Mike Nartker
NS&D Monitor
5/8/2015
Operations at the Pantex Plant were briefly suspended early this week in what the contractor that manages the plant has described as a “quality pause.” The pause was initiated after site workers “questioned non-nuclear hardware assembly processes,” a spokesman for the site’s managing contractor, Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC, said. The pause lasted for about two hours on May 4, according to CNS spokesman George Rangel. “Consolidated Nuclear Security elected to begin work on Monday with a site-wide ‘quality pause,’ at the Pantex Plant to re-emphasize the importance of adhering to procedures, processes and quality standards. The ’quality pause’ was called after workers questioned non-nuclear hardware assembly processes last week, and is part of CNS’ standard practice of stopping work periodically to reinforce the importance of the company’s five daily ‘absolutes’ of safety, security, mission delivery, quality and cost efficiency,” Rangel said in a written response.
During the pause, “Pantex managers, supervisors and employees discussed quality and workmanship expectations as well as opportunities for improved worker training,” Rangel said, adding, “There were no worker, public or environmental safety concerns involved.” The National Nuclear Security Administration did not respond to several requests for comment on the pause this week.
The pause was first disclosed in a message Pantex Operations Manager Michelle Reichert sent to employees, a copy of which was obtained by NS&D Monitor. “We are not achieving the quality our customers – or our nation – deserve every day. Change is needed and only we can make it happen,” Reichert said in the message. “The pause will be an opportunity to examine where we can do things better and to focus on our customer and whether we’re truly meeting their needs.” She went on to say, “We’ve got to check and double check our work to ensure that it’s done the right way. Are the products and services you provide at the level of quality they need to be when delivered? If not, you’ve let your customer down, and because we’re all in this together, we’ve then collectively let our customer down.”
