DOE-Idaho Operations Summary
Issued August 30, 2006
DOE-Idaho Bi-Weekly Operations Summary
For the Period of August 7 – August 20, 2006
Environmental Management
Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project (AMWTP)
Summary of Occurrence Reports
(Note: Date below indicates when notification was made of the incident)
July 17: Radiological safety personnel at the Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Facility identified contamination outside an established Radiological Buffer Area. There were no personnel contamination. Additional surveys were performed, the area was posted as a Contamination Area, and fact-finding was initiated. (EM-ID–BBWI-AMWTF-2006- 0021)
Operational Status
Through August12, a cumulative total of 11,839 cubic meters of transuranic waste has been shipped to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico. AMWTP made 17 waste shipments during the week ending August 19.
Environmental Management
Idaho Cleanup Project (ICP)
Summary of Occurrence Reports
(Note: Date below indicates when notification was made of the incident)
August 7: Work activities were suspended at the Accelerated Retrieval Project (ARP) due to safety concerns related to the structural integrity of the work area. Concerns relate to building subsidence. The issues have been discussed with the building vendor. Radioactive Waste Management Complex engineering, after consulting with the vendor, determined that the building was safe for occupancy. However, access has been restricted and a work package to inspect the frame and connections is being prepared. An exclusion area was established to reduce traffic in a localized area.
(EM-ID–CWI-RWMC-2006- 0016)
August 9: Subsidence at the Accelerated Retrieval Project (ARP) 1 structure continues to be a concern. The concern is that subsidence greater than the design threshold of 3-4 inches might compromise the integrity of the structure and its ability to withstand snow loading and wind. Radioactive Waste Management Complex engineering and the building manufacturer continue to monitor and evaluate the safety of this structure and compliance with design criteria for natural phenomena. Operational restrictions have been imposed. (EM-ID–CWI-RWMC-2006-0017)
August 10: A Potentially Inadequate Safety Analysis condition was declared when deactivation personnel observed two spent filters from the Flourinel Dissolution Process (FDP) dissolver off-gas system outside of the approved storage area at the CPP-666 facility. The two filters do not pose an immediate worker, public or environmental risk since they are contained within the FDP cell. Appropriate notifications were made to the state of Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. (EM-ID–CWI-FUELRCSTR- 2006-0012)
August 15: Carbon steel canisters at the Irradiated Fuel Storage Facility storage area are being replaced with empty stainless steel canisters. During this operation, the wrong empty stainless steel canister was selected for change out in one of the storage locations. This was discovered and corrected before the exchange was completed. There was no fuel involved. Work operations were suspended, and appropriate notifications were made. (EM-ID–CWI-FUELRCSTR-2006-0013)
August 16: During normal operations at Accelerated Retrieval Project (ARP) 1, it was discovered by an industrial hygienist that a breathing air hood other than the standard model was being used by a worker. Use of breathing air hoods from multiple vendors violates the operating contractor’s procedures for safety and interchangeability. The worker was directed to change to the standard NPO breathing air hood. All other nonstandard hoods were removed from service and returned to the warehouse. Further evaluation determined that both hoods were of the same manufacture and all parts were interchangeable. (EM-ID–CWI-RWMC-2006-0018)
Operational Status
The Request for Task Proposal for the Pit 9 Decontamination and Decommissioning was issued last week. The contract will be awarded under the Environmental Restoration/Waste Management Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity Nationwide Contract as a noncontaminated action, small-business set-aside.
Nuclear Energy
Idaho National Laboratory (INL)
Summary of Occurrence Reports
(Note: Date below indicates when notification was made of the incident)
August 7: Battelle Energy Alliance has a zero defect policy for administration of the lockout/tag out (LO/TO) process. Recently two events fell short of the zero defect expectation and caused the contractor to stop work and a critique and safety stand downs were conducted. Subcontractors were then trained on the LO/TO requirements and the contractor’s expectations. In neither case was work performed without hazard mitigations in place. (NE-ID–BEA-ATR-2006-0012)
August 9: At the Materials and Fuels Complex a facility representative found several administrative errors on a single lockout/tag out sheet. A critique was scheduled to address these issues and all work under this administrative control has stopped until hazard review verification can be completed. (NE-ID–BEA-MFC-2006-0004)
August 15: While performing work in an electrical J-box at the Willow Creek Building, an electrician’s pliers contacted an energized circuit. The resulting arc tripped the breaker, disrupting electrical power. There were no personnel injuries. The incident was evaluated, a lockout/tag out was installed on the affected breaker, and the electrician completed the work. Electrical work in the facilities has been stopped, pending further investigation. (NE-ID–BEA-STC-2006-0004)
August 17: During inspection of a deaerator tank, maintenance personnel removed 24 bolts from the access hatch. One of the bolts had suspicious head markings and was considered to be a suspect/counterfeit bolt. Work was suspended, notifications were made and the bolt was replaced. (NE-ID–BEA-SMC-2006-0005)
Operational Status
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory recently awarded a contract to INL for work utilizing the Advanced Test Reactor. The contract is to design, construct, assemble, and irradiate two tritium-producing burnable absorber rods. In addition, initial post irradiation examinations will be conducted at the Materials and Fuels Complex before the rods are shipped to PNNL. The first experiment is scheduled for insertion in April 2008. The contract value is estimated at approximately $12 million.