Manufacturers clean rooms source of severe health problems for workers

[Guest guest]

EDINBURGH, Scotland -- A government health agency ordered Motorola

and two other leading semiconductor makers to tighten up their

handling of carcinogenic and toxic materials after a groundbreaking

investigation uncovered holes in their safety procedures.

 

The U.K.'s Health and Safety official discovered inadequate controls

over sulfuric acid fumes and cancer-causing substances including

arsenic dust, all part of the chip manufacturing process.

 

The findings (PDF) are sure to be an embarrassment for the

semiconductor industry, which prides itself on its pristine labs and

space-suited workers.

 

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,57191,00.html