RE: give me your opinion

["Huesgen, Jim" <radjh@showme.missouri.edu>]

Same thing happened at the University of Missouri-Rolla a few years back.
Worker "A" entered a large experimental digester tank and became
unconscious; Worker "B" went in to rescue and also passed out; Incredibly,
worker "C" entered the tank to help the other two and also lost
consciousness.  All three lost their lives.  Bottom line, never enter
confined spaces to assist or rescue an unconscious victim until you are
absolutely sure there is a breathable atmosphere.  In this particular case,
a respirator would have been useless.

-----Original Message-----
From: Hulltmsr@aol.com [mailto:Hulltmsr@aol.com]
Sent: Monday, January 25, 1999 11:08 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: Re: give me your opinion


If the radiological aspect of this hypothetical accident is the only
concern,
a respirator would just get in the way.  

However,  I've always been told the toxicity of plutonium is the far greater
hazard.  If this is true, we don't need any dead heroes.  Use the
respirator.

This reminds me of an occurrence in the 70's.  A new nuclear station was
under
construction across the parking lot from the one where I was working.  When
a
supervisor went to check on one of his workers, he looked into a manhole
into
an underground conduit where the worker was doing some cleanup using a
solvent.  The supervisor saw his worker lying at the bottom and hurried down
the ladder to check on him.  They lost two men that day.  The worker and the
supervisor.

Wear the respirator and whatever else you think you need to be safe.
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