Hanford "Whistleblowers"

[Tim <tstead@ntirs.org>]

I heard about a case with a pipe fitter, Randy Walli,

who worked as a contract employee for Fluor Hanford. 

In 1997, he and his crew refused to install a valve

that they said was underrated.



The MAWP of the valve was 1935 psig.  A hydro test was

to be conducted at about 2200 psig.  The maximum test

pressure of the valve was 2903 psig.  The valve

manufacturer, Apollo, Inc. stated in writing that the

valve was suitable for use in the hydro test.



The pipe fitters didn't buy it and refused to do their

work.  After arguing over the issue for a numebr of

days, a larger valve was installed and the test

completed.



Shortly thereafter, the job was finished and they were

all laid off (along with 85 other pipe fitters).



They sued Fluor under the Whistleblower Protection

Act.



They claim that they were fired because they brought

up a safety concern.  It looks to me like they were

not laid off becuase they brought up a concern but

because they continued to refuse to work even after

the valve manufacturer approved the valve for the

test.  In so doing, they probably acted like jerks and

deserved to be canned.



Does anyone on this list have any first or second-hand

knowledge of this incident?



Tim



__________________________________________________

Do You Yahoo!?

Yahoo! GeoCities - quick and easy web site hosting, just $8.95/month.

http://geocities.yahoo.com/ps/info1

************************************************************************

You are currently subscribed to the Radsafe mailing list. To unsubscribe,

send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu  Put the text "unsubscribe

radsafe" (no quote marks) in the body of the e-mail, with no subject line.