Nuclear power in Japan, 1996: already...
Testimony of a Japanese boilermaker technician diagnosed with cancer
July 26, 2011
Reprinted from
Nuclear Gazette
Testimony of Mr. Hirado Norio, boilermaker technician, written in 1996 (died of cancer in 1997)
I am not an anti-nuclear activist.
I worked for 20 years in nuclear power plants. There are always controversies about nuclear power plants, with people saying they are for or against them, or that they are dangerous or not.
But today, I simply want to tell you what actually happens inside nuclear power plants. You will understand that there is a huge difference between reality and the idea you might have. At the same time, you will discover that nuclear power plants irradiate (contaminate) more and more people every day and are the source of discrimination.
You will certainly learn things you have never heard before. Please read my texts to the end and think for yourself. When people talk about nuclear power plants, many speak only about construction plans. But no one talks about the actual work being done. Without knowing what happens on the construction site, you cannot understand the real situation of nuclear power plants.
I trained as a pipefitter in industrial complexes and large chemical plants. I was hired to build (participate in the construction of) nuclear power plants at the end of my twenties, and later worked for many years as a site supervisor. I know almost everything about nuclear power plants—more than any ordinary worker could ever know.
Safety: a chimera
Last year, on January 17, 1995, a major earthquake struck Kobe. The Japanese people began to worry about whether earthquakes might pose a danger to Japan's nuclear power plants. Will they really withstand any earthquake? That is far from certain. The government and electricity companies emphasize that the plants are well-designed and built on stable ground. But this is a chimera.
The day after the earthquake, I went to Kobe. The many connections between the damage in Kobe and the issue of nuclear power plants confused me. To this day, who could have imagined that the Shinkansen rails and highway pillars could collapse?
Generally, we imagine that the construction of nuclear power plants, Shinkansen, or highways is subject to strict oversight by the authorities. But in Kobe, we discovered formwork left inside the concrete pillars of the Shinkansen. The highway rebar had been poorly welded: the metal from the weld had bonded, but the edges of the rebar themselves had not fused. All of these were destroyed by the earthquake.
Why did such a thing happen? Because too much importance was given to the plans and office work, while on-site supervision was neglected. Even if it wasn't the direct cause, this negligence certainly contributed to the scale of the disaster.
Nuclear power plants built by unqualified workers
Just as in Kobe, there are also too many human errors in nuclear power plants. For example, connecting pipes while leaving tools inside. There aren't many highly skilled workers. They cannot perfectly follow even a well-designed construction plan. This idealized plan assumes that expert workers will carry it out, but we never questioned the quality of the workers or their working conditions.
For nuclear power plants as for other construction sites, laborers and even inspectors are often unqualified. It is understandable that serious accidents occur in nuclear power plants, Shinkansen, or on highways.
The design of nuclear power plant plans is good. There are many safety and emergency measures. If something goes wrong, it stops properly. But this is only on paper. Poorly executed construction work undermines this plan.
For example, even if a house plan is drawn by a top-tier architect, if it is built by unskilled carpenters and plasterers, you will have water leaks and poorly installed partitions. Unfortunately, that is exactly what the Japanese nuclear power plants are.
Previously, there was always a foreman called "Boushin" to supervise work. He had more experience than the site supervisor, who was younger than him. The Boushin took pride in his work and considered accidents and negligence a disgrace. Of course, he knew the dangers of accidents.
For about 10 years now, there have been no competent workers.
No experience is required during recruitment.
Unskilled workers don't know the dangers of accidents. They don't even know what non-compliant or poorly done work is. This is the reality of Japan's nuclear power plants.
For example,
at the TEPCO Fukushima plant,
we started the plant with a piece of wire left inside, and narrowly avoided a serious accident that could have had global repercussions. The worker knew he had dropped the wire, but didn't realize how dangerous the consequences of his action were. In this sense, a brand-new nuclear power plant built by unqualified workers is just as dangerous as an old one.
Since there are no longer many skilled workers, the construction of nuclear power plants has been standardized. This means they no longer look at the plans but simply assemble prefabricated parts from the factory, connecting part 1 to part 2 like dominoes. Then they no longer know what they are building or how precise the work must be. This is one reason why the number of accidents and breakdowns in nuclear power plants is increasing.
In nuclear power plants, there is also the problem of radiation, which prevents training successors. When working inside a nuclear power plant, it is very dark and hot, and with protective gear, it's impossible to talk. Workers communicate by gestures. How can they pass on their knowledge under these conditions? Moreover, skilled workers are sent first and are quickly exposed to the annual radiation limit, making them unable to continue working—this further worsens the unskilled nature of the workforce.
For example, welders strain their eyes while working. After 30 years, they can no longer do precise work and can't find jobs in the petrochemical industry. That's how they end up in nuclear power plants.
You may have a false image that nuclear power plants are something very sophisticated. But they are not as safe as we imagine.
I think you now understand why nuclear power plants are built by unqualified people and why things will only get worse.
Superficial inspections and inspectors
You might think that strict inspections prevent problems even if the on-site workers aren't skilled enough. But these inspection systems are still problematic. For Japanese inspections, inspectors come to verify completed construction. That's why it doesn't work. They should come to inspect ongoing work on-site.
Inspectors must be welding specialists if they are inspecting welding. They must be able to demonstrate correct work to workers by saying, "No, don't do it like that. Look, this is how I do it." If they don't know how to do the work themselves, how can they conduct proper inspections? Currently, they only listen to the construction company and the contractor, asking them to provide necessary documents. That's the inspection system today.
A few years ago, there were frequent accidents in nuclear power plants. So the government decided to send specialized safety advisors to each nuclear power plant to authorize startup after construction or restart after regular inspections. I knew these advisors didn't know much about nuclear energy, but I didn't realize how little they knew.
When I gave a lecture in Mito, a man from the Ministry of Science and Technology stood up and said, "I feel so uncomfortable admitting this, but I know nothing about nuclear energy," and continued, "Out of fear of radiation, inspectors refused to work in operating power plants. Since the government reshuffle eliminated positions in the Ministry of Agriculture, they sent civil servants who previously advised silkworm or sea bream farmers, with no training at all. That's why unqualified advisors are giving startup authorization in all nuclear power plants. The advisor at the Mihama plant was checking rice quality just three months ago."
This man told such a story, naming the advisors. Can you trust the startup authorization given by people who know nothing about nuclear energy?
When a serious accident occurred at the TEPCO Fukushima plant, triggering the emergency cooling system, the Yomiuri newspaper published an article titled "The specialist advisor could not participate in the plant team." In fact, the newspaper was the one that informed him of the serious accident the next morning. Why was the advisor unaware? Because everyone at TEPCO knew he knew nothing. In total chaos, they didn't have time to explain everything from A to Z. So the team didn't even ask him to come to the site.
Below these irresponsible government officials in the nuclear hierarchy, there is the nuclear inspection service. These are retired employees from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, hired into this service. They hold important positions and enrich the service by securing contracts from former subordinates. They have never worked in this field. They have complete authority over nuclear plant inspections, and nothing can be done without their approval, even though they know nothing. They come to inspect, but of course, they only look. Unfortunately, they still have enormous power. Even lower in the hierarchy are the electricity companies and the three nuclear reactor manufacturers: Hitachi, Toshiba, and Mitsubishi. I worked at Hitachi. After the manufacturers, there are the construction subcontractors I mentioned earlier. This means that above the manufacturers, they are unqualified, and below them, there aren't many qualified people either. That's also why electricity companies can't explain the details during accidents.
I always said, before and after my retirement, that inspections should be handled by competent and independent organizations, not by nationalized companies or services where former ministry officials work. And independent of the influence of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, which promotes nuclear power plant installations. I said we should always demand experienced advisors and inspectors who can control and explain work on-site to identify poor welding or poorly done work. But to this day, nothing has changed. Can you see how irresponsible and approximate the management of Japan's nuclear power plants is?
Rushed anti-seismic plans
After the Kobe earthquake, the anti-seismic plans of all Japanese nuclear power plants were quickly checked. The absurd result published in September 1995 stated that all plants would withstand earthquakes of any level. At least for the first nuclear power plants I worked on, we hadn't anticipated a major earthquake. It's absurd to equate new and old plants in terms of earthquake resistance, saying "any level." In 1993, during a level 4 earthquake, the Onagawa Unit 1 plant automatically shut down due to a sudden power increase. This was a very serious accident. Very serious because the plant, built in 1984 to shut down at level 5 seismicity, shut down before reaching that level. It's like the brake lock suddenly stopping a car on the highway without pressing the brake. Tohoku EPC downplays the seriousness, saying "better that it shut down." But the matter isn't so simple. If it shut down at level 4 despite being designed for level 5, we cannot deny the possibility it might not shut down at level 5. This is a sign that something isn't working as intended.
The Fukushima plant also shut down unexpectedly during the 1987 earthquake. In Japan, there are 10 plants of the same model. It's truly terrifying to think about the danger earthquakes pose to nuclear power plants.
Regular inspections are also carried out by unqualified people
Every year, reactors are shut down for regular inspections. In a nuclear reactor, the pressure of hot water and steam rises from 70 to 150 atmospheres, but this isn't just hot water because the temperature reaches 300°C, it circulates very quickly and wears down piping. During regular inspections, it's unavoidable to replace pipes and valves that are sometimes worn down to half their thickness. But radiation inevitably accompanies this procedure.
Reactor startup emits a lot of radioactivity and radiation. Workers are exposed to radiation. Before going to the reactor, they undress and put on protective suits. Maybe you imagine that this suit protects the body from radiation, but in reality, it does not. The proof: we place the dosimeter under the suit, on the vest. The protective suit is just a work uniform to prevent carrying radiation outside, but it does not protect workers from radiation. Therefore, after work, they must remove their underwear to check if they are contaminated. If the radiation remains only on the skin, it's called external contamination, which can be almost entirely removed with a shower. They wash meticulously until they are no longer radioactive before going outside.
Workers also wear shoes prepared by the company, but we're not sure about the correct size. So their steps are unsteady. Plus, they must wear a mask covering the head. They work with these suits and the anxiety of radiation. Practically, no one can do good work with this equipment. It's completely different from a normal construction site.
Moreover, over 95% of people doing this work have no experience. They are unemployed farmers and fishermen outside the season. These people without experience work without knowing the dangers involved.
For example, to tighten a bolt, we tell the worker, "Tighten diagonally, otherwise it will leak." The work takes place in a controlled radiation zone, a very dangerous place full of radiation. Workers bring dosimeters. But since radiation levels vary from room to room, the acceptable time in minutes changes each time.
Before entering the site, we explain to workers today's tasks and the duration decided based on the daily authorized radiation limit. If they are to work in a site where they can stay 20 minutes, they are given a timer that beeps after 20 minutes, saying, "You must leave when it beeps." But they don't have watches because they would be contaminated by radiation. They must therefore guess the remaining time. That's how they are sent to work.
There, they can't concentrate on tightening the bolt because they're always wondering how much time has passed. Is it 10 minutes? Or maybe already 15 minutes? They are terrified of the timer's alarm, which makes them jump more than once. The alarm sound is loud enough to make anyone pale who has never heard it before. When it sounds, they have already received radiation equivalent to dozens of X-rays. It's normal they can't perform adequately, like simply tightening bolts diagonally. Can you imagine the consequences?
Radioactive water discharged into the sea
Regular inspections are often done in winter. But at the end of the inspection, tons of radioactive-contaminated water are discharged into the sea. Honestly, there are not many fish caught near Japanese islands that you can eat without fearing radioactive contamination. The Sea of Japan is already contaminated with radioactivity.
It's not only during regular inspections that radioactive water is discharged into the sea. To cool down the heat generated by the power plant, Japan uses seawater. It becomes hot water containing radioactivity. Thus, tons of water are discharged into the sea every minute.
Even if there are accidents in nuclear power plants, governments immediately declare there is no problem. Moreover, electricity companies try to hide them. With the Japanese population being largely insensitive to this issue, the Sea of Japan is constantly being polluted. First, they wash protective clothing covered in radioactivity with water, then discharge it into the sea. The radiation level measured at the discharge outlet is very high. Do you know that fish farming sites are located nearby? Thus, people seeking high-quality food must be concerned about the safety of nuclear power plants. If we don't act immediately, we won't be able to find fish that aren't contaminated.
A few years ago, during a trial demanding the shutdown of the Shiga plant in Ishikawa Prefecture, an 80-year-old woman, completely bewildered, told this story. "I knew nothing about nuclear power plants until now. But today, a young woman who was always faithful refused my seaweed. She said, 'I'm sorry, but I can't buy your seaweed anymore. The Shiga plant started today. I knew nothing about nuclear energy, but now I know what it is. What will become of me then?' Even today, we continue to pollute the Sea of Japan without you knowing."
The worst part is internal radiation (contamination)
In the power plant building, everything becomes radioactive and emits radiation. Because radiation can penetrate even thick steel walls. The radioactive elements received on the skin, external contamination, is horrible, but the worst is internal contamination.
For example, dust. A simple dust particle found anywhere becomes radioactive in a nuclear power plant due to the radiation it receives. Breathing in this radioactive dust through the nose or mouth is internal contamination. During cleaning in the power plant, workers are most exposed to the danger of internal contamination. With internal contamination, radiation enters the body from within, which is much more dangerous than external radiation, because the body is in direct contact with the radiation source.
Radioactive elements are eliminated from the body within about 3 days via sweat and urine. But during these 3 days, they remain in the body. Moreover, when we talk about elimination, it's human language—some always remains, and that's very dangerous. Even small amounts accumulate in the body over time.
You should know, if you've ever visited a nuclear power plant, it's very clean, especially in public-access areas. Maybe the guide even praised, "Look, how clean it is." But that's normal. It would be dangerous if there were radioactive dust in the air.
I developed cancer due to internal contamination I received over a hundred times. When the doctor diagnosed me with cancer, I was very afraid. But I remembered what my mother always said, "Nothing is greater than death." That gave me the will to do something. So I decided to reveal everything I know about nuclear power plants.
Nothing like a normal construction site
Radioactivity accumulates. Even small amounts, if you work 10 years in a nuclear power plant, you accumulate 10 years' worth of radiation, which is very dangerous. The government regulation requires not to exceed 50 millisieverts (mSv) per year. This means you can do anything as long as you respect this limit.
For example, work during regular inspections takes about 3 months. So we divide the 50 mSv limit by this work duration to get the daily authorized limit. But in a place with high radiation, you can only work 5 to 7 minutes per day. You can't do much with so little time. So we gather work time over 3 days or a week to work 10 or 20 minutes consecutively, even though this method is unacceptable. At least if workers knew the high risk of leukemia or cancer... But electricity companies don't warn them about any of these risks.
Once, a large bolt on the reactor loosened while the nuclear power plant was fully operational. Since the plant emits massive radiation when running, 30 people were prepared to tighten a single bolt. They lined up at the door. They had to run about 7 meters to reach the bolt. After 3 seconds, the alarm sounded. Some workers even spent their entire working time searching for the key. In the end, it cost 4 million yen—equivalent to the salary of 160 people—to simply tighten a few bolts.
You might wonder why the plant wasn't shut down to tighten the bolt. But the electricity company wants to avoid it as much as possible because a day's shutdown causes billions in losses. Radiation is very dangerous, but for the company, financial interest comes before human safety.
Five-hour brainwashing: "absolutely safe"
People working in radioactive environments are called nuclear workers. In Japan, 270,000 people have already worked as nuclear workers, most in nuclear power plants. Today, 90,000 people work in them. All these people keep nuclear power plants running, including regular inspections once a year, while being exposed to radiation.
Before starting work in nuclear power plants, workers receive 5 hours of radiation safety training. The goal of these classes is first to reduce their anxiety. They are never told there are dangers. The state monitors radiation levels, so there is no danger. "Anti-nuclear people talk about cancer and leukemia risks from radiation, but these are just big lies. If you follow the government's standards, there is no problem." This brainwashing lasts 5 hours.
Electricity companies also conduct this brainwashing for people living near nuclear power plants. They bring in known speakers for lectures, give cooking classes, or insert colorful advertisements in newspapers. Maybe accidents in nuclear power plants worry local residents, but thanks to all this propaganda from the Nuclear Safety Agency, they can't think otherwise: "We can't live without nuclear energy to have enough electricity."
Even I, for nearly 20 years as a field supervisor, conducted this brainwashing—more manipulative than those of Asahara and Oume—toward workers. I don't know how many people I've killed. Some people ask if workers aren't worried. But since they aren't warned about radiation or contamination dangers, most aren't worried. They don't even think it's due to their work in power plants when they get sick. All workers are irradiated daily. The job of supervisors is to hide this reality from them and from outside the plant. If workers or anyone else worries about radiation, you're not fit to be a supervisor on-site. This is the reality of working in nuclear power plants.
I did this work for a long time. I often couldn't bear it without alcohol, and I drank more and more. I kept asking myself: Why, and for whom, must I live days full of lies? After 20 years, I realized my body itself was already severely damaged by radiation.
Who will save nuclear workers?
Once, at the TEPCO Fukushima plant, a worker severely injured his forehead with an automatic polishing tool. Since he was bleeding heavily, an ambulance was called to rush him to the hospital. However, this injured person was full of radioactivity. TEPCO rushed so much that they didn't remove his protective suits or wash him with water. The rescuers, unfamiliar with radioactive contamination, brought him into the hospital without removing the radioactivity. The rescuers were contaminated, the ambulance was contaminated, the doctor and nurses were contaminated, and hospital patients were contaminated, and they left the hospital carrying radioactivity... This event became so widespread that it caused panic throughout an entire city. They simply wanted to save quickly a man with a serious injury. But because radiation is invisible, no one had time to think about radioactive contamination.
With just one person, it was already a major panic. If a large number of residents became contaminated by radiation due to a serious accident, what would happen? Can you imagine? You should feel concerned. It affects everyone in Japan.
The Mihama plant accident was a terrible surprise
I don't know if you're unaware or just not interested, but Japan's nuclear power plants have already experienced several accidents that should frighten everyone. They could be equivalent to those at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. For example, in 1989, at the Fukushima Daiini plant, a recycling pump exploded. This was an accident that had never occurred worldwide before.
Thus, the 1991 accident at the Kansai Electric Power Company's Mihama plant, caused by a pipe rupture, was a very serious accident. It released a huge amount of radioactivity directly into the air and the sea.
The Chernobyl accident didn't surprise me much. While building nuclear power plants, I knew such a disaster couldn't be avoided. "By chance, it happened at Chernobyl. By chance, it didn't happen in Japan." That's what I thought. But at the time of the Mihama accident, fear made my legs tremble, and I couldn't get up from my chair.
We can say this accident was very serious because the emergency cooling system had to be started manually. This cooling system is the last line of defense to protect the safety of