Are there places in the world where cases, like that of the Radium Girls, could have happened today?

In Africa where there are a lack of resources where they don't have the ability to view levels of radium. People living in Africa is have a lower education standard so if they did come into contact with radium which was labelled ‘RADIUM’ wouldn't understand that it is radioactive. Japan where there are plants where radium is frequently worked with. The earthquakes that occur quite frequently in Japan are a constant safety risk as the people who live within the area can be poisoned if there was to be a spill.

What Recommendation do you have for developers of nanotechnology?

To make sure that people know the possible risks involved with the product and they should provide adequate shielding from the product. Use other methods instead of using radium or another type of ionizing material/element.

What roles should education play in trying to ensure cases like this do to not happen?

Giving people adequate information about what they are working with and training to ensure that they know how to work with the product safely. Making sure that everyone knows the danger when it comes to Radium and setting guidelines when it comes to working with it, especially direct contact.

Who is responsible for ensuring safe use of technology?

The U.S. congress passes laws that authorize EPA and other federal agencies, to protect public health.The EPA has issued many laws that limit the release of different nuclides to the environment, as well how different companies use and access radium. While this only in the United States.
The makers, US Radium knew the safety risks involved and should have made the manufacturers and workers aware rather than lying and covering it up.

What safeguards should have been implemented?

There should have been an issued uniform/suit to prevent the radium from making contact with the body.

No ingesting to stop radium entering in the body and decaying ionizing alpha particles.

Use replacement brushes instead of using their lips or fingers and or another tool.

Lead lined clothing to reduce amount of ionizing radiation.

Who, do you think, was to blame for the Radium Girls’ illness and eventual death?

The US Radium and the ‘knowledgeable’ managers and owners of the watch company are to blame as they denied the risks and failed to put any safety implements.

The company should be blamed as they told the workers that the radium wouldn’t harm them as well as not providing protection and safe methods of painting for the workers.