Pantex readiness assessment turns up issues, DNFSB says

The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) said Pantex management and operating contractor PanTeXas Deterrence concluded reviewing nuclear explosive operations in one of its weapons programs, according to a July 4 report.

The prime contractor at the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, is a National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) site, has a number of issues to iron out before a Federal Readiness Assessment, according to the DNFSB staff report. 

Pantex services all U.S. nuclear weapons in assembly and disassembly, and also houses special nuclear materials and retired warheads and bombs. The BWX Technologies-led joint venture PanTeXas Deterrence (PXD) has managed the site since November.

In a contractor readiness assessment (CRA) for a weapons program not listed in the report, PXD identified three “pre-start findings,” or issues identified before a program begins operations: a hose whip hazard was not properly controlled as prescribed by safety requirements; several special tools did not have all the documentation required to use in a nuclear explosive facility; and certain electrical equipment did not have visual markings that indicated it had completed required testing to use in a nuclear explosive facility.

“PXD plans to address these findings through causal analysis meetings prior to commencing the Federal Readiness Assessment (FRA),” the report said. An FRA evaluates whether a system is prepared for, and meets the security requirements for, federal implementation.