Auditors from the federal Department of Transportation gave the Laboratory the highest achievable rating of “satisfactory” in a recent audit.
Four auditors from around the country inspected the Laboratory’s methods of packaging, handling and transporting everything regulated by the DOT. The auditors reviewed nearly 250 supporting documents for the Laboratory’s entire DOT-based activities.
In an exit briefing, DOT auditors commended the program saying that employees in Packaging and Transportation (OS-PT) are passionate, committed, and dedicated to excellence and called out their diverse expertise in many technical areas.
“My staff has also witnessed this organization’s enthusiasm and commitment during our interactions with them,” Los Alamos Site Office Acting Manager Dan Glenn said in a letter to Laboratory Director Michael Anastasio. “The number of institutional accomplishments that have resulted from this organization’s fine work is impressive.”
“I have the best staff in the world,” Joseph “Dusty” Lowery of Packaging and Transportation said. “They are very responsive and open to change.”
When the transition from University of California management and operations of the Lab to Los Alamos National Security, LLC occurred last June, Packaging and Transportation had to deal with more than just a name change. The organization converted the Laboratory from a Department of Transportation exempt entity to a regulated commercial entity. Because of the change of status, the DOT recently conducted its review of the packaging and transportation operations at the Lab.
An unsatisfactory rating from auditors could have resulted in fines and a suspension of hazardous materials transportation activities at the Lab. The implications of that could have severely affected mission-critical activities, Lowery noted.
Packaging and Transportation is planning more changes for safety and efficiency. The organization plans to change the frequency and conduct of road closures in the very near future. More information about road closures will be highlighted in the Daily NewsBulletin.
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