More Workers Report Vapor Exposure Symptoms
WC Monitor
5/30/2014
Five Hanford workers experienced symptoms consistent with exposure to chemical vapors from waste tanks late this week, and one was taken to the hospital in Richland, Wash. A sixth worker who did not have symptoms also requested an evaluation at the hospital. That brings the number of Hanford workers who have received medical evaluations for possible vapor exposure this spring to 34. Kevin Smith, manager of the Department of Energy’s Office of River Protection, has pledged to drive vapor exposures to near extinction. All options are on the table, he has said. The workers who were evaluated by an on-site medical provider were cleared May 29 to return to work. The two workers evaluated at the hospital were examined and then released without being admitted, but still need to be evaluated by the Hanford occupational medical provider before they can return to work.
In the first incident May 29, a worker who entered the AP Tank Farm reported smelling vapors and developed symptoms, according to tank farms contractor Washington River Protection Solutions. Three other workers who were among seven preparing to enter the tank farm also experienced symptoms. The four workers with symptoms were taken to Hanford’s medical provider. No waste disturbing work was being done in the AP Tank Farm, and workers were not required to wear respirators there, according to WRPS. About two hours later a worker several miles away at the SY Tank Farm also experienced symptoms. The worker was taken to the Hanford’s medical provider for evaluation and then transferred to the Richland hospital. A second worker in the SY Tank Farm had no symptoms, but requested an evaluation at the hospital after going to the on-site medical facility. Respirators are not required at the SY Tank Farm and information was not immediately available about whether any waste-disturbing work was being done there.
Symptoms Can Include Headaches, Shortness of Breath
Although the workers’ symptoms were not made public, typical symptoms of chemical vapor exposure include persistent coughing, headaches and shortness of breath. Workers have been reporting symptoms at the tank farms for more than two decades and steps have been taken to reduce exposure through the years, amidst concerns that breathing the vapors can lead to serious long-term health problems. Stacks have been raised and monitoring has been increased. In April, WRPS asked the Savannah River National Laboratory to lead the third independent study of tank vapors in recent years. A team of WRPS engineers has been assembled to look for potential improvements. It is expected to provide a new assessment of sources for vapor releases, how vapors disperse and equipment options such as taller vent stacks, portable exhausters and filters. The Chemical Vapors Solutions Team at Hanford, which includes worker and management members, has been reorganized. Workers also are required to wear respirators in some tank farms or under some conditions when waste is being disturbed, which increases the likelihood that vapors will be released.
Judge Grants Dismissal of Donna Busche Lawsuit
WC Monitor
5/30/2014
A federal judge late last week granted a request made by a former nuclear safety manager at the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant to drop a lawsuit she had filed against contractors at the project over allegations of harassment and retaliation. Donna Busche filed a lawsuit in early 2013 against WTP project contractor Bechtel National and subcontractor URS, for which she worked at the time, alleging she faced retaliation for raising safety concerns—allegations the two contractors have repeatedly denied. Busche filed her suit after more than a year went by without the Department of Labor taking action on a related whistleblower complaint she had submitted.
In April, though, attorneys for Busche filed a motion to dismiss her suit “with prejudice,” noting that she had filed a second complaint with the Dept. of Labor in November alleging additional acts of retaliation and that she plans to submit a new complaint following her recent termination from URS. At the time, Busche said she was seeking to drop her suit to “streamline related actions of retaliation and harassment by BNI and URS and consolidate my resources for ongoing investigations,” adding, “Once the dismissal is granted, I can focus on the ongoing DOL investigation, ongoing DOE Office of Inspector General investigation, and planned review by the Government Accountability Office into the facts and circumstances of my termination.” On May 23, U.S. District Judge Edward Shea granted Busche’s request for dismissal. Both Bechtel National and URS declined to comment on the order this week.
