Sunday, April 12, 2020
Los Alamos gets praised
In her latest update as to what the state was doing to slow down the spread of COVID-19, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s Human Services Secretary Dr. David Scrase, praised Los Alamos for its efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19. According to current cell phone tracking data compiled by the Descartes Labs, Los Alamos was one of the few counties that showed (through the data) that Los Alamos is taking the governor’s social distancing orders seriously.
https://www.lamonitor.com/content/los-alamos-gets-high-marks-latest-virus-update
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
14 comments:
Translation, no one is coming to work.
Just like before the pandemic...
I find this rather shocking. I would expect cowboys would always flaunt the rules.
Translation, no one is coming to work.
Just like before the pandemic...
4/12/2020 3:24 PM
Bitter much?
I am sure that I will get ripped for posting this but something needs to be said.
There are now 6 positive cases in Los Alamos county as well as hundreds of other positive cases in counties where LANL employees live. I work in the plutonium facility at TA-55 at LANL, and do not fear, LANL mananagement is actively working to get us back into the plutonium facility this and next week. Workers are packed in like sardines in PF4; this cannot be avoided due to the space limitations of the facility as it was not designed for a pandemic. Nevertheless, the LANL plan to get us back to work is knowingly going to violate the 6ft rule as well as the 5 person rule outlined by the President, the NM Governor and the CDC to maintain safe work conditions to curtail the spread of COVID. It has been discussed and predicted that people will get sick under these conditions, and believe it or not, Webster and Mason have approved of this scenario. I am grateful to have a job and I understand the importance of our mission for the country, but is pausing for 2-3 months really going to hurt our long-term milestones? Is getting people back to work in unsafe working conditions to make NNSA happy with TRIAD worth intentionally risking people's lives? I guess the answer is yes and we are all expendable ...
"I am sure that I will get ripped for posting this but something needs to be said. "
You are crazy. Just kidding, can put on a bunch of protective gear or something?
The 6 ft rule doesn't apply if you are wearing a filtering mask. i assume that is the case in PF-4?
It is important to note that LANL’s workforce is aging, with high risk groups with pre existing conditions. With newly hired and existing staff/parents burdened with kids out of school at home (assuming average age of parents with kids who need supervision at up to age 49 yrs), one wonders why the lab would sacrifice the 50-64 yr age workers to sustain production in the short term.
"... but is pausing for 2-3 months really going to hurt our long-term milestones?
4/14/2020 8:56 AM"
No, but it will hurt someone's bonus, which is what it is all about now that we are privatized. Oh for the days when ...
Anonymous 4/14/2020 5:20 PM said:
"The 6 ft rule doesn't apply if you are wearing a filtering mask. i assume that is the case in PF-4?"
For certain operations, respirators will be provided in PF4. Otherwise, TRIAD is too cheap to provide PPE. Since the outbreak of COVID in NM, LANL has not even attempted to procure PPE for the employees as it is not an allowable cost and would have to come out of fee.
Normally, any personal PPE is forbidden in LANL laboratories and spaces. However, now, because masks cost money, people are being asked to bring in their OWN personal masks. Work resumption guidance is instructing employees to work in radiological, biological, and other laboratories using their own personal masks.
Please provide a source or link. That sounds a bit untrue.
The last sentence in the 8:57am post is definitely not true, especially where certified PPE is required.
The last sentence in the 8:57am post is definitely not true, especially where certified PPE is required.
4/20/2020 9:02 PM
Wow, last I was informed, LANL is not providing PPE for its employees and has permitted people to use their OWN PPE while on LANL property. I have seen this in the NSSB. Lab employees have been instructed that regulated masks are not allowed to be brought from home. N95 masks are NIOSH regulated items and are NOT allowed, per official communications. In fact, colleagues of mine have shown me emails that clearly state that their research organizations are not providing any masks for work in laboratories and are approving personal PPE to be used.
Why are you saying otherwise?
If you have a defensible position then let's hear it.
"N95 masks are NIOSH regulated items"
4/21/2020 12:51 PM
Funny, I got mine at Home Depot for paint stripping. No problem.
The operative phrase is "where required."
Work in the NSSB does not require certified PPE.
Except maybe in certain offices where shenanigans are alleged to have occurred. Verification of such an allegation requires the use of a UV lamp.
Post a Comment