Jon S. Berndt wrote:
"Ed Kyle" wrote in message
The presence of
"live" SRBs in the VAB has added cost to the shuttle
program due to safety limitations, for example. A
worst-case fear has long been the unlikely-but-not-
impossible case of an SRB lighting up within the
VAB during processing.

From what I've read, it takes a whole lot to ignite the SRB
propellant. Is
this really a concern?


Yes. During Apollo, contractors offices were actually
in the VAB, in the upper reaches of the "tower" portions
of the building between the high bay areas. The workers
were just steps away from the launch vehicle hardware
they were responsible for.

For shuttle, NASA had to vacate the VAB of all but
essential personnel who have been briefed about the
risks involved. Those offices - the equivalent
of a skyscraper's worth of work space - are mostly
vacant today. (Some are used to store Columbia
remains.) An entirely new set of office buildings
had to be constructed to house shuttle processing
contractors outside the VAB - after they had labored
in trailers for several years.

- Ed Kyle