Word: arsenicals
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...JUNE, John Zemotel died after being exposed to arsenic gas in a laboratory of the MA Conn plant he worked at on Route 128 outside of Boston. Company officials claim that Zemotel purposely exposed himself to the gas, though Zemotel's family and friends vigorously deny that Zemotel had any cause to commit suicide...
...perfect example of OSHA's inability to insure safe working conditions for high-tech workers is its inability to prevent firms from expanding the use of gallium arsenic "super chips"--the fumes from which killed John Zemotel. These chips are expected to enable computer companies to build machines that operate at speeds five times as great as the current generation of silicon-powered computers. The use of gallium arsenic, fatal in certain amounts, is thus expected to grow by 56 percent between...
Notwithstanding the potential profits, the industry has failed in one crucial respect--developing a safe method of producing these chips. It has been proven almost impossible to contain the arsenic gas used in the production of gallium arsenic. The industry has tried to conceal the stuff in silicon dioxide boats sealed in containers: unfortunately, no federal standards exist for either the boat or the container. Whereas the containers used to contain nuclear wastes go through vigorous testing before they are approved, the government does nothing of the sort for the gallium arsenic. Other types of safeguards are similarly unscrutinized...
OSHA does not have the resources to monitor industries for levels of arsenic, nor to research the long-term effects of worker exposure to low levels of airborne arsenic. And it is incapable of even establishing new safety standards. Even if OSHA did feel, finally, that gallium arsenic technology should be taken off the market, it would not have the power to do so. OSHA can only prescribe safety standards--it cannot out-law certain types of technology. Thus, barring a public outcry against the technology, production of chips seems destined to follow the inexorable and fatal growth pattern...
...vintage clothing?" says Sherry Gamble, pointing to a Ginger Rogers-style silk dress hanging on the wall at Arsenic and Old Lace. "If you went to buy that in a regular store you'd pay a fortune. And vintage clothes just make you feel very good...