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A worker fell into a nuclear reactor pool

nrc.gov

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Re: A worker fell into a nuclear reactor pool

#371

Post by kevincox »

parker-3461 wrote: post #26
christina97 wrote: post #5

Relevant xkcd content: https://what-if.xkcd.com/29/

So if I understand this correctly (solely from reading the xkcd), then the person might actually be okay?

> Plant officials today confirmed the worker sustained minor injuries from the fall and has already returned to work. - https://www.mlive.com/news/2025/10/michigan-nuclear-plant-wo...

He went back to work the next day. They don't provide much detail about the minor injuries but it seems that the biggest issue is maybe a bruised shin from the fall.

Re: A worker fell into a nuclear reactor pool

#372

Post by not_kurt_godel »

lukan wrote: post #186
not_kurt_godel wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So you don't have the necessary credentials, and you still wouldn't be qualified to comment even if you did have them unless you had access to the internal data. But no worries, I'm sure you'd be OK getting surgery from a surgeon's son who never went to medical school nor read your chart.

I would take the advice of a surgeons son, who is also somewhat active in the field, that something sounds fishy about a operation, to further look into it. That is very different from letting him perform the surgery. There is incentive to play down accidents. No idea what happened here, I actually rather think it recived publicity because falling into a nuclear reactor pool sounds way more dramatic than it is, but .…

There is also incentive for people to inflate their sense of importance by weighing in on topics they're not qualified on, especially if it's motivated by a sense of familial pride. You can see elsewhere on this thread that arthurcolle self-admits a lack of familiarity with basic interpretation of CPM.

Misinformation, whether ill-intentioned or not, does real and tangible harm to our society. Misinformation about the supposed dangers of nuclear power, as arthurcolle is spreading, are especially harmful because they form the foundation are the biggest obstacle to safe, clean, cheap, and abundant energy that could radically improve our lives at the systemic level.

Re: A worker fell into a nuclear reactor pool

#373

Post by yujzgzc »

fwipsy wrote: post #338
haskellshill wrote: post #324

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow, people are really clueless about how nuclear power plants really work. It's really not that dangerous to fall into the water.

Hey, no need to be condescending. Some people just haven't read [the xkcd.]( https://what-if.xkcd.com/29/ )

This is such a better response than "wow some people really are stoopid"

Re: A worker fell into a nuclear reactor pool

#374

Post by lazide »

fwip wrote: post #327
lazide wrote: post #262

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unlikely in this case. Water is amazingly as a shielding medium, and unless the water was contaminated (very unlikely, as it’s easily detected and heavily monitored) he likely got lower than background levels while in the pool itself.

The article seems to indicate that the radiation level in their hair was notably elevated.

Unfortunately, it also provided no useful information quantifying the statements.

Maybe there is a problem elsewhere, maybe the pool is contaminated, maybe the sensor used is very sensitive and 300 cpm is not as concerning as it would seem.

It sure would be nice to have actual data, wouldn’t it?

Re: A worker fell into a nuclear reactor pool

#375

Post by ErroneousBosh »

djtriptych wrote: post #356
afiori wrote: post #246

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My understanding is that reactor and waste pools are some of the least radioactive environments as they are constantly monitored for leakage.

I'm pretty sure the engineer at the nuclear plant I visited in elementary school drank a glass of water out of that pool to demonstrate how safe it was. I hope I'm misremembering that but it's a pretty strong memory that totally locked in for me that that water is not necessarily dangerous.

Serious question, as daft as it might sound - do they have to chlorinate the water to stop stuff growing in it? I'd expect it'd be about "swimming pool" warm so just great for all sorts of manky algae growing.

Re: A worker fell into a nuclear reactor pool

#376

Post by not_kurt_godel »

lijok wrote: post #296
not_kurt_godel wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That'd be a very interesting statement if you were qualified to make it

What makes one qualified to make a statement? Are you qualified to make the statement I'm replying to?

In technical fields: Accredited formal education, professional certification(s), and/or recognition from other experts in the field who have the same.

Re: A worker fell into a nuclear reactor pool

#377

Post by ErroneousBosh »

refulgentis wrote: post #365
haskellshill wrote: post #324

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow, people are really clueless about how nuclear power plants really work. It's really not that dangerous to fall into the water.

Few fun riffs for a Sunday morning: Wow, people are really clueless about how nuclear power plants really work. They literally wrote up a safety report and transported them off-site. Wow, people are really clueless about how to avoid reacting angrily. It's funny to append "they were wearing a life vest" to "they had a nuclear safety accident"

What, "morning", how dare you! It's late afternoon shading towards early evening here!

(Am I doing it right yet?)

Re: A worker fell into a nuclear reactor pool

#378

Post by ErroneousBosh »

layer8 wrote: post #339
afiori wrote: post #246

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My understanding is that reactor and waste pools are some of the least radioactive environments as they are constantly monitored for leakage.

TFA says: “The individual was decontaminated by radiation protection personnel but had 300 counts per minute detected in their hair. At 1632 EDT they were sent off site to seek medical attention.” Apparently they do have concerns.

> Apparently they do have concerns.

Well yeah. If someone falls in water at work, you get them checked out at the hospital. The paltry amount of radiation is kind of the least of your worries if there's even the smallest risk you got some water in your lungs.

People can drown on dry land from about a tablespoon of water getting into their lungs.

Re: A worker fell into a nuclear reactor pool

#379

Post by SV_BubbleTime »

JumpinJack_Cash wrote: post #355

The fear about nuclear is so big that this idiocy gets 500 points and 350 comments because nuclear is scary

We’re 50 years behind fusion because of people that now rage against fossil fuels. It’s tough to see it keep happening despite the educational resources we have now vs the 70s and 80s.

Re: A worker fell into a nuclear reactor pool

#380

Post by sunrunner »

Waterluvian wrote: post #345
afiori wrote: post #246

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My understanding is that reactor and waste pools are some of the least radioactive environments as they are constantly monitored for leakage.

There was a video about this I saw recently. Indeed, the person said the most dangerous risk is drowning.

I thought the main risk was from being shot by the guards before you made it to the pool?
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