Radiation exposure for 13 employees at nuclear waste site
A terrifying workplace accident caused numerous employees to suffer harm in ways that few people want to think about. The incident happened to the south of Colorado, in an underground nuclear waste facility. The complex, called the Waste Isolation Pilot Project, suffered a radiation leak on Feb. 14, which caused 13 people to be exposed and contaminated with radiation.
While the exact cause of the leak is still a mystery, there are a couple of theories that seem very plausible. A roof collapse could have caused the spill; while another cause could have been a poorly-operated forklift that punctured a container holding radioactive material. There was also a workplace accident nine days prior to this leak, where a salt truck caught fire. However, officials do not believe the two events are connected.
In any case, a facility that handles nuclear waste has to be a well-oiled machine — a place that abides by the highest of safety protocols and does everything in its power to protect employees from the dangers of the substances they are handling.
The 13 people who were affected by this radiation leak may never be the same again. It is unclear to what extent the exposure has affected them, but it is safe to say that the radiation poisoning was not to there benefit. This accident demands a thorough investigation, and the employees who were exposed could be entitled to workers’ compensation. Such an outrageous accident should not be tolerated, and the victims of the leak will need help during this difficult time.
Source: Associated Press, “13 exposed to radiation at U.S. plant,” Feb. 27, 2014
