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Criminal cover up of workers’ radiation exposures at Piketon former nuclear plant

One of the first signs of trouble, Lawson said, was an irregularity with the badge worn by Walburn and other employees that detected and record radiation exposure.

“When I went to the health physics department and asked about it, they said, ‘We were told that he might sue, and they’re trying to make it easier to understand by saying he got a zero dose.'”

Lawson said Walburn’s worker’s compensation claims were denied in part because of altered records. Court records obtained by 10TV News detailed a pattern of changing dose level records of workers.

Ex EmployeesAllege crimes at Former Piketon Nuclear Materials Plant  May 19, 2011  WBNS-10TV , PIKETON, Ohio — The future of a site where nuclear materials were once developed was being debated on Thursday, as former employees came forward with allegations of criminal conduct.

For nearly 60 years, the Pike County plant enriched uranium for use in nuclear weapons, 10TV’s Glenn McEntyre reported.

Federal officials were scheduled to hold a public meeting on Thursday night to discuss the site’s future.

Jeffrey Walburn worked at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant for 31 years and was a member of a highly-trained security unit guarding the most sensitive materials.

In July 1994, he said his life changed forever after he was unwittingly exposed to a cocktail of unknown chemicals.

“There were 26 chemicals they were shooting into a cylinder above our position,” Walburn said. “As were talking, the atmosphere changed, something changed. It was like we were being stung all over. I was spitting out granulated pieces of lung out of my mouth. My hair come out. I was burnt clear through. It was quite a horrible thing to go through.”

Charles Lawson was the safety officer assigned to look into Walburn’s injury.

One of the first signs of trouble, Lawson said, was an irregularity with the badge worn by Walburn and other employees that detected and record radiation exposure.

“When I went to the health physics department and asked about it, they said, ‘We were told that he might sue, and they’re trying to make it easier to understand by saying he got a zero dose.'”

Lawson said Walburn’s worker’s compensation claims were denied in part because of altered records.

Court records obtained by 10TV News detailed a pattern of changing dose level records of workers.

After Walburn filed a lawsuit, the plant’s health physics supervisor said many of the records were altered and said she would not consider the dosage records to be accurate.

Lawson and Walburn said they want to know how many of their coworkers may have been exposed to chemicals without ever knowing……. Walburn and Lawson recently submitted documents to the U.S. Department of Justice, asking the attorney general to look into what they believe to be a criminal cover-up..

Watch 10TV News HD and refresh 10TV.com for additional information.  http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2011/05/19/story-piketon-nuclear-plant-future.html?sid=102

May 20, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | secrets,lies and civil liberties, USA