Learn more :: Media Coverage :: Report los alamos violated 7 safety rules

Report: Los Alamos violated 7 safety rules
by Matt Wright, June 25, 2004

The National Nuclear Security Administration issued a preliminary report Monday that found Los Alamos National Laboratory and its manager, the University of California System , in violation of a number of safety regulations, which led to a 2003 incident that exposed two employees to unhealthy levels of radiation.

The report, authored by NNSA administrator Linton Brooks, proposed a civil fine of $770,000 against the UC System. However, the amount is largely symbolic, since federal statutes exempt all nonprofit nuclear lab managers from such fines.

The lab and the UC System must respond in writing to the notice within 30 days.

In question is an Aug. 5, 2003 , incident in which a corroded container exposed two LANL employees to radiation levels greater than the maximum annual amount allowed by federal law.

The report drew largely from the results of an investigation by the Department of Energy - Price-Anderson Enforcement Program, which LANL saw for the first time in March 2004, and from an April 2004 meeting among officials from Los Alamos , the UC System, the Office of Enforcement and NNSA.

Brooks said that "with respect to the factual accuracy of the OE Investigation Summary Report, LANL management indicated they had no substantive disagreement with the conclusions of the report."

NNSA issued seven Severity Level I violations.

According to the Department of Energy's Web site, "Severity Level I violations have the greatest likelihood of impacting worker or public safety."

In addition to the exposure incident, NNSA found violations in evacuation procedures, the packaging of radioactive materials, container maintenance, non -compliance with minimal protective clothing requirements for employees and failure to properly secure containers to protect against seismic activity.

Five of the seven violations would have normally been classified as less severe violations, but "due to the long-standing nature of the underlying problems that led to this event, each violation is being escalated to a Severity Level I problem," Brooks wrote. The other two violations were deemed Severity Level I because they directly contributed to an event that had a "high-potential safety consequence."

Another incident in September 2003 exposed five employees to toxic vapors, but NNSA opted not to cite LANL because "no radiological consequences occurred," Brooks wrote.

Brooks acknowledged ongoing efforts at the lab to improve safety conditions, but he also emphasized the severity of repeated violations.

"While NNSA recognizes the fundamental changes you are attempting to make to address the deficient safety culture at LANL," Brooks wrote, "I cannot continue to mitigate enforcement citations when significant safety events continue to occur, and particularly when, once again, only good fortune prevented these exposures from being much higher."

Calls to LANL, the University of California System , NNSA and the Office of Enforcement to learn the status of the exposed employees, the exact conditions of the accident and the frequency of safety violations at nuclear laboratories were not returned Thursday.

Randa Safady , UT System vice chancellor for external relations, says the System is taking the violations into account as it decides whether to bid on LANL management.

"The regents, and primarily the task force, are staying on top of all issues related to security and management. Those issues will be at the top of the list when we're exploring the possibility of management," Safady said.

Originally published in the Daily Texan.

Learn more :: Media Coverage :: Report los alamos violated 7 safety rules