For many employees of EDF, is the safety of nuclear plants is at stake They are concerned about an internal memo released Saturday by Le Parisien in France today, which aims to increase the maximum working in nuclear plants during "outages", those moments during which the reactors are closed, including maintenance.
During these periods unprofitable, EDF would indeed be able to quickly restart the reactor by its employees to work harder. The letter dated May 10 and addressed by the deputy director of EDF's nuclear generation, Philippe Druelle, each plant manager, and plans "to request exceptions to the limits to working with the inspectors work" or Regional Labour Directorate. EDF would like to apply a measure "by the summer of 211".
The project raises the ire of unions and employees' concerns. "EDF is organized to legalize abuses Hourly unacceptable and dangerous for employees and therefore nuclear safety," said the CGT. "EDF wants to push through and have hands on working time of its executives, including weekends and holidays, creating a zone of lawlessness, without any legislation on the organization of work "added the daily Annie Thebaud-Mony, director of research at Inserm.
Decreased alertness
While these periods of outages, which usually last from one to three months, is already reflected by an increased pace of work ranging from simple to double, with penalty of night and weekend , employees are concerned about the consequences of such change on their health and efficiency."We do work twelve hours or more is absurd, evidenced by a technical framework of the Chinon power plant. Beyond a certain limit, we can no longer be vigilant to 100% payday loans. " "I do my work carefully so as not to endanger the operation of the site. But it is already to the detriment of my health. Nationally, it is impossible to continue at this pace without consequence, "said another engineer of the Central Blayais in the Gironde.
For its part, EDF denies wanting to increase the working hours of employees. "This is a misunderstanding. [...] It will never matter to executives working 78 hours per week. This is contrary to the values of a responsible nuclear operator, has defended Bernard Lassus, director of human resources group in the columns of Le Parisien – Aujourd'hui en France.This ensures that the meetings with the general direction of work aimed instead to "clarify the organization of work", so as to "allow executives to take their daily rest period of 11 hours."
A technician Areva denounces inadequate security at the Hague
A retired technician from the treatment plant of La Hague nuclear waste warned Wednesday against the "inadequate security" site, which is home to one of the largest volumes of radioactive material in the world. Heard by the Local Information (CLI) of the site, he defended the idea that Areva is expected to build a "cathedral of concrete" against possible projectiles, when the site is currently protected by a "simple metal siding. For if a projectile reaches the pools, which contain the equivalent release of 100 reactors, "it would be worse than Fukushima," he said.For its part, Areva believes that site security is already assured by the existence of contingency plans in case of overflight of the plant.