Safety issues continue to be reported at the Hanford Site’s Plutonium Finishing Plant as employees conduct work on three high-hazard projects at once. Incidents of workers being contaminated with small amounts of radioactive material were first reported this summer in the weekly site reports from the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. In August, CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Co. issued a “management concern,” according to information from the company charged with leading the decontamination and demolition of the facility. The defense board staff reports said the company initiated an analysis that month to determine actions to better protect workers. But on Sept. 8 DOE sent CH2M Hill a letter noting numerous radiological issues at the Plutonium Finishing Plant as work is done in areas with high levels of airborne contamination. “Of particular concern are the intake events and the cut/puncture events that can have significant consequences,” the letter said. “As you continue with corrective action development, strong compensatory measures may be required.”
Despite CH2M Hill’s stepped-up efforts to safeguard workers, more safety incidents have been reported over the past two months since the letter was sent. One worker experienced skin contamination during work to cut up a glove box that stands more than 12 feet high and is considered “high holdup” because of its significant level of radioactive contamination. The worker’s protective suit that was breached, allowing radioactive material to reach his forehead and hairline. The suits worn for some of the high-hazard cleanup activities at the plant are filled with air and the work areas are congested, making it easy for workers to brush the suits against objects and possibly damage them.
