Personnel working in a Hanford Site tank farm pit were contaminated with material associated with radioactive waste Tuesday morning. Six workers received specks of radioactive contamination on their skin, despite wearing protective clothing. Two additional workers were found to have contamination on their privacy clothing after their protective gear was removed.
Specks of radioactive contamination were found mostly on the head or necks of the affected workers. The investigation of the incident may look at the fit of the hoods workers were wearing.
Precautionary examinations found no internal contamination in the workers’ bodies, according to the Department of Energy. The employees were using supplied air respirators, as is currently required in all tank farms. “DOE has confirmed that all workers were evaluated in accordance with the necessary safety protocols and have been cleared of any contamination,” DOE said in a statement.
A jumper used to connect lines for transferring tank waste was being disconnected in a pit at the AX Tank Farm on Tuesday, according to Hanford tank farm contractor Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS). Work is underway in the single-shell tank farm to install infrastructure to allow waste to be retrieved from some or all of the farm’s four single-shell tanks. When unexpected radiation was detected in the pit, the work crew backed out of the area and went to a change tent, where they removed their protective clothing and were surveyed for potential contamination.
Upon detection of radiation, workers were taken to decontamination stations. They were surveyed as clean before being released. Contamination levels were considered low, according to Hanford officials. Hanford had three decontamination stations available Tuesday, including two in the 200 East Area where the AX Tank Farm is located. No worker was referred for medical treatment during the workday Tuesday.
The crew reinstalled the pit covers and no contamination was found outside of the pit, said Rob Cantwell, WRPS manager of environment, safety, health and quality, in a message sent to WRPS employees Tuesday afternoon. Access to the AX Tank Farm is restricted while a re-entry plan is developed, he said. The contractor plans a critique to understand what went wrong and the source of the contamination. Cantwell said he was pleased with the response of the workers during the event. “Great job to the work crew and all who responded in a very timely and professional manner to minimize contamination spread and take care of affected personnel,” he wrote in the employee message.
