Fukushima Workers Nightmareish World of High Radiation

This is a transcribed special report from Channel 4 News. You get to hear TEPCO workers with hidden identities talk about the caotic conditions they work in. Along with how some of the workers ditch their radiation meters because if they reach the limit it would mean no more work or money for them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ml5gKbStfY

Now five months after the earthquake and tsunami that devastated parts of Japan, work is still going on to clean up the nuclear power plant at Fukushima. THe man in charge of the plants made a rare appearance yesterday to apologize for the anxiety and inconvenience caused by the accident. The men working on the Fukushima reactor travel from towns outside the exclusion zone. Our Asian correspondent John Sparks, went to Iwaki City were he spoke to workers who claim conditions are chaotic, training inadequate. Here is his special report.

Rocked by the earth and battered by the sea. This is the work of Japans great earthquake and tsunami. The cleanup is well underway and for many here the gloom is begun to lift. But one part of this coastal strip wont submit so easily.

This was a popular beach a great place to go swimming, but few come here now. Just doesn't feel safe, the treat's not posed by the sea. 24 km down the coast a group of men and women are trying to stabilise the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. And it most be the most dangerous work place in the world.

When Fukushimas cooling systems failed a series of explosions and reactor meltdowns tore the complex apart. This the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl. 1000s of workers have been drafted in to secure the plant but they run extrodinary risks.

John Sparks: Tell us what it's like.

Worker: The conditions are caotic, there are no rules. People who come here for the first time.. Well they must be very troubled.

Worker 2: I don't know how to describe it, it's just depressing.

Channel 4 news visited some of the dormitory towns where many of Fukushimas 3000 employees are now staying. They are forbidden from speaking to the media but a number granted us interviews. Describing a nightmareish world of high radiation and difficult terrain. We hidden their identities.

Worker: We don't know when things will collapse on us, and the holes and cracks in the ground are terrifying. If you fall through you may brake you're bones. But if it's 20 meters deep, then you die.

The day starts here, at a former football training complex, before workers are bussed into the plant. The majority don't work for TEPCO the facilities owner, but for an estimated 600 subcontractors. And with so many companies on site some say it's impossible to maintain strict safety standards. We tried to ask workers about this, but we were told to leave.

They are thought how to wear body suits, glowes and masks to protect themself from radiation. But emploees told us their training was inadequate.

Worker: I got 30 min of safety instruction it's not enough and people come here with no knowlage of the operation.

Communication on site is difficult, with about 30 foreign experts in charge of key bits of equipment there's no common language. And their protective masks make it that much thougher. Sometimes workers take them off to speak to each other.

Worker. Few of us speak English or French so the language barrier is higher than expected. We talk to them through translators but we know we are being exposed to radiation while we do it.

Doctor Masahiro Kami runs a clinic where plant workers and locals can get medical care, most other doctors have evacuated. He says many employees hide the amount of radiation they are exposed to by ditching their personal monitors. The reason. If they exeed the limit there is no more work.

Doctor Masahiro Kami: The try to work as long as they can so when they go into dangerous areas they leave their radiation meters behind. The real radiation count is much higher, that's a fact.

We took doctor Kami's concerns to TEPCO's headquarters.

John Sparks: Do you exept that this practice is taking place.

Mr. Hitosugi: Whether it happens or not I think it is necessary to confirm the matter first. However I do not know anything about this at present.

It wasn't easy to hear Mr. Hitosugi who choose the location of our interview, it clashed with a large protest by  farmers demanding compensation from TEPCO for crop contamination. Signs of progress, TEPCOS PR department think so.

They posted this video last night, yet the company is widely misstrusted for withholding information about leaks and accidents. And workers at Fukushima agree, it's standard practice they say.

Worker: I give you an example, contaminated water leaked from the decontamination system, the leak was acknowladge to the press. But the amount was wrong, far more water was spilt.

Our interviewee is refeering to an incident on July 10 when TEPCO said 50 liters of liquid had been leaked. So we asked Mr. Higosugi about this apparent discrepancy

Mr. Hitosugi: I cannot remember what happened on July 10, therefor I don't know the exact details of that. Even if water leaked outside, it is our understanding it will cause no damage to the environment.

There is plenty of work on this chattered coast, but the cleanup at the nuclear plant is different. It can't be sorted into piles, 3000 workers are now risking their lives, some out of duty others for the cash. But it's the men in charge who must prove their worth, John Sparks Channel 4 News in Fukushima prefecture.