How Many Government Workers Does It Take To Change a Light Bulb?

How many workers at Rocky Flats(the former nuclear weapon components plant in Golden, Colorado) should it take to change a light bulb?

Sixteen – and that’s no joke.

An internal memo written by a manager at the U.S. Department of Energy plant recommended a new safety procedure for "the replacement of a light bulb in a criticality beacon." The beacon, similar to the revolving red lamp atop a police car, warns workers of nuclear accidents. The memo said the job should take at least 16 people over 60 hours to replace the light. It added that the same job used to take 12 workers 4.15 hours.

The memo called for a planner to meet with six others at a work-control meeting; talk with other workers who have done the job before; meet again; get signatures from five people at that work-control meeting; get the project plans approved by separate officials overseeing safety, logistics, waste management and plant scheduling; wait for a monthly criticality-beacon test; direct electricians to replace the bulb; and then test and verify the repair.