A new stop work order was declared at the Hanford Site’s Plutonium Finishing Plant over the weekend after another radioactive contamination spread, likely linked to the final demolition of the plant’s Plutonium Reclamation Facility.
Small amounts of contamination were found outside the demolition zone Friday night, after a 13-month project to raze the reclamation facility wrapped up that afternoon. Demolition contractor CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Co. ordered the work stoppage Sunday. A work stoppage issued last Wednesday had just been lifted to allow Friday’s demolition activities.
On Monday, workers returned to the plant, but no demolition was conducted.
More specks of contamination were found near office trailers. Workers in the trailers were told to stay inside until more surveys could be done late Monday afternoon to ensure they did not inadvertently walk through any contaminated areas.
Two worker vehicles parked at the plant also were found to be contaminated. No contamination was found on their interiors. It was not known if the vehicles had been contaminated Monday or had been contaminated as early as Friday, driven off-site, and then back to the plant on Monday.
Ty Blackford, president of CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Co., sent a memo to employees at about 4 p.m. Monday saying employees were in the process of being released. The Hanford Patrol was controlling access to the area, he said.
The only activities currently authorized at the Plutonium Finishing Plant are debris stabilization to assure safety of demolition rubble piles and surveys for contamination spread. Blackford said a critique was held Monday to discuss the contamination spread, possible causes, and a path forward.
