Nuclear worker's mask left no room for glasses (JAPAN)

[AsahinaKimi]

The Yomiuri Shimbun

Wearing eyeglasses behind his safety mask contributed to a worker at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant receiving more than double the maximum allowed dose of radiation, according to a Tokyo Electric Power Co. investigation.

TEPCO said the man's eyeglasses prevented his protective mask from forming a tight seal against his face, enabling radioactive substances to get in.

The man, in his 30s, was exposed to 678 millisieverts of radiation while working at the plant in the days after the Great East Japan Earthquake. The upper limit for an emergency worker is cumulative exposure of 250 millisieverts.

Another man, in his 40s, who worked at the plant at the same time was exposed to 643 millisieverts.

more...
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110618002859.htm

[CleanGreenFuture]

1. Dead Men Walking.

:(

[Octafish]

2. TEPCO demonstrates an astounding level of criminal negligence.

From the individual to the global levels.

Protecting Industrial Workers from Radiation

EXCERPT...

In the same manner that the use of personal protective equipment must follow the utilization of engineering and administrative controls, shielding employees follows the aforementioned controls of limiting exposure and maintaining a safe distance. The method of shielding will be determined by the specific type and amount of radiation; however, as a rule, the material used will be the densest material as available.



Like duct tape.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

3. Idiots with perfect vision designed that mask, I guess.

People with good vision DO NOT UNDERSTAND that we glasses wearers MUST HAVE THEM to see and navigate.

Fortunately, the designers started making them attractive since some of us have them on our faces from the time we sit up and get out of bed.

Mine are either on my face or at arm's reach on the nightstand.

[Fumesucker]

4. I've worked places where they wouldn't even let you on the property with a mustache or beard..

Facial hair can interfere with a breathing mask and in the wrong circumstances that can kill you remarkably quickly.

We were also told to remove glasses before putting on a mask in case of emergency.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

5. Remove glasses? What if you can't see to navigate?

Are you just screwed, then, if you're nearsighted?

My focusing distance in my GOOD eye is about six inches.

:wtf:

[Fumesucker]

6. People doing those sorts of jobs are generally not that vision impaired..

That would be a choice of the individual whether to proceed or not, they tell you why you have to take the glasses off and it really is difficult/impossible to get a total seal on many breathing masks with glasses on. The problem is right in front of the ears mostly where the mask needs to seal tightly to the face and the arms of the glasses interfere with that seal.

If you have your own personal mask you can have custom corrective lenses installed on the glass part but most people don't worry about it, the mask is only for emergency evacuation not really for working in.

I'm farsighted in one eye and nearsighted in the other, I have to go some period of time without my glasses on a regular basis or I don't function well without them.

[Generic Other]

7. So we now also know they have no potassium iodide even for workers

Funny how bits of critical information slip out here and there. What is the medical response to these workers? I thought the tablets were the first line of defense in an emergency situation.