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RE: Explosion at Y-12



Press release on industrial accident at Y-12 

Following is a press release pertaining to an industrial accident at Y-12
that resulted in injuries. No Bechtel Jacobs Company
employees were involved in this incident. 


OAK RIDGE, TN (Dec. 8, 1999)--Ten employees at the Department of Energy's
Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant were involved this
morning in an industrial accident just after 9:30 a.m., when a chemical
reaction occurred in Building 9201-5. The facility was
evacuated, and emergency responders were activated immediately. 

"Our first concern is for the injured employees and their coworkers in the
facility," said Lockheed Martin Energy Systems
President Bob Van Hook, who noted that Human Resources personnel have
notified families of the injured employees and are
on hand to respond to family requests. 

As of 12:15 p.m., the status of the injured includes: one employee who is in
stable condition with second and third-degree
burns and is being transported to the Erlanger Hospital burn unit in
Chattanooga; two who were admitted to Oak Ridge
Methodist Medical Center with burns on neck and face; and seven who were
evaluated and treated on site at the Y-12
Medical Center for minor smoke inhalation or first degree burns, of which
six have been released from the Y-12 medical
facility. 

Although primary operations in the facility involve processing of depleted
uranium employing basic metallurgical techniques,
the incident did not involve processing of depleted uranium. No release of
contaminants outside the facility has occurred; no
release is expected. Minor contamination of personnel has been removed.
There is no indication of damage to the facility or
the surrounding area. No employees outside the facility were affected. 

Access to the facility is restricted until recovery has been completed to
ensure that industrial hazards have been removed. All
employees have been accounted for. 

According to Van Hook, an extensive investigation of the incident will be
conducted. 

Updates on the accident will be provided as they become available. 



Posted: Wednesday, 08-Dec-1999 13:47:55 EST 
Bechtel Jacobs Company Web Services (sh9)
Terry Harmon
Sr. Health Physics Tech
Kelly Scientific Resources
Phone: (865) 241-0289
Pager: (865) 417-1592
Email: onf@ornl.gov <mailto:harmonto@ornl.gov> 

	-----Original Message-----
	From:	Susan Gawarecki [SMTP:loc@icx.net]
	Sent:	Wednesday, December 08, 1999 5:01 PM
	To:	Multiple recipients of list
	Subject:	Explosion at Y-12

	An energetic chemical reaction at Y-12 is making national news.
Read
	about it (with links to more info) at the Oak Ridger online for
12/899
	at http://www.oakridger.com/  Please note that this was your basic
	industrial accident.  DOE ORO Public Affairs said the only
radioactive
	material involved was DU surface contamination in the room that was
	remobilized during the "explosion." One worker was badly burned, two
	were less seriously burned, and seven were released after being
checked.
	-- 
	==================================================
	Susan L. Gawarecki, Ph.D., Executive Director
	Oak Ridge Reservation Local Oversight Committee, Inc.
	136 S Illinois Ave, Ste 208, Oak Ridge, TN 37830
	Please note new area code:
	Phone (865) 483-1333; Fax (865) 482-6572; E-mail loc@icx.net
	OCTOBER INSIGHTS CAN BE FOUND AT: http://www.local-oversight.org
	==================================================
	
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