hard to understand or believe that an HP would
want to commit a felony to help cover-up a crime that they were not
involved in. Sorry, but I seldom buy into conspiracy theories.

I asked for information on cases that can be documented as having happened
rather than being anecdotal. Again information on any such events,
especially if they had been covered up, would be appreciated, summarized,
and the summary published on radsafe.

Paul Lavely
Director
UC Berkeley
(510) 643-7986
lavelyp@uclink2.berkeley.edu