Re: DOE Fines SNL for Safety Violation

["Steven D Rima" <SDRIMA@sandia.gov>]

     This is not the first fine under Price Anderson, rather it is the 
     second. In mid-July a fine of $37,500.00 was announced against 
     Westinghouse Hanford for a radiation protection violation. DOE press 
     releases, including one about the Hanford violation, are available at:
     
     http://apollo.osti.gov/html/doe/whatsnew/pressrel/releases.html
     
     Steven D. Rima, CHP
     sdrima@sandia.gov
     


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: DOE Fines SNL for Safety Violation
Author:  Stuart.Altman@dp.doe.gov at hubsmtp
Date:    8/20/96 11:10 AM


     Fellow RADSAFERS:
     
     The following was released today from the Department of Energy's 
     Office of Public Affairs.  I believe that this is the first time 
     that DOE (Environment, Safety and Health Enforcement Office) has 
     issued a fine ($5,000) under the authority of the Price Anderson 
     Act Amendments.  As stated below, all documents related to this 
     and all pending enforcement actions are available from the Office 
     of Enforcement Docket Clerk at (301) 903-0100.
     
     
     Stuart M. Altman
     U.S. Department of Energy
     Defense Programs
     stuart.altman@dp.doe.gov
     ------------------------------------------------------------------- 
     ENERGY DEPARTMENT FINES SANDIA LABORATORIES FOR SAFETY VIOLATIONS
     
     The Department of Energy (DOE) has fined the operator of Sandia 
     National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico for nuclear safety 
     violations that could adversely affect the health and safety of 
     workers at the site.
     
     Sandia Corporation, the operator of the New Mexico laboratory, was 
     cited for deficiencies in safety procedures governing radiography 
     (X-Ray) experiments that could have resulted in serious worker injury. 
     The "Notice of Violation" also cited previous violations that have yet 
     to be corrected.  The $5,000 fine was assessed by the DOE's Office of 
     Environment, Safety and Health Enforcement Office under the authority 
     of the Price Anderson Act Amendments.  Sandia Corporation is a wholly- 
     owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin.
     
     An investigation by the DOE Enforcement Office found that during 
     experiments conducted in February 1996, Sandia officials did not take 
     the actions needed to ensure that employees would not enter High and 
     Very High Radiation Areas in its Liquid Metal Processing Laboratory. 
     Experiments using an x-ray unit capable of generating up to 10,000 
     rad/hour were being operated in the facility.  All building employees 
     had keys and routine access to this area.
     
     While no exposures resulted from this particular incident, DOE 
     determined that any number of employees could have unknowingly walked 
     into increasingly high radiation fields and received significant 
     radiation exposure.  Additionally, the radiographer violated 
     procedures and began startup of the x-ray unit without knowing that 
     another worker was outside of the designated safe area.
     
     The Energy Department cited a pattern of violations in issuing this 
     penalty.  "DOE is particularly concerned that there have been similar 
     problems involving the inadequate implementation of radiological work 
     controls necessary to minimize worker radiation exposure identified 
     over the past year for which stated corrective action plans and 
     initiatives were never implemented," the department said in a letter 
     to the laboratory operator.
     
     DOE cited a 1995 investigation that identified significant 
     radiological program deficiencies that have not been corrected. 
     Pending promised corrective action, DOE deferred enforcement action 
     for a November 1995 event in which three workers were contaminated as 
     a result of poor radiological work control practices.  Two of these 
     workers also received cesium uptakes.  Similar issues were identified 
     by the lab during a self-assessment for which corrective actions have 
     not been completed despite repeated commitments by laboratory 
     management.
     
     Sandia Corporation is required to respond to the penalty and document 
     the specific actions taken and any additional actions planned to 
     prevent recurrence.  After reviewing the response,  DOE will determine 
     whether further action is necessary to ensure compliance with the 
     nuclear safety requirements.
     
     The civil penalty is the second to be issued this year.  Last month, 
     Westinghouse Hanford Corporation of Hanford, WA, was issued a fine for 
     an incident when a worker was improperly permitted to do work that 
     caused a signficant radiological exposure.  All documents related to 
     this and all pending enforcement actions are available from the Office 
     of Enforcement Docket Clerk at 301/903-0100.
     
     - DOE -