The Yomiuri Shimbun
Heat stroke is posing yet another threat to workers dealing with already hazardous working conditions at the Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant.
Some workers have suffered heat stroke while working in heavy protective suits in radioactive areas with no air conditioning.
As a countermeasure, Tokyo Electric Power Co. is considering setting up air-conditioned prefabricated buildings as makeshift rest stations for workers.
According to the Fukushima Local Meteorological Observatory, the highest temperature in areas around the nuclear power plant complex in April was 22.5 C on Saturday. Weather data were missing for several days in April due to communication problems.
On March 11, the day the massive earthquake and tsunami struck northeastern Japan, the temperature near the nuclear power plant was 9.3 C, meaning temperature rose more than 13 C.
Workers in charge of checking power supply and clearing debris inside and around turbine buildings wear protective suits and full-face masks.
Because they are not allowed to take off the masks during work, they cannot even drink water. Temperatures inside the suits rise sharply after only 30 minutes of exertion. Most of the air-conditioning system at the plant was made unusable by the tsunami. Only one structure at the plant is air-conditioned, a quake-resistant building where about 250 workers stay at night.
On Friday, a 20-year-old worker suffered heat stroke and went to see a doctor. Later, TEPCO began discussing setting up prefabs in places where radiation levels are low. The company plans to spray a chemical agent on the ground around the prefabs to prevent radioactive substances from being stirred up.
(Apr. 19, 2011)
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