What were some of the safety violations that Silkwood reported finding at the Kerr-McGee factory?
Leaking pipes and defective equipment regularly contaminated workers with plutonium, a deadly radioactive substance that can cause cancer. Instead of stopping production, Kerr-McGee ordered its employees to continue working and did not repair the leaks until slack production periods.
What happened to the Kerr-McGee plant?
The plant was finally shut down in 1976 owing to bankruptcy caused by negative public opinion, investor withdrawals, and fraud convictions [5]. The Atomic Energy Commission awarded Kerr-McGee a $9.6 million contract to produce fuel rods for experimental nuclear reactors using plutonium instead of uranium.
What did Karen Silkwood steal from Kerr-McGee?
During the week of November 5, 1972, she was repeatedly exposed to plutonium radiation. She further was accused of stealing plutonium, traces of which were found by Kerr-McGee officials in her apartment.
Where can I watch Silkwood?
Watch Silkwood on Netflix Today! NetflixMovies.com.
How was Karen Silkwood contaminated?
In the fall of 1974, 28-year-old Karen was in the middle of a union battle with Kerr-McGee over worker safety violations. When she found out she was contaminated with a lethal dose of plutonium, it was time to talk. She and the union reached out to New York Times reporter, David Burnham.
Does Kerr-McGee still exist?
McGee (1904-1989), a former chief geologist for Phillips Petroleum, joined the firm in 1946, it changed its name to Kerr-McGee Oil Industries, Incorporated. Kerr-McGee shareholders approved the offer on August 10, 2006 and Kerr-McGee ceased to exist as an independent entity.
Why is it called a Silkwood shower?
Four times in the film, characters working at a nuclear facility suffer radiation exposure, set off an alarm, and are subjected to the brutal decontamination process, aka a ‘Silkwood shower.
Was Silkwood murdered?
On November 13, 1974, 28-year-old Karen Silkwood is killed in a car accident near Crescent, Oklahoma, north of Oklahoma City. Silkwood worked as a technician at a plutonium plant operated by the Kerr-McGee Corporation, and she had been critical of the plant’s health and safety procedures.