[CPEO-MEF] Survey cites nerve gas risks

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Utah
DESERET MORNING NEWS
Wednesday, July 16, 2003
Survey cites nerve gas risks
Tooele plant workers tell of safety woes in survey
By Lee Davidson

WASHINGTON — After years of whistle-blowers' claims of safety being
given short shrift at a Utah chemical arms incinerator, and following
some serious accidents there, the Defense Department inspector general
decided to survey plant workers at the Tooele Chemical Agent Disposal
Facility.

The results of the survey were alarming:

      • More than half say the plant puts production above safety.

      • About one of every six say they have been asked to fix a problem
but not report it.

      • About one of every nine say they know someone who was fired
after reporting a safety concern.

      • One of every five predict that any safety concerns they report
likely will be dismissed, and one in five say management did not respond
to concerns that they actually did raise.

      • One of every 25 say they know of workers exposed to nerve gas
who didn't report it.

With that, the inspector general concluded that the Tooele Chemical
Agent Disposal Facility does "not have a healthy safety culture."

Alaine Southworth, spokeswoman for the plant, said managers have no
comment on the report itself but have taken numerous steps to improve
safety in recent months.

This article can be viewed at:
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/1%2C1249%2C510040154%2C00.html

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