TSA body scanners fail radiation tests.

[Simon Says]

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2011-03-11-tsa-scans_N.htm?csp=34news

Awhile back I was quite vocal on not going through these things. I talked quite a bit about not trusting the TSA on the amounts of radiation being emitted, how they plan on testing these things, and quite frankly the qualifications of TSA in using these things. They are not xray technicians...only your normal high school dropouts.

The TSA has been secretive about releasing the results of on going tests and through the freedom of information act did USA Today have them release the test results. And to much to my surprise the machines failed the test and are emitting as much as 10 times the radiation that they said they were emmiting. The TSA says its a simple math error and these engineers did not know to divide the end result by 10. BS.

I say again, do not have your friends, family or anyone else you care about go through these machines. I will say again and I urge you to find the information yourself. Micheal Chertoff (late homeland security director) pushed these machines to be used by the TSA 3 months before he quit. At that time he started The Chertoff Group http://chertoffgroup.com/cgroup/ which has a few clients. The major client of the Chertoff Group is OSI systems http://www.osi-systems.com/ who just happens to be the parent company of RapiScan http://www.rapiscansystems.com/ Which happens to be the company that makes the backscatter machines.

 

[Chubaka]

That is why I hold both of my hands over my nutsack whenever I walk thru.

 

[Skippy]

Hilarious, engineers dont know to move the decimal over one!

 

[ultrarunner]

Hilarious, engineers dont know to move the decimal over one!

TSA engineers.

 

[booo]

Great! Now we have to add Mutant Smurfs to the list of things we worry about.

 

[FLYLOW22]

Shocker...

I'll still be opting out.

 

[dillfer]

Can't the TSA do anything right? C'mon man, simple math? I'll be opting out as well.

 

[redflyer65]

TSA engineers.

Now that's funny.

 

[Green Banana]

I understand getting your panties in a bunch over this, but has any one ever tested how much radiation you get from straddling a 12" radar dish in a 737 for 6 hours a day?

 

[stall022]

Being exposed to radiation from the weather radar, glass displays and solar radiation are all acceptable hazards that are part of the job.

Being irradiated by some useless machine operated by a bunch of inept smurfs that will do nothing to stop terrorists or improve safety is not part of the job.

Below is some old but still relevant information on aviation radiation risk. http://www.avweb.com/news/aeromed/181873-1.html

As a note we are currently experiencing large solar flares this year, So pack those lead undies.