Surprise, surprise - TSA admits bungling strip-search machine radiation tests

[wsuffa]

Link

The Transportation Security Administration is re-analyzing the radiation levels of X-ray body scanners installed in airports nationwide, after testing produced dramatically higher-than-expected results.

The TSA, which has deployed at least 500 body scanners to at least 78 airports, said Tuesday the machines meet all safety standards and would remain in operation despite a “calculation error” in safety studies. The flawed results showed radiation levels 10 times higher than expected.

You mean they didn't tell us the truth?

All the more reason to avoid these machines.

 

[Trapper John]

Re: Surprise, surprise - TSA admits that strip-search machines emit 10x radiation....

Link



You mean they didn't tell us the truth?

All the more reason to avoid these machines.

Geez. These machines might kill us before Mohammad McGyver can make bombs out of the O2 generators in the biffy...

 

[rpadula]

Re: Surprise, surprise - TSA admits that strip-search machines emit 10x radiation....

Geez. These machines might kill us before Mohammad McGyver can make bombs out of the O2 generators in the biffy...

On the other hand, you never know which scanner will trigger the Incredible Hulk gene in someone, who will then go on to destroy every machine in the building!

Too bad Mr. Suffa won't go through -- sounds like he'd make a good candidate.

 

[Matthew]

Perhaps an unintended consequence - the TSA folks who operate the equipment may have been removed from the gene pool.

 

[Trapper John]

Re: Surprise, surprise - TSA admits that strip-search machines emit 10x radiation....

On the other hand, you never know which scanner will trigger the Incredible Hulk gene in someone, who will then go on to destroy every machine in the building!

We can hope!

But then they'd probably find a way to justify genetic profiling...

 

[fgcason]

Perhaps an unintended consequence - the TSA folks who operate the equipment may have been removed from the gene pool.

To wipe out a termite infestation, one must eliminate the queen, not the worker bugs.

 

[Teller1900]

Re: Surprise, surprise - TSA admits that strip-search machines emit 10x radiation....

We can hope!

But then they'd probably find a way to justify genetic profiling...

Is it really profiling if someone is green and raging all over the airport?

 

[Matthew]

Re: Surprise, surprise - TSA admits that strip-search machines emit 10x radiation....

Is it really profiling if someone is green and raging all over the airport?

Don't wanne be accused of being a green-and-raging-o-phobe.

 

[Palmpilot]

I was thinking about the prohibition on TSA "officers" wearing dosimeters, and it occurs to me that if I were in the unfortunate position of needing to work at a job like that, I would wear one under my clothes. I don't know how much clothing would affect it, but I figure it would be better than nothing.

 

[mantakos]

I'm not sure what people think this story is saying, but what it's actually saying is that the machines were found to be in spec.
-harry

 

[sba55]

I'm not sure what people think this story is saying, but what it's actually saying is that the machines were found to be in spec.
-harry

That doesn't matter. What does matter, however, is that since they are clearly unable to perform proper testing, they have no clue if the machines are working as advertised.

 

[SCCutler]

...nor does any of that explain the justification for their existence or use.

 

[wsuffa]

Snicker.

They even screwed up the post on their blog. By a factor of 10.
Link

Note the stikeout with corrected info in the table of radiation exposure.

 

[mantakos]

That doesn't matter. What does matter, however, is that since they are clearly unable to perform proper testing, they have no clue if the machines are working as advertised.

It was field engineers employed by the manufacturer who did the testing. In some cases the results were erroneous, the mistake was discovered, and they changed their process accordingly. Note that this wasn't a TSA error, it wasn't a government error, it was a private industry error. You just can't get good help any more.

There is nothing to suggest that "they have no clue" whether the machines are working as advertised.

These machines take pictures of your private parts. In my mind, that's enough criticism, I'm not looking to conjure up some dubious additional criticism to throw on to the pile.
-harry

 

[SCCutler]

It was field engineers employed by the manufacturer who did the testing. In some cases the results were erroneous, the mistake was discovered, and they changed their process accordingly. Note that this wasn't a TSA error, it wasn't a government error, it was a private industry error. You just can't get good help any more.

There is nothing to suggest that "they have no clue" whether the machines are working as advertised.

These machines take pictures of your private parts. In my mind, that's enough criticism, I'm not looking to conjure up some dubious additional criticism to throw on to the pile.
-harry

Don't that say it all?

 

[sba55]

It was field engineers employed by the manufacturer who did the testing. In some cases the results were erroneous, the mistake was discovered, and they changed their process accordingly. Note that this wasn't a TSA error, it wasn't a government error, it was a private industry error. You just can't get good help any more.

There is nothing to suggest that "they have no clue" whether the machines are working as advertised.

These machines take pictures of your private parts. In my mind, that's enough criticism, I'm not looking to conjure up some dubious additional criticism to throw on to the pile.
-harry

Well, no, there is a very obvious clue that they don't know that the machines are working as advertised. You know that when you - every day as done in hospitals and other facilities that use radiation equipment - verify and check every machine.

That doesn't happen on a daily basis, and the TSA (or, by extension, their contractors) can't do proper testing. That is the problem.

 

[mantakos]

... You know that when you - every day as done in hospitals and other facilities that use radiation equipment - verify and check every machine...

Okay. How frequently should these machines be tested? How did you arrive at that number?
-harry

 

[Jaybird180]

Re: Surprise, surprise - TSA admits that strip-search machines emit 10x radiation....

Is it really profiling if someone is green and raging all over the airport?

It wasn't the green that got him tackled, your honor, it was the raging.

 

[sba55]

Okay. How frequently should these machines be tested? How did you arrive at that number?
-harry

Every day from what a friend - who's a hospital administrator - has told me. Should be easy to verify. This is pretty standard practice with radiation equipment AFAIK.

Seeing as though most radiation scientists don't believe that these machines are safe even if they were working as advertised, this might be a mood point anyways.

 

[bockwoman3]

I had the opportuntity to opt out of the scanner for the first time yesterday on my way to Amsterdam with Greg. WOO HOO! Took 10-15 extra minutes because | was the second female opt-out without 3 minutes and they had only 1 female available per machine.

 

[sba55]

I had the opportuntity to opt out of the scanner for the first time yesterday on my way to Amsterdam with Greg. WOO HOO! Took 10-15 extra minutes because | was the second female opt-out without 3 minutes and they had only 1 female available per machine.

Did you have to do both of the pat-downs? People don't realize that there are two - with the second one being quite intrusive. Quite a few people have to do the second one too if their silly "test my gloves" machine throws an alarm for some reason (like the wrong perfume).