The Energy Department’s Inspector General on Tuesday started a review of actions taken by the agency to address worker concerns about chemical vapors at the Hanford tank farms near Richland, Wash.
The DOE IG held an entrance conference with Hanford officials to discuss the scope of the review and related matters, according to a memo from the IG office to DOE environmental cleanup officials.
Fieldwork for the review is scheduled to start June 6 at DOE’s Office of River Protection and tank farm contractor Washington River Protection Solutions, according to the memo made public Monday by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon).
“This is a good step toward providing the workers at Hanford with some assurance that someone is looking out for their safety,” Wyden wrote in a Monday press release posted online.
Wyden visited Hanford in May to learn more about the chemical vapor issue and to meet privately with some Hanford workers. He also brought the chemical vapors issue up at the confirmation hearing of Susan Beard, the nominee to be the next DOE inspector general.
About 50 Hanford workers have had medical checks this spring for potential exposure to chemical vapors. Some had respiratory symptoms, some smelled suspicious odors and others were checked because they were near where chemical vapors were suspected.
