One worker at Fukushima nuclear power plant collapsed and died

Yesterday, a worker who was working within the Fukushima nuclear power plant reactor collapsed on site, and brough to the hospital immediately, but unfortunately died yesterday in his early 60s. The death is because of the cardiac infarct.

Now the conditions to work within the facility is incredibly difficult. The workers are supposed to wear special anti-radio active uniforms and carry air tank on his back, put on the full-face mask which has a filter not to inhale radio infected substances. With all of those equipment and suit equipped, which becomes 15Kg,  the workers are implmenting the water hoses, which sometimes becomes 20kg,  into the facility by carrying it over their shoulders to cool down the reactor. Also , the environement in the facility is high temperature (34 - 40 C) and high humidity (94 -99%) now.

It is not good work environment at all for everyone, espcially for the man in his 60s.


Workers on site purpotatedly say that 'It is like wearing sauna suite in summer. Within 15 minutes, mask are filled with the sweat tearing down from the face. And we can't drink water two or three hours when once we get into the facility.'

As I said, we trust in those worker's devotions, hardworing in Fukushima plant, where 1,934 people are on duty.  But I believe it's time for Japanese Government to take initiatives to improve the work envirionment and some measures to help make the facility settled much faster.

This picture is taken when they survey the facility before the implementaion work of those hoses.

Chubu Electric determined to ceaze the up and running Hamaoka nuclear power plant

On May 6th, Prime Minister Kan requested for Chubu Electric to cease up-and-running No.4 and No.5 reactors at Hamaoka nuclear powerplant.
It was a sudden request for everybody. As Kan admits, he only consulted with his very close couple members to determine his mind, to avoid interventions from various interest party.

It was so sudden that the one of the respoinsible entities of the Governement for nuclear power plant operations ,  the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, which surveyed the facility at the end of April, and approved that Hamaoka facility had completed the immediate additaional measurement to prevent electricity outage that had caused Fukushima plant severe damage, had to announce that the request of PM Kan is coming from out of the regurations, that allow Goverment to cease nuclear power plant operation in case it is considered that the facility does not have enough safety standard. The agency  also concluded at the end of April's survey that Hamaoka would be safe from the level of the Tsunami that hit Fukushima because Hamaoka facitily located on the hill 10 meter up from the sea surface.

Prime Minister Kan pointed out the reasons for Hamaoka nuclear power plant to stop it operations that;
Hamaoka locates in the area where the level 6 intensity of the earthquake are anticipated to happen with more than 80% probaility within coming 30 years.

On May  9, Chubu Denryoku announced that it would accept PM Kan's request and cease the nuclear plant operations.

This PM Kan's request is very contraversial. Some, for instance Mr.Son, CEO of Softbank, Mr.Suzuki, CEO of Suzuki Motors,  highly praise PM Kan's decision. But some, such as Mr. Yonekura, chairman of chamber of Commerce Of Japan, blamed PM Kan's decision, blaiming that Kan's decision process is always blackbox.

Anyway, TEPCO, which is suffering the shortage of its electric power gerenation for the demands for Kanto area needs to give up the idea of having a help from Chubu Denryoku because of its significant reduce of the power generation capacity.

That means Kanto area's residents needs to endure more severe planned blackouts in this summer.
This summer is going to be very hot one.