Hotshot VP demanded being in a lab he couldn't be in. Ended up in the hospital for observation due to possible radiation exposure
TLDR: Hotshot VP unrelated to our lab, enters radiation lab during government audit, touches radioactive samples and demands to watch and for people to follow protocol. Auditor decides to grant his wishes and activates protocol for unknown radiation exposure. Resulting in the lab being sealed, VP sent to hospital for observation for a minimum of 48h, fines and civil court.
So, this happened a couple of years ago. I work in an complex that houses research labs from different institutions: universities, private companies and government. My lab is a radiation lab, where we have a big, walk-in vault made of lead. Our samples range from "weak" to very very nasty, illegal to own unless you have special permission kind of nasty. I am a radiation protection specialist and researcher.
One day, colleagues from other labs were complaining about some hotshot VP (I will call him Bob) from a company that had a lab in a different building. Apparently Bob liked to wander around in his free time and would enter other labs without permission or even knocking. Bob at best was annoying, asking questions about what they were doing, touching things and being tall and mighty about his position as VP of his company. At worst, on an occasion Bob destroy some cancer cell cultures that research group was growing, setting their work back a couple of weeks.
Anyway, I was not worried. Every time radiation samples were out of the vault our labs double doors were covered with signs: "DANGER", "RADIATION", "DO NOT ENTER", etc. In all kinds of bright colours. No one in their right mind would go through doors without it being an absolute emergency. Well, I was wrong. Our safety regulations and guidelines did not allow us to lock the lab doors (hazard in case of fire) that's why we put up the signs and my boos holds the key to lock those doors in his office.
One time, at the end of the day as I am finishing up and had just locked the vault with all the samples inside, someone, nonchalantly enters the lab. Hotshot VP Bob.
Bob stopped by the door and started looking around, I asked him if I could help and who was he. Bob was not happy. He says that he is a VP for such and such company with a lab in the build next door and that he saw the signs on our door and wanted to see what we were doing and see some "radiation" (whatever that means). Mind you, our lab is not visible from the outside, you have to navigate the building very far within in order to even get to our restricted area.
I tell Bob that he can't be here, almost no one can be here, that's why we have the signs by the door. Bob says that he can read that signs but he is a VP and wants to see. I tell him he really has to leave and the only way he could see samples out would be to enroll on our level zero radiation protection course that anyone associated to any of the institutions can take. Completing it would allow him to see some samples during the course. It's a 1 hour course, btw, were you just sit down, listen and watch. He is not happy, but I don't care, I start taking down the signs from the doors and tell him that the lab is going to be locked down by my boss as soon as I am finished. Bob goes away. But Bob is not finished.
A few weeks later, we had an audit by the government. These are surprise audits, the auditor just comes in the first our of the morning and we have to pause all our work for a day in order to be audited. It was my turn to be the Radiation specialist in charge for this audit, so my colleagues went home and my boss stayed in his office next door. I put up the signs while the auditor settled in the second room of our lab. We begin, he gives a list of samples that I have to take out from the vault. Some are training samples and others are nasty samples. I usually start with the training one because they are closer by the door when you enter the vault. Each sample is stored in its own lead container and are very heavy. I take the first three training samples out and put them on the table. I walk back to the other room to blow my nose and signal the auditor that the samples are out. He is filling up some forms, has clear view to the table and the door to outside. He raises his head and looks puzzled, I ask him what's wrong and he points to the table and asks: who's that? I turned around. It's fucking Bob.
To my horror, Bob got in the lab and saw the containers, opened one and took a sample out and was at it against the light with his bare hands. I run, I scream. Put it back! He nonchalantly as ever, puts it back and says how not a big deal it is and asks what we are doing. I tell him that he has to leave. Auditor approaches us, asks what the problem is and who is he. Big mistake. Bob started is VP nonsense again. Auditor tells him that this is a government audit, there is a protocol to follow. Bob says great, sits on a chair and tells us to go on. Auditor tells him he can't be there. Bob disagrees, he is a VP after all, he demands to stay and watch. Auditor walks back to the other room, I start to beg to Bob to please leave before we fail that audit. Bob demands we just do our jobs, follow protocol and he is going to supervise. I look back at the auditor, he noods. Bob is happy. Not for long tho.
Auditor comes back with a piece of paper for me to sign. Basically me handing him the "radiation specialist in charge" to him. On the reason for it he says we write that later, that he will make sure it does not reflect bad on me. I sign. He ands me booklet with emergency protocol and points, we are doing this one, you know what to do. So, I had to call me boss and explain the situation. He was furious, not with me tho. Now my boss had to lock us in and tape the doors with hazard tape. At the same time the auditor starts to explain to Bob the protocol. The amusement in his face quickly fades when he realises that we were locked in, emergency services and police were on the way. Auditor tells Bob that he should call someone in his family to bring him clothes to the hospital because he was being admitted for observation for at least 48h as per protocol for unknown radiation exposure.
We both new that none of those samples were dangerous, even when handled bare handed, but, since we never got to log them and test them, they were considered "unknown" radiation sample and that warrants mandatory observation period. Bob wanted to see us follow a protocol, so he got to experience one.
Emergency services had Bob strip from his suit and underwear, and took in a sealed radiation hazard bag. Have him new clothes and took him to a hospital. Me and the auditor were in the clear because we always maintained safe distance from the samples and were not exposed. We had to fill a lot of forms and statements, so the audit has to be postponed. Auditor tells me that actually he is the boss of the auditors, he just volunteers every year to do this audit because he likes to visit our town and has friends here. So all this paperwork will end up on his desk for his evaluation and I have nothing to worry about. I knew this gentleman was very knowledgeable because I had done other audits with him but I had no idea and he was the actual head of his department.
Bob's boss came to apologize to my boss and told him what happened. The fallout: Bob spent 48h in observation, which he had to pay for because his company insurance didn't cover radiation exposure (obviously). Around $40k
Bob has to pay a fine of undisclosed amount $??
Bob is being taken to civil court by our institution for losses taken by us since our lab had to be shutdown pending new audit. Which took 2 weeks to happen and we couldn't handle any sample during that time. Institution is seeking $150k in damages but my boss thinks we will be awarded maybe half of that. Process is slow and ongoing.