Re: [Phys-l] Nuclear Power and the Grid

["David Marx" <marx@phy.ilstu.edu>]

On 11 Sep 2011 at 14:15, Bernard Cleyet wrote:

> > Ask any scientist at a government lab whether they can do their jobs in today's over-regulated 
> > environment, where safety has been taken to the extreme.  
>
> I was one (scientist, if a state University's instructional and research labs are govt.) and didn't notice any over regulation -- never heard a complaint.  I'd receive them, as I was the instructional lab's RSO.

No, I am talking about the workers at the national labs, Argonne, Sandia, Lawrence-Livermore, etc.

> > When I visit Argonne National Lab, all I 
> > hear from people is that its very difficult to work in the current environment.  It wasn't like this at all 20 
> > years ago, when people could do science vitually inhindered and accidents were rare.  Yes, there was 
> > safety training, but now it is beyond ridiculous.
>
> Did ANL have an accident that precipitated a change?

No, the accident that triggered a major surge in safety inspections and regulation occurred at another 
national lab around 1990 when a graduate student was blinded by a laser on her(?) first day on the 
job.  The story goes that the superviser of that student went to Washington to demand massive new 
safety inspections, training, etc.  Subsequently, safety inspections took place at all of the national labs 
and many things were found and subsequently fixed, but it didn't stop there.  People have simply gone 
crazy over the years pointing at things in labs and saying they are unsafe to the point that no one can 
do anythng.