Antinuclear

ANSTO admits safety failures at Lucas Heights: whistleblower still suspended

Mr Reid remains suspended…..The Greens say he should be reinstated immediately.

Chief vindicates Lucas Heights whistleblower – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)  1 June 2010, “………….In August 2008, a worker at the ARI facility dropped a vial of highly radioactive material in a containment cell, which went unreported for several hours.”We started investigating and the more we investigated the more we couldn’t understand because it was such a massive dose,” Mr Reid said.”None of our instruments could measure it – it was way off scale. We cleaned up everything and we still couldn’t get the dose down.”Mr Reid said one worker received a substantial dose of radiation, mainly to his groin.He also claimed ANSTO’s follow-up of the incident was far from adequate; it took over a year for the organisation to get in touch with the employee affected and offer medical and psychological support……..

as previously revealed by the ABC, an investigation by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) revealed other significant problems within the organisation.

The ARPANSA report found:

• Radioactive vials are regularly dropped, something that has been tolerated for years
• There have been no apparent attempts to introduce improved handling systems
• Supervision and training has not been effective in delivering the standard of safety required at the facility
• There has been a lack of management awareness about difficulties and failures at the facility………Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam said Mr Reid’s concerns had been completely vindicated.

• Mr Paterson also conceded that the 55-year-old had done the right thing……

  But Mr Reid remains suspended. ANSTO advised the Senate inquiry that Mr Reid was currently working on an agreed return-to-work program but had been offered an assignment with the organisation’s decommissioning team when he completed the program.

  The Greens say he should be reinstated immediately.

  A new management team is now in place at the ANSTO radiopharmaceuticals production facility.

  They will need to get up to speed quickly, as ARPANSA still has two major inquiries underway into ANSTO. ComCare, which polices workplace safety, is also finalising its own investigation.

Chief vindicates Lucas Heights whistleblower – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

June 1, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, safety, uranium | antinuclear, Australia, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive, uranium