[959] in Privacy_Forum
[ PRIVACY Forum ] TSA agents refused radiation dosimeters? - and what
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (privacy@vortex.com)
Mon Nov 22 19:49:22 2010
Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2010 16:27:42 -0800
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TSA agents refused radiation dosimeters? - and what HHS/CDC knew in 2008
- - -
First, a quick comment on the volume of items coming through this
list (PRIVACY Forum, privacy@vortex.com) related to the ongoing
TSA x-ray and groping controversies.
While I realize that this is a significant uptick in volume, I feel
that this is a very important issue -- and of course you continue
to get the additional materials at the same price as before: $0.
In particular, I believe that specific examples of TSA abuses are
notable -- especially since TSA continues to claim that these
procedures are necessary and protect us from terrorists -- two
dubious claims indeed.
While I have been unable to pin down an official statement, it is
now being widely reported that TSA airport agents are not permitted
to wear radiation dosimeters -- of the sort worn not only by nuclear
workers but even by doctors, nurses and dentists.
This despite TSA agents' continual presence in the vicinity of
equipment producing ionizing x-ray radiation. Anyone who can provide
a definitive statement regarding whether such a prohibition exists --
and why these workers aren't provided dosimeters as a routine part of
their jobs, would be appreciated.
Meanwhile, I have located a very interesting report (PDF) from the
CDC/U.S. Department of Health and Human Services related to TSA from two
years ago (well before the deployment of the new x-ray body scanners).
This report: "Evaluation of Radiation Exposure to TSA Baggage
Screeners" makes for interesting reading, as it shows a wide variety
of issues related to x-ray equipment that was irradiating baggage --
not people -- at least not *intentionally* irradiating people.
Which brings up an obvious question. Even if you buy into the claims
that the radiation levels of the body scanners are insignificant --
even when concentrated on the thin skin of the gonads for us guys, or
our corneas for everyone -- why should we trust that the equipment is
always operating according to spec in a "dirty" environment like an
airport terminal? Talk about a leap of faith.
The HHS/CDC report: http://bit.ly/dSQS3I (CDC / PDF)
--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein (lauren@vortex.com)
http://www.vortex.com/lauren
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
Co-Founder, PFIR (People For Internet Responsibility): http://www.pfir.org
Founder, NNSquad (Network Neutrality Squad): http://www.nnsquad.org
Founder, GCTIP (Global Coalition for Transparent Internet Performance):
http://www.gctip.org
Founder, PRIVACY Forum: http://www.vortex.com
Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurenweinstein
Google Buzz: http://bit.ly/lauren-buzz
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