Half of the 1,800-person cleanup workforce at the Idaho National Laboratory is back on-site after months of reduced operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to contractor Fluor Idaho.
An additional 30% are still teleworking, a company spokesperson said by email Thursday. The Fluor Idaho representative did not immediately say if the rest are collecting paid leave.
The roughly 900 Idaho Cleanup Project personnel now working inside the fence is double the headcount from April, the month after the Energy Department Office of Environmental Management dramatically reduced the number federal and contract employees reporting to nuclear remediation locations in an effort to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus 2019. At that point, 25% Fluor Idaho’s workforce was telecommuting and another 50% collecting paid leave.
In May, the Idaho Cleanup Project began recalling workers to the site, particularly for key projects such as preparing the Integrated Waste Treatment Unit for operation. The facility is currently in Phase 2 of the four-part DOE remobilization plan – which begins with Phase 0 (preplanning) and eventually reaches Phase 3, or something close to pre-COVID-19 staffing levels.
If there is no rebound during Phase 1 of remobilization, a site proceeds to Phase 2: More workers are allowed to return, although remote work is still encouraged and common areas, such as lunch rooms, might be closed or modified to limit human interaction. “The timing for Phase 3 will depend on how COVID-19 continues to manifest in our area,” the spokesperson said.
Under the DOE restart plan, Idaho continues to embrace various safeguard to minimize the spread of the virus, including increased hand washing, physical distancing, and wearing of face masks.
Nearly 300 cleanup employees, subcontractors, and family members took part in Fluor Idaho’s two COVID-19 antibody testing clinics held this month in Idaho Falls. Fluor Idaho partnered with Mountain View Hospital for the events, the company said in a June 17 press release. The purpose of the clinics was to let participants know, through a blood test, if they might have been exposed to COVID-19. The results will be made available to the participants and Fluor Idaho will receive a report of general positive versus negative result counts.
