Alissa Tabirian
NS&D Monitor
6/5/2015
Former Y-12 managing contractor B&W Technical Services Y-12 is facing a proposed fine of $150,000 from the Department of Energy due to six violations in two incidents that involved worker exposure to lithium hydride and the “unintentional discharge of a firearm inside a hardened patrol vehicle,” according to a Preliminary Notice of Violation released by the DOE Office of Enforcement this week. In April 2013, a worker “received first and second-degree burns to the face and scalp, as well as respiratory injury” when exposed to “residual LiH powder vented from the West Machine Dust Station recycling system during post-work testing,” according to the notice. Three months later, a protective force officer handling a M240B machine gun inadvertently “discharged a single armor piercing round that impacted the interior wall of the vehicle, producing fragmentation,” the notice says.
A DOE investigation revealed various deficiencies in both training and equipment, including that “B&W Y-12 did not ensure that workers were aware of the condition of the equipment” before the lithium hydride discharge, “failed to ensure that adequate [personal protective equipment] was used,” and “did not effectively implement safety procedures for handling firearms,” the notice of violation says. DOE said that both incidents were classified as having “high safety significance,” but noted that "B&W Y-12 promptly responded to the events” with corrective actions including procedure modifications for weapons configuration and “design changes.” Because of these mitigation actions, the proposed penalty fell from $412,500 to $150,000. B&W Y-12 is expected to respond to the notice within 30 days.
In a response to NS&D Monitor, B&W spokesperson Aimee Mills said that “B&W Y-12 immediately implemented corrective actions following both incidents, and as the notice indicates, NNSA took these actions into account resulting in the proposed fine being reduced.” Mills added that “B&W remains committed to safe and secure operations at every Department of Energy project where we have a presence.”
