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Re: Posting and Monitoring Requirements @ DOE Facilities



Did someone say:

> As in most aspects of this business, the "unlikely" often happens. ???



In this case, it was the radiological-control specialists--not the 

workers doing the remediation activities--who carried the contamination 

off site.



Susan G



Contamination carried off site

http://www.oakridger.com/stories/101403/new_20031014048.shtml

October 14, 2003



STATE OFFICIALS: Likely little risk to human health from incident.



By: R. Cathey Daniels | Oak Ridger Staff

cathey.daniels@oakridger.com



Radiation contamination was carried off the Oak Ridge Reservation on 

Thursday, according to state officials.



The incident is under investigation by the state's Division of 

Radiological Health, as well as its Department of Environment and 

Conservation. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency was notified on 

Friday.



The Department of Energy is looking into performing a separate review of 

the incident, according to officials.



Though the source of contamination is still unknown, the suspected 

primary isotope is cesium, according to state officials.



According to Shawn Drake, health physicist with the state of Tennessee, 

given the suspected isotope, the level of contamination "does not appear 

to be significant." He noted that carrying radioactive material 

contamination off site "is very unusual."



According to Billy Freeman, inspection enforcement manager for the 

Division of Radiological Health, because the contamination "did not get 

on anyone's skin we don't think anyone is at risk."



However, said Freeman, because the state does not regulate "what is on 

site, we pay particular attention to what gets off site."



Freeman noted that though Bechtel Jacobs Co. is investigating and 

running surveys off site, the state would follow up on those surveys.



According to Bechtel Jacobs officials, three radiological control 

workers under the Safety and Ecology Corp., subcontract, scanned out of 

a radiological zone as "clean" Thursday evening about 7:30, then left 

for home.



However, the next morning contamination was found in an on site work 

trailer, in three company vehicles, in gravel around the vehicles and on 

a wooden deck at the trailer.



According to state officials, contamination was found on clothing of two 

of the three workers. A second-day scan found upwards of 11,000 dpm 

(disintegrations per minute, over 100 square centimeters) of 

contamination on one worker's clothing.



In addition approximately 300,000 dpm was found in one vehicle, 

according to officials.



"This is a very unusual occurrence," John Owsley, head of the state's 

local Department of Energy oversight office, said of workers who deal 

with radioactive material then carry "some home on their clothing."



Owsley said preliminary numbers showed a range of contamination of 

between 1,000 and "hundreds of thousands" dpm.



"It happens on occasion," said Owlsey, "But it's extremely unusual."



Owsley said a "failure" in radiological controls had occurred, and that 

TDEC would be investigating protocols. He noted that the Tennessee 

Division of Radiological Health would investigate the off site 

contamination.



Walter Perry, DOE spokesman, said the agency is awaiting a report from 

Bechtel Jacobs and would make a decision on whether to independently 

review the incident.



Bechtel Jacobs is the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge cleanup contractor.



The incident occurred at the Solid Waste Storage Area IV, a waste burial 

ground on the Oak Ridge Reservation near Oak Ridge National Laboratory.



Dennis Hill, Bechtel Jacobs spokesman, said that workers were working on 

underground low level liquid waste piping just prior to leaving work, 

and had taken a "smear" from that piping. The smear, a sample on cloth, 

is suspected as the source of contamination, said Hill.



According to Hill decontamination is ongoing.



AND



Excavation still suspended at site

http://www.oakridger.com/ns-search/stories/103103/new_20031031029.shtml

October 31, 2003



REPORT: Bechtel Jacobs plans to report to DOE by Nov. 17 on a radiation 

incident.



By: R. Cathey Daniels | Oak Ridger Staff

cathey.daniels@oakridger.com



Excavation work at Solid Waste Storage Area 4 on the Oak Ridge 

Reservation has been suspended pending a Nov. 17 report on a radiation 

exposure incident at the site.



The incident, which occurred Oct. 9 and involved radioactive material 

being inadvertently carried off site, likely posed little risk to human 

health, according to state officials investigating.



Radiation contamination was found on clothing of two workers, in three 

vehicles, in a work trailer, in a gravel parking area and on a wooden 

deck at the work trailer. The workers left for the day and returned to 

the site the next morning before the contamination was discovered. 

Clothing was retrieved from the workers' homes.



State officials called the incident "highly unusual" and are 

investigating protocols.



According to Charlie Johnson, manager with Bechtel Jacobs Co., workers 

are taking samples of piping at the site to try to pin down the source 

pathway of the contamination. Johnson said the expectation is that 

smears taken from the low-level radioactive piping will be found to be 

the source.



"But we're fingerprinting the radionuclides to try to tie it back," said 

Johnson.



He said that while excavation has been suspended, other work is ongoing 

at the site. He noted that as preliminary results come in, corrective 

actions will be taken and additional work restarted.



Bechtel Jacobs is the Department of Energy's cleanup contractor in Oak 

Ridge.

-- 

.....................................................

Susan L. Gawarecki, Ph.D., Executive Director

Oak Ridge Reservation Local Oversight Committee

102 Robertsville Road, Suite B, Oak Ridge, TN 37830

Toll free 888-770-3073 ~ www.local-oversight.org

.....................................................





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