Latest from #Fukushima I Nuke Plant: Workers Being Sprayed with Radioactive Mist

(UPDATE 3) TEPCO says it tested the water, and gamma nuclides, all-beta were NOT DETECTED. So how did 10 workers get contaminated? No one knows, but the contamination was not 10 Bq/cm2 but 19 Bq/cm2 on their heads and faces.

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(UPDATE 2) Before the accident, TEPCO had its own water source to supply to the plant. If TEPCO is still using the same water, it is a river water. (Information from Fukushima Prefecture, H/T Dr. Moriguchi)

(UPDATE) According to NHK, the water comes from a dam about 10 kilometers west of the plant. No details as to how the water gets to the plant.

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TEPCO's email alerts to the press today (August 12, 2013) are about a mysterious rise in radioactive levels in front of the Anti-Seismic Building and how it may have happened.

10 workers ended up with max 10 Bq/cm2 (square centimeter) of radioactive materials on their heads and faces, and will be checked by WBC.

How? They were doused with mist from water contaminated with radioactive materials. Why were they being doused with mist? To prevent heatstroke. How did the water get contaminated? That's what TEPCO is investigating right now.

The water used for the mist generator is also used in toilets in the Anti-Seismic Building, the headquarters for all the work being done at the plant.

First alert:

本日（８月12日）午後０時33分頃、福島第一原子力発電所免震重要棟前に設置してある連続ダストモニタで、放射能濃度が高いことを示す警報が発生しました。

At 12:33PM today (August 12), an alarm went off from the continuous dust monitoring system installed in front of the Anti-Seismic Building, indicating radioactive density was high.

そのため、同日午後０時48分に発電所内の全面（半面）マスク着用省略可能エリアでのマスク着用を指示しました。現在、現場において当該連続ダストモニタの状況確認、可搬型ダストサンプラによる測定等を行っており、状況等については、確認出来次第お知らせいたします。

At 12:48PM, we instructed workers to put in masks in the areas where workers are no longer required to put on full-face (and half-face) masks. We are currently observing the continuous dust monitoring system and carrying out measurement using portable dust sampler. We will let you know as soon as we know more.

Second alert:

免震重要棟前では熱中症対策のためのミストを噴霧しておりますが、免震重要棟前でバス乗車のため待機していた人（10人）について、入退域管理棟の退出モニタによる汚染測定で身体汚染が確認されました。

In order to prevent heatstroke, we've been spraying workers with water mist in front of the Anti-Seismic Building. Bodily contamination was found on 10 people who were waiting for the bus in front of the Anti-Seismic Building.

身体汚染の原因については、ミスト発生装置から出ているミストが汚染している可能性が考えられ、現在、詳細調査を行っており、分かり次第お知らせします。

The cause of contamination may be the mist from the mist generator. We are conducting detailed investigation.

同日午後１時25分、ミスト発生装置を停止しています。

As of 1:25pm, the mist generator is stopped.

Third (latest) alert:

免震重要棟内および５，６号機で使用している水（トイレ等）については、身体汚染原因と考えられる当該ミスト発生装置供給水と同じ水源であることから、同日午後１時16分に手洗い水等の使用を禁止し、一斉放送により周知しました。

The water used in the Anti-Seismic Building and Reactors 5 and 6 (in toilets, etc.) comes from the same source as the water used in the mist generator which is likely to be the cause of contamination on the body. So we stopped the use of water in the toilets at 1:16PM, and notified the workers by the simultaneous broadcasting system.

また、当該ミスト発生装置供給水、免震重要棟内および５，６号機で使用している水の元弁を同日午後１時40分に閉止しました。

At 1:40PM we closed off the master valve of the pipe that feeds water to the mist generator and to the Anti-Seismic Building and Reactors 5 and 6.

身体汚染が確認された10名は、頭部・顔面が最大10Bq/cm2で汚染していることから、ホールボディカウンターの受検を指示しました。

10 workers with bodily contamination have maximum 10 Bq/cm2 of contamination on their heads/faces. We have instructed them to undergo WBC.

現在、当該ミスト発生装置供給水の放射能分析を行っており、結果については分かり次第お知らせします。

We are conducting the nuclide analysis of the water in the mist generator, and will let you know the result as soon as possible.

No information as to WHERE the water source is located.

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