SimplyInfo » Entries tagged with "workers"
To The Surprise Of Absolutely No One, Yakuza Involved In Decontamination Work
[Translate] Asahi Shimbun reports on the prolific problems of the Yakuza in the layers of contractors used to conduct decontamination work after the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Workers only see a portion of their pay as gang members siphon off the rest. Even legitimate contractors have been blamed for the massive waste in the system where each layer of subcontractors takes a cut of the pay. Journalist Tomohiko Suzuki has a very simple solution to both problems. Direct hire workers to do the decontamination work. Read all the details over at Asahi Shimbun http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201305060062 This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. Content may also be copyright of other specific original authors or creators and was reproduced here with limited permission. … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Latest
Pre-Tsunami Damage At Unit 1 Fukushima Daiichi
[Translate] Concerns about damage to unit 1 and possibly other units having happened before the tsunami hit the plant still exist among experts and those who witnessed the disaster. Many worked cited seeing pipes buckle, break, leak or fall off of walls as they fled the unit during the earthquake. In an effort to document these events and investigate the possibility of earthquake induced damage playing a role in the disaster we have started a page to document those findings. The permanent page can be found here or in the Fukushima Status menu on the home page. http://www.simplyinfo.org/?page_id=10166 This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. Content may also be copyright of other specific original authors or creators and was … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Latest
TEPCO’s Tungsten Vests
[Translate] The use of these vests was mentioned in passing by worker “Happy11311″ while talking about the effort to clean off unit 3. Workers had been sent up onto the scaffolding surrounding unit 3 to help guide the cranes wearing these vests. Apparently they have been in use for a while, there was a mention of workers wearing them to enter unit 2 back in 2011. The vests were originally conceived by Entergy to lower exposure levels for workers doing certain tasks during refueling outages. Improvements were made to these vests to have both front and back protection when they were produced for TEPCO after the disaster. The vests are made out of a tungsten and iron powder suspended in silicone. This makes the vests flexible while still providing protection, they weight … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Latest
TEPCO Workers Unmonitored Exposures Likely Occurred
[Translate] Workers at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant and radiation experts have pointed out flaws in early worker exposure monitoring. This lack of proper monitoring could lead to additional health problems that could go un-monitored due to the lack of documentation. Workers were wearing chest dosimeters and did not have any sort of additional monitoring for feet, hands or head. Many workers didn’t even have dosimeters during the early days of the disaster. The chest dosimeters. TEPCO’s excuse for not doing initial monitoring was that the gamma levels were initially higher than the beta levels. Yet a number of workers suffered beta burns after stepping in contaminated water. Workers mention they frequently found higher levels in the debris around their feet. One worker quoted in the article says he had numbness in … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Latest
Unit 4 Cover Building Columns To Begin Installation
[Translate] Worker Happy, mentions that the installation of the cover building columns is beginning at Fukushima Daiichi. (machine translation) “Could they also blur Tsu, sleep early Nakya out with sleepiness (-o-;) song was also sleeping until now eat pudding..Oh, today I have assembled a huge steel columns of the cover Unit 4. I wonder if tomorrow than today … Sabui.I at I on. Link TEPCO has also released some photos on the work today. This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. Content may also be copyright of other specific original authors or creators and was reproduced here with limited permission. While we welcome the sharing of information or promoting our work, please do so with respect to … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Latest
Fukushima 50 Battle Depression, PTSD And Discrimination
[Translate] The Fukushima 50 (actually totaling 300 workers) currently have about a 50% incidence rate of depression or PTSD. On top of this most are also victims of the disaster. These workers continue to face discrimination that some experts connect to the deep allegiance and identity with employers many in Japan put on people. This identity causes the workers to be seen as “TEPCO” rather than people who risked their lives to protect the country. via BBC Radio This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. Content may also be copyright of other specific original authors or creators and was reproduced here with limited permission. While we welcome the sharing of information or promoting our work, please do so with respect to the large … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Latest
Staffing Issues & Future Plans Dog TEPCO & Fukushima Daiichi
[Translate] A number of recent reports show the manpower problems at Fukushima Daiichi. There have been problems all along with trying to secure qualified workers to do work at the plant. There have been problems with the Yakuza sending in unskilled workers, workers who owed them debts and skimming off of workers pay. Multiple layers of sub contractors further complicate responsibility an communication. This week a worker attempted to cut a plastic conduit pipe with a hand saw assuming it was empty. To his surprise (and luckily not his shock) the conduit contained a live high power electric line. Miss-communication from management to workers and insufficient pre-work inspection lead to the worker being told to cut the conduit with the active line. A system with lights indicates where power lines are activated. … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Latest
Oops! Worker Bumps Reactor Water Valve At Fukushima Daiichi Changing Water Rate
[Translate] A worker installing pipe insulation bumped a valve controlling the feedwater cooling for unit 3 at Fukushima Daiichi. This increased the water injection rate to 7 tons per hour from 5.8 tons per hour. Once it was discovered workers adjusted the valve back down. Such events highlight the fragile nature of the plant where critical systems have no protection or safety systems. This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. Content may also be copyright of other specific original authors or creators and was reproduced here with limited permission. While we welcome the sharing of information or promoting our work, please do so with respect to the large amount of effort and time that goes into our … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Latest
Worker Breaks Leg At Daiichi
[Translate] Workers are reporting that at least one worker was injured in the turbine building of unit 4 at Fukushima Daiichi. Details about what led to the injury were not available and TEPCO has not reported the incident yet. Machine translation: Happy113114:45 am via Keitai Web I was cold in the morning today (^ O ^), the scene was surprisingly warm and easy to work っ now. Location of water leakage Sally yesterday, I was not doing anything today. Maybe in the building is to investigate various … and cause. People were injured in the turbine No. 4 came out today was like after. But it seems like … a broken leg. This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. Content may also be … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Latest
4th Worker Highly Exposed In #3 Turbine Basement
[Translate] TEPCO has admitted a 4th worker was highly exposed in the turbine building basement of unit 3. He received 56 mSv for his brief trip into the basement. TEPCO also admitted all of the team that was in the basement for longer required medical care due to their exposure. “TEPCO and its business partner Kandenko Co. had previously said that only three workers waded through highly contaminated water on March 24, 2011. That story held up until last month. A different worker revealed during a Nov. 1 news conference that he had refused to go to the basement but someone else went there.” “The two Kandenko employees and the man working for a first-tier subcontractor ventured to the basement and went about their tasks while ignoring dosimeters clicking ever faster due to the … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Latest
Japanese Researchers Invent Cyber Robotic Armor For Fukushima Workers
[Translate] A group of researchers has invented a suit of brain controlled robotic armor for Fukushima nuclear workers to use as they deal with the high risk conditions at the plant. The development company called Cyberdyne named the suit HAL. The researchers must be science fiction fans. The suit works off of brain waves to activate and assist with movement and lifting. The protective gear worn by workers in some high radiation areas is extremely restrictive due to weight and bulk. The suit assists with moving the additional weight of protective gear and can also monitor human vital signs to warn workers of physical exhaustion. Read more here. This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. Content may … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Latest
Noda Talks With Some Of The Fukushima 50
[Translate] Eight members of the Fukushima 50 who battled the disaster at the plant after the March 11, 2011 earthquake met with Prime Minister Noda at J Village during his recent visit. For possibly the first time some of them have disclosed their names in the media. The report includes two names, Masatoshi Fukura and Atsufumi Yoshizawa. Yoshizawa said that he wanted to apologize first to the people of Japan that they would not be able to prevent the nuclear accident. Fukura told that 20 people took 48 hour shifts in the control rooms of the melting down reactors during the worst of the disaster, surviving on biscuits and water. As unit 1 exploded workers had the internal ceiling cladding fall in on them showering them in white dust. They continued their work in protective suits and respirators. … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Latest
Update On Situation At Fukushima Daiichi
[Translate] Fukushima worker Happy11311 posted some updates about what is going on at the plant. The work at Unit 2 to replace the thermometer was likely under way today. TEPCO recently reported on their plan for doing the work. Machine translation of Happy’s tweet: “Unit 2 in the building work is being done every day. I wonder if I was successful alternative thermometer Unit 2 today had come to think of it …? I’m late to the process can not be (full-scale test using contaminated water) in the hot exam of approval of the country does not fold like I’ve been also Dekiaga~tsu Alps.” Happy mentions work at unit 3, apparently work to remove debris from the top has begun. Translated references to “opefuro” is the spent fuel pool. Machine translation of Happy’s tweet: “Unit 3 had been hanging … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Latest
Worker At Fukushima Daiichi Exposes Labor Conditions
[Translate] A worker at Fukushima Daiichi documented the events as he sought work at the disaster site and how the system is worked. He released a full video on YouTube that shows much of the training process for new workers and his narrative but it lacks English subtitles. He does show a brief bus ride into the plant. Some things he mentions of his experience: He was given a pre-filled resume to use that claimed he had previous nuclear experience that he did not have. They attended a 1 day seminar as the extent of their radiation safety training. They were misinformed that exposure to 1mSv of radiation would “go back to zero” in 8 days. He was told he would be checking in/out equipment and doing radiation survey. His actual work involved changing the agitator in the … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Latest
Masao Yoshida Interview, Compiled Information & Statements
[Translate] The plant manager of Fukushima Daiichi, Masao Yoshida has broken his silence on what happened at the plant during the beginning of the disaster. Yoshida is currently off work while he battles esophageal cancer and recovers from a brain bleed. He decided to speak now as the main investigations into the disaster have now concluded. Mr. Yoshida explained his reasons for talking now as “the human element has been lost” from the many investigative reports written about the accident, and that he and his colleagues needed to “find ways to properly convey the experience.” WSJ Workers at the plant have faced a huge series of problems that alone would have been enough to crush many people. They lived in the area. They too lost homes & family members. Their communities were lost … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Latest
Fukushima Workers Blamed By Locals
[Translate] Workers at Fukushima Daiichi had already been cited by psychologists as suffering from post traumatic stress type problems. The media has documented the difficult conditions they work under and the life and death stakes as they worked to gain control of the disaster. A paper coming out later this week will detail what two psychologists explain as the stress and social stigma the workers and their families are living under. Workers have said they are being discriminated against and the target of anger by many impacted by the disaster. Yet many of the workers are also victims of the tsunami and nuclear disaster themselves. Most lived in the area and lost homes and family due to the disasters. Even a female former tour guide for the plant has had people lash out at … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Latest
Two Workers At Daiichi Hospitalized
[Translate] According to Spreadnews.de two workers fell ill while removing debris from unit 3 at Fukushima Daiichi. Both were taken to the on site medical facility in the building for units 5-6 and give fluids. They were then transported by ambulance to J Village and eventually to the hospital in Iwaki. TEPCO confirms this incident claiming the workers had “a mild disturbance of consciousness” and that they had no radiation exposure. http://www.tepco.co.jp/nu/f1-np/press_f1/2012/pdfdata/j120729a-j.pdf This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. Content may also be copyright of other specific original authors or creators and was reproduced here with limited permission. While we welcome the sharing of information or promoting our work, please do so with respect to the large amount of effort … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Latest
Subcontractor In Scandal A TEPCO Subsidiary, Glass Badges Checked
[Translate] As was assumed would be claimed, TEPCO is now claiming the workers who covered their dosimeters with lead plates and also carried glass badges don’t have an exposure discrepancy. There is no indication any outside agency will check and confirm this claim by TEPCO that seems highly unlikely. Considering the work involved was handling hoses used to transport radioactive water out of the reactors in a known high radiation area, having the workers glass badges closely match the altered dosimeters is a questionable claim. The dosimeters are turned in daily and the glass badges every 1-3 months. There is no method to assure a worker carries or does not alter a glass badge’s reading since it does not create a digital record like a dosimeter of the type used at Fukushima … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Latest
More Details On The Fukushima Workers Exposure Scandal
[Translate] More information has come out today as the media has gathered more information on the falsifying of worker radiation doses at Fukushima Daiichi. The subcontractor who had employees working under TEPCO at Daiichi ordered workers to cover their dosimeter with a lead plate so they could fake their absorbed doses of radiation allowing them to work at the plant longer by faking their dose. “Some refused the orders. Others raised questions about their safety and the legality of the practice. But the man in charge, a senior official of a subcontractor of Tokyo Electric Power Co., warned them that they would lose their jobs–and any chance of employment at other nuclear plants–if they failed to comply.” Asahi Shimbun A senior official for Build Up Construction, the contractor in question instructed workers to make … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Latest
Fukushima Workers Forced To Fake Radiation Levels
[Translate] Contract workers at Fukushima Daiichi were forced by bosses to cover their dosimeters in lead covers. The dosimeter is the device that records their radiation dose. Workers, once they reach a maximum exposure level can no longer work at the plant. All of this was going on as the levels for exposure have been set at incredibly high levels due to the magnitude of the disaster. The level was originally 250 mSv and may have been lowered slightly in recent months. Workers at the contractor company for some reason recorded the meeting with workers, the bosses instructing the workers to fake their exposure levels is apparently on tape according to Japanese media. This story broke yesterday in Japanese media and quickly spread. The BBC has more details in English here. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18936831 Sadly this … Read entire article »
Filed under: The Latest
Get SimplyInfo.org RSS Feed
