Laboratory receives preliminary notice of violation

Contact: Kathy DeLucas, duke@lanl.gov, (505) 667-5225 (04-060)

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LOS ALAMOS, N.M., June 25, 2004 -- Los Alamos National Laboratory has received a Preliminary Notice of Violation (PNOV) for a safety-related incident that occurred last summer.

The Price-Anderson Amendments Act of 1988 (PAAA) provides a framework for the assurance that nuclear safety requirements are adhered to by Department of Energy (DOE) contractors at nuclear and non-nuclear facilities, and facilities that deal with ionizing radiation. The PAAA is designed to help ensure that nuclear facilities are operated in a manner that protects public and worker safety and the environment.

The violations stem from an Aug. 5, 2003 incident in which two workers from the Plutonium 238 Science and Engineering Group received radioactive exposures above the annual federal limit for radiation workers. The two workers were conducting routine inventory of cans of plutonium residues stored in the Plutonium Processing Facility at Technical Area 55. While conducting the inventory, a continuous air monitor alarm sounded and the workers left the room. The workers observed no leaks or other defects on the cans. Radiation control technicians helped the pair safely remove their protective coveralls and gloves and monitored them for skin and nasal contamination. Results showed skin contamination and positive nasal swipes, indicating that the two had inhaled plutonium 238. The two workers were placed on precautionary bioassay and have since returned to work with no restrictions.

Immediately after the incident, the Laboratory stopped the processing of plutonium 238 pellets for eight months in order to implement improved work controls.

"Safety, security and compliance are our top priorities," Laboratory Director G. Peter Nanos said. "I am fully committed to the work process improvements and management oversight we are putting in place to ensure we protect the health and safety of our workforce and the environment we live in."

Since the incident, the Laboratory has taken aggressive steps to increase safety performance and has put corrective actions in place. Some of these corrective actions include updating the welding program, improving nuclear training programs and conducting consultations with nuclear facilities subject matter experts.

The Laboratory has also implemented a new safety and security effort called the Integrated Work Management (IWM) process. The program increases accountability by identifying a single person in charge for each work activity. As the responsible party, this person must ensure that all work is coordinated among the participants, that the appropriate people are involved and that all potential hazards have been properly identified and mitigated. The process involves workers directly throughout the work control process. A work document is developed called an Integrated Work Document (IWD) that details the scope of the work, the hazards involved and the protections that workers must take to work safely.

To oversee the project, Laboratory Director Nanos established the Integrated Work Management Committee with members who represent technical, operational and infrastructure organizations.

The IWM process has five parts: preparation, validation, management approval, pre-job briefings and approval to start work. In order to meet the objectives, each of these steps must be conducted at a level of precision required to protect workers. Before signing for completion of the IWD, the responsible person reviews his/her actions to ensure that the actions are compliant with both the requirements and the intent of the process. Upon completion of these steps, the responsible person verifies completion by signing the IWD. The IWM program makes the individual workers responsible for conducting safe work.

The PNOV, issued by the National Nuclear Security Administration, fines the Laboratory $770,000 for a multiple plutonium 238 uptake event. Because of the seriousness of the root causes for this and similar events at the Laboratory, NNSA issued a more severe fine for the plutonium 238 incident. The fine is waived under the Price-Anderson Amendments Act because the Laboratory is run by a nonprofit institution.

The Plutonium 238 Science and Engineering Group manufactures, tests and conducts surveillance of heat sources and radioisotopic thermoelectric generators for the space program. It is the only group in the DOE complex that can handle plutonium 238 oxide, metal and solutions in substantial quantities in unencapsulated forms.

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the U.S. Department of Energy and works in partnership with NNSA's Sandia and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories to support NNSA in its mission.

Los Alamos enhances global security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health and national security concerns.

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