Toxic ingedients

["Bernadette Baca" <Bernadette.Baca@tdh.state.tx.us>]

Hello, Ruth.

I read your message today posted on RADSAFE.  I too have had similar 
incidences and inquiries about the toxicity of the materials we work 
with.  It's quite interesting getting around the 
involuntary/voluntary risk perception.  In the past it was 
interesting to training our custodial staff it was okay to walk by 
but don't empty a radwaste containers; and yet seeing them mixing 
the chlorox and mildew removers. 

Questions often arise about "Do you glow in the dark? Aren't you 
afraid of the radiation???"  My answer is "No, not anymore than it is 
respect for it like gasoline or any other harmful material."  I know 
of some seriously toxic stuff lurking in my backyard (all natural 
stuff) and quite a bit under my kitchen sink.  I don't know what 
drives me more goofy than having to get after a tech for not wear 
gloves or seeing the guy next to me at the gas station over filling 
and letting the gas run over while smoking his cigarette.  It's a lot 
easier to scold and decontaminate a tech than it is to graft skin back after 
being burned from a fire.  But, it's all an individual's perceived 
risk.  You and I know we could talk ourselves blue in the face about 
how nonlethal our work is with respect to next closest industrial 
activity and yet some individuals will make you question the all 
debatable question: is there intelligent life out there/here?

Hopefully with education, the public will be a bit more desensitized 
and show respect for radiation and not sheer fear.  I've worked long 
and hard with my family, almost ten years now, and they are just now 
starting to show signs of intelligent life and asking some really 
good questions that are above the basic and typical questions, 
even for me.  They are also now more aware of the dangers lurking 
in the house in the form of common chemicals which definitely helps 
in reduction of the radiation fear.  This is combating the 
unknown and unjustified fears with real hands on dangers.  But, 
unfortunately, we still need to keep on eye on my brother, he's 
still out to prove he's a world famous household chemist...... that 
barbeque sauce.....

We can claim cancer/lethal/fatal risks for ANYTHINGand EVERYTHING 
here on earth.  Have you seen the equations life, home, health and 
automobile insurers use to rank your eligiblity and lifetime risks?  
I consider myself a fairly intelligent individual, but...  Where have 
all the remedial or fundamentals of protection gone?  And just how 
"bored" do we need to be to figure out an equation for 
cancer/fatality risks for something you know is harmful and there is 
an acceptable health limit on its use?  Let's use our time a little 
more wisely, in my opinion, and get the public educated and not bat 
numbers around.  Numbers only have meaning until someone assigns a 
relative association with them, and then someone else can say the 
completely opposite with the same set of numbers.  I still don't know 
why my car and health insurance is so high, but they keep telling the 
equation they used puts me in a particular bracket.  Go figure.

If anyone can claim a sure fire way of helping to alleviate public 
fears most of us will jump for joy and the rest will be..... not so 
happy - that's their livelihood that's just gotten taken away.  So 
hopefully, there will be a nice happy medium so that I can maintain 
my sanity.  Well, that's my soapbox presentation for today. 

Anyway, "my" thoughts and suggestions for a better, and less 
confusing, world.
 
Bernadette Baca

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TDH - Bureau of Radiation Control     
Uranium Licensing Project
1100 West 49th
Austin, TX 78756 - 3189
(512) 834 - 6688  ext: 2206

-My supervisor has not read or approved this message, 
much less agrees with my point of view.  Therefore, use at your own risk and humor.

mailto:Bernadette.Baca@tdh.state.tx.us

"Beneath this chaos is a really big mess." - Jim Davis