Recent Firing of Nuke Safety Manager Prompts New Concerns, Investigations
Mike Nartker
WC Monitor
3/28/2014
Despite a new wave of concerns over whether workers at the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant can raise issues without retaliation, David Huizenga, the Department of Energy’s cleanup chief, told WC Monitor late this week that he believes the safety culture at the massive project is improving. On the sidelines of a House Cleanup Caucus briefing, Huizenga noted his personal trips to the WTP where he met with workers who raised issues. “We’re listening with an open mind,” he said. “Building a strong safety culture is an ongoing process and we are committed to continuous improvement. I have seen some positive changes in how issues are resolved, which is one important element of safety culture.”
Questions over the state of the safety culture at the Hanford vit plant have re-emerged in the wake of the termination last month of Donna Busche, who had served as a key nuclear safety manager and who has alleged she faced harassment and retaliation for raising safety concerns. Busche was terminated by URS, a major subcontractor at the vit plant, who has denied her allegations and instead has said she was fired for cause based on her behavior. Bechtel National, which leads the WTP project, has also denied that Busche faced retaliation for raising concerns.
Busche’s termination, though, has been met with strong criticism from a set of Senators, including Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.). Earlier in March, McCaskill, who chairs the Senate Subcommittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight held a hearing on whether whistleblowers at the WTP can safely raise concerns, expressing skepticism. “You guys have a serious problem in terms of whistleblower culture out there,” McCaskill told senior executives from Bechtel and URS at the hearing. She added, “And we’re going to have to do something to make sure that people understand … they are not going to be laid off, they’re not going to be fired for raising legitimate concerns.”
Will DOE Investigation Results be Made Public?
Busche’s termination has also resulted in the launching of two investigations into the circumstances behind the move—one by the Government Accountability Office at the request of lawmakers; and one by the DOE Inspector General’s Office. At this month’s Senate hearing, DOE Deputy Assistant Secretary for Safety, Security, and Quality Programs Matt Moury said of Busche’s termination “has raised questions about the potential of an improper reprisal for having raised health, safety or other protected concerns. … For this reason, the Department has asked the Office of the Inspector General to review the circumstances surrounding the termination of Ms. Busche. The department will take appropriate action based on the outcomes of any IG investigation.”
However, it is currently unclear whether the results of the IG investigation will be made public. “The Office of Inspector General can confirm the receipt of the request letter, as well as the initiation of actions based on the request in that letter. At this time we cannot provide a time line for completion, nor can we commit at this time to release that information or the report being made public,” a spokeswoman for the IG’s Office said this week.
