Department of Energy

Operating Experience Committee (OEC)

Coordinated by the Office of Analysis (HS-24)

Conference Call Minutes

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Time: 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. EST

Call-In Number: 303-248-0285 Access Code: 5863657 (Use for Call and Webinar)

Agenda

Welcome and Introduction / Ashley Ruocco
Site Operating Experience Discussions / All
External Organizations Operating Experience and Lessons Learned Discussion / All
Update on Office of Analysis and Corporate Operating Experience Initiatives / HS-24
Roundtable / Subjects for Next Call / All

Welcome / Participants

# / NAME / SITE /
1 / Alp, Asu / ANL
2 / Allen, Randi / LASO
3 / Anderson, Brian / ID
4 / Bailey, Mary Jo / JLAB
5 / Blank, Betsy / WRPS
6 / Booker, Craig / ORO
7 / Brown, Sharon / DOE HQ
8 / Butler, Mike / SNL
9 / Clark, John / NETL
10 / Cochran, Teresa / OR
11 / Cole, Matt / DOE HQ
12 / Collier, Linda / LANL
13 / Day, Nancy / SRS
14 / Estes, Tracy / PPPL
15 / Farrell, Richard / CBFO/WIPP
16 / Forshey, Cathy / WEMS-PORTS
17 / Gould, Wes / NNSA
18 / Ha, Trang / LSO
19 / Harness, Jerry / OR
20 / Harris, Allan / EMCBC
21 / Heeter, Tom / OR
22 / Horning, Jeff / LLNL
23 / Kirkes, Brenda / WIPP
24 / Koplow, Ann / NFO
25 / Langlais, Sara / NSTec
26 / Langstaff, Dave / RL
27 / Lopez-Cardona, Emma / DOE HQ
28 / Lucas, James / INL
29 / Lyons, Tom / ITSI
30 / Menas, Matt / NETL
31 / Minton, Lauri / Pantex
32 / Neil, David / ID
33 / Neilson, Steve / TJSO
34 / Owen, Don / DNFSB
35 / Polanish, Caroline / BSO
36 / Rao, Nimi / DOE HQ
37 / Rogers, Jessica / SNL
38 / Ruocco, Ashley / DOE HQ
39 / Schutt-Bradley, Joanne / OR/ETTP
40 / Schwehm, Kelly / SPR
41 / Shidal, Suzanne / LATA-KY
42 / Staffo, Gary / EE
43 / Stuewe, Bob / LANL
44 / Stirling, Larry / DOE HQ
45 / Stolte, Bruce / NSTec
46 / Stone, Roger / PEC
47 / Thomason, Gail / PEC
48 / White, JD / SS/Paducah
49 / Williams, Tom / NNSA
50 / Williams, Cherylynne / DOE HQ

Welcome and Introduction

Ashley Ruocco – Ruocco welcomed all to the call and introduced those at HQ in Germantown. Please continue to email your attendance to Gail Thomason so we credit all attendees that we might not hear. Gail will also be assisting with the minutes to the OEC calls; this support is very much appreciated.

Discussion on recent events:

1) Discussion on recurring personal contamination events at the Idaho Cleanup Project’s Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Facility. EM-ID--ITG-AMWTF-2013-0017, Recurring Personal Contamination Events when Using Supplied Breathing Air Level B Suit (Significance Category R)

On August 24, 2013, the nuclear facility manager categorized a recurring issue regarding alpha contamination of personnel who wore a supplied breathing air (SBA) level B suit over a single set of anti-Cs during entries into a highly contaminated environment (in-cell). From January 1, 2013 through July 31, 2013, 266 entries were completed involving 611 entrants, two of which involved skin contamination. A stop work was issued pending further evaluation.

Mockups were performed with non-contaminated fluorescent powder (“pixie dust”) to attempt to determine the cause(s) of the migration of contamination. Duane McLane, AMWTP/ES&H Manager, has provided a Power Point presentation, Level B Suit Mockup, which has been posted on the OE Wiki. (The Order for Compensatory Measures for Level B Suit Resumption is also posted.) It was determined that the suit fabric and seams degraded, allowing contamination to migrate through the material, when wearers “challenged the suit size,” that is, donned Level B suits that were too tight. In addition, sweating/moisture contributed to both suit and Tyvek (material) failure. Several immediate actions were taken to prevent recurrence, including contacting the manufacturer and determining size limitations. Additional actions will include providing sleevettes to cover areas that are most stressed during activity.

2) Update on Scanning Issue: Software Patches To Come

http://realbusinessatxerox.blogs.xerox.com/2013/08/07/update-on-scanning-issue-software-patches-to-come/

Xerox scanners/photocopiers randomly alter numbers in scanned documents

http://www.dkriesel.com/en/blog/2013/0802_xerox-workcentres_are_switching_written_numbers_when_scanning

Site Operating Experience Discussions

1.  Idaho Operations Office (ID) / Idaho National Lab (INL)

·  See the description above and visit the OE Wiki (located in September 2013 call information) for additional information on Level B suits.

2.  Los Alamos Site Office (LASO) / LANL

·  Lessons Learned provided regarding a recent event concerning shredders located in unattended locations such as vaults. During shredding of celluloid (potentially flammable material) at an unattended shredder, the equipment became jammed and auto detector stayed on. The machine ran for an extended period. When an employee noticed the machine was running with nothing in it, he checked it and realized the machine was very hot. In addition to the potential for material in the machine’s feed catching fire, shredders are usually located in areas surrounded by other flammables such as paper, contributing to a greater combustible loading concern.

3.  Princeton Site Office (PSO)

·  After a recent event involving an electrical subcontractor who fell off a 10’ ladder, PPPL is reviewing its ladders and reviewing ladder safety with employees. The subcontractor had been working on a ladder with its base set on gravel but in addition to issues with safe set-up, the extent of condition review included checking ladder weight limits. It was determined that the worker’s weight was within the ladder’s limit. The worker broke bones in his feet as a result of the fall. (ORPS Report: SC--PSO-PPPL-PPPL-2031-0002)

External Organizations Operating Experience and Lessons Learned Discussion

OE WIKI current items regarding external operating experience were summarized. (Check the OE Wiki for these items and new items under ‘Next Call’)

Silica exposure and safety: OSHA currently provides guidance in 10 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1926.55 and 10 CFR 1910.1000, setting a PEL, requiring Hazard Communication training for workers who might be exposed to silica, and requiring a respiratory protection program if engineering controls are not available.

On August 23, 2013 OSHA announced a proposed new rule, the development of which began more than 16 years ago. The Proposed Rule is open to public comments and it will be some time before it is official.

Ammonium nitrate: As part of the response to President Obama’s Executive Order to review safety rules at chemical facilities, an inter-agency chemical advisory has been issued from OSHA, EPA and ATF regarding the handling, storing, and emergency response to ammonium nitrate. Ammonium nitrate, as you recall, was one of the major factors that resulted in the deadly explosion at the West Texas fertilizer plant in April.

Update on Office of Analysis and Corporate

Operating Experience Initiatives

-  ORPS Order and OE Order implementation- Brief update provided.

-  Corporate OE documents recently released

·  Newly released: OE-3 Laboratory Tests Indicate Conditions that Could Potentially Impact Certain Type of HEPA Filter Performance

The issue is located on the HSS website at http://www.hss.energy.gov/SESA/analysis/oel.html

-  OE Wiki - Ruocco

·  Recent OE Wiki Video

o  YouTube/The Indian Express, Canada Grand Prix F1 Marshal Dies

After Crane Accident

o  To access the Video: http://operatingexperience.doe-hss.wikispaces.net/

Please send any OE relevant videos that you would like to see on the OE Wiki to Ruocco.

-  Self-Assessment reviews on the effectiveness of the OE Program

Please continue providing feedback on OE Program improvements and updates on your OE Self Assessments.

-  Lessons Learned Program and Database- Brief update provided.

Roundtable

The possibility of bi-monthly calls was presented by an OEC member. OEC members please let Ruocco know if you strongly agree or disagree with changing the frequency of calls. Ruocco will look into this option further with HS-24 management. Frequency of the OEC meeting will be discussed on October’s call.

Action- Guest Speaker Volunteers requested. If you would like to present to the OEC, please call Ruocco to volunteer. Thank you in advance!

After ending the meeting, a few members had individual questions or items that they discussed with Ruocco. This was a great way to speak with members one-on-one and answer any questions. On future calls, please feel free to stay on the line after the end of the call if you have any items that you would like to discuss with Ruocco.

Operating Experience Websites:

OE Documents (HSS) - http://www.hss.doe.gov/SESA/Analysis/oel.html

OE Summaries (HSS) - http://www.hss.doe.gov/sesa/Analysis/oesummary/index.html

OE Wiki - http://operatingexperience.doe-hss.wikispaces.net/

OES Blog - http://oesummary.wordpress.com/

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