Cancer Cluster Possibly Found Among TSA Workers

OverTheGeicoE writes "TSA employees at Logan International Airport believe they have identified a cancer cluster in their ranks, according to documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act and released by the Electronic Privacy Information Center. They have requested dosimetry to counter 'TSA's improperly non-monitored radiation threat.' So far, at least, they have not received it. The documents also reveal a paper from Johns Hopkins that essentially questions whether it is even safe to stand near an operating scanner, let alone inside one. Also, the National Institute of Standards and Technology says that the Dept. of Homeland Security 'mischaracterized' their work by telling USA Today that NIST affirmed the safety of the scanners when in fact NIST does not do product safety testing and never tested a scanner for safety."

Comments

Not regulated...

[black soap]

But you see, security devices aren't regulated. Medical devices are regulated, but security devices aren't medical devices. Says so right on the label. Just take our word for it that this is safe.

Re:What's a Cancer Cluster?

[GungaDan]

Not sure if trolling...

A cancer cluster is a geographic or demographic grouping in which cancer is found to occur at higher than expected (or "normal") levels.

Re:Would somebody declare a War on Supidity?

[Conspiracy_Of_Doves]

There's one piece of the puzzle that you're missing.

The company that the TSA is buying these scanners from is run by a former head of the TSA.

Re:Would somebody declare a War on Supidity?

[Conspiracy_Of_Doves]

My mistake. He doesn't run the company that makes them.

He runs a security consulting group, and one of his client companies makes them.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/31/AR2009123102821.html

Re:Would somebody declare a War on Supidity?

[Jah-Wren Ryel]

wouldn't you think that someone that was the former head of a government security agency might know a bit about the needs of that agency and be able to start a company that can provide for those needs?

No, not particularly. Maybe a lead engineer, but not the paper-pusher at the top. He can be expected to know exactly what papers to push to convince the agency buy something though.