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Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010

Report confirms hazardous environment at U.S. Penitentiary Atwater prison shop

Officials say safety issues have been addressed

Inmates at U.S. Penitentiary Atwater were exposed to hazardous elements while breaking glass at the prison's electronic recycling center from 2002 and 2003 because authorities failed to properly safeguard them.

That's according to a December 2009 report released by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

The new findings mirror the U.S. Bureau of Prison's own 2006 investigations into the matter, showing the problem had been solved.

USP Atwater spokesman Miguel Chavez said in a statement the prison is committed to healthy workplaces for its inmates and employees. Any safety issues in the past have been corrected, he said.

"The continued safety of both staff and inmates alike is a top priority of the Bureau of Prisons and Federal Prison Industries (FPI)," said Chavez. "The FPI factory at USP Atwater has been in operation since 2002, and has undergone substantial changes. For example, glass-breaking operations were halted several years ago."

The NIOSH report found that inmates had worked without the proper respiratory protection for several months in 2002 and were exposed to cadmium and lead, both of which can cause adverse health effects.

It further pointed out the prison's medical surveillance program failed to comply with Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) lead and cadmium standards. The inmates were exposed while breaking glass monitors.

The NIOSH report was originally prompted by a request for technical assistance in a U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General investigation into the safety at FPI's electronic recycling facilities.

The NIOSH report looked into exposure to hazardous substances at three facilities across the nation, including USP Atwater.

Dismantling computer monitors can release clouds of toxic metals, such as lead and cadmium. Exposure to those toxins can cause cancer, kidney disease, central nervous system damage, reproductive impairments or death, according to OSHA.

UNICOR, the trade name for the seven-decade-old FPI, has eight electronics recycling centers across the country. They processed more than 37 million pounds of electronics in 2008. According to FPI's August 2008 board minutes, the recycling unit projected that fiscal year 2009 sales would be $9.9 million.

Reporter Jonah Owen Lamb can be reached at (209) 385-2484 or jlamb@mercedsun-star.com.