WARHEAD PART DROPPED AT Y-12 FACILITY
NS&D Monitor
3/14/2014
The National Nuclear Security Administration called its “unique” event, but the dropping of a nuclear warhead part during an evaluation procedure in January appeared to be a recurrence of problems that surfaced a few years ago at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge. According to a Jan. 17 memo by staff of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, nuclear assembly and quality evaluation personnel at Y-12’s Beta-2E facility were moving a weapon component when the “holding fixture” lost its vacuum seal. As result the component dropped four feet to the floor. “There were no injuries or spread of contamination from the event,” the DNFSB memo stated.
The report said the vacuum is applied to the fixture through a “quick-release” hose connection that “mates with a plug on the fixture.” Process engineers reported that the loss of vacuum seal likely was caused by wear on the plug, thus preventing a tight connection, the memo noted. “Pre-operational vacuum checks were conducted satisfactorily; therefore, the loss of vacuum most likely occurred during the movement of the component when the connection was disturbed,” the safety board memo stated. According to NNSA spokesman Steven Wyatt, “This was a unique event and the first time this has happened with this type of fixture,” he said. Asked how much the weapon component weighed, Wyatt said he could not discuss those details.
Y-12 GRADUATES THIRD GROUP OF APPRENTICES
NS&D Monitor
3/14/2014
At multiple times over the past two decades, the future of Y-12 has been questioned because of declining number of skilled craftsmen on hand to perform the high-precision production tasks. However, the resumption of the Oak Ridge plant’s Apprentice Program in 2008 has reportedly alleviated some of those concerns. The most recent fruits of the program were the 27 graduates who received their journeyman status this week. It was the third graduating class since 2008 and has helped restored the skills base at Y-12.
According to B&W Y-12, the federal contractor at Y-12, certificates of achievement were awarded to 18 electricians, two pipe fitters, four HVAC technicians, two insulators, and one welder. “The graduates are among those chosen from more than 2,600 applicants in 2008,” B&W said. The program has 55 remaining participants who will graduate in coming years, the contractor said. In a statement, NNSA Nuclear Production Office Manager Steve Erhart said: “This program is a great way to transfer knowledge from our highly skilled workers to the new work force. The apprenticeship program has positioned Y-12 for the long-term to ensure our future production capabilities.” Each graduate spent three to four years with a journeyman and attended about 200 hours of classroom training each year, B&W said.