Oral Histories of Base Pollution (DOE version)

["Hughes.Joseph" <hughes3@niehs.nih.gov>]

I thought that this DOE planning initiative on contaminated facilities
disposition would be useful for the base pollution oral history idea, as well
as for safety and health training activities around decommissioning and
decontamination. The DOE guide is also referenced below on the Web as a pdf. 

Chip Hughes, Director
Worker Education and Training Program
NIEHS

Project Hanford Lessons Learned
Title: Cost-Effective Planning for Facility Disposition 
Date: November 30, 1998
Identifier: 1998-RL-HNF-0032

Lessons Learned Statement:
Integrating safety and health considerations into facility disposition
planning can reduce costs as well as ensure environmental, worker, and
public safety.

Discussion of Activities:
The DOE Office of Worker Health and Safety (EH-5), DOE Oak Ridge
Operations Office (DOE-OR), Lockheed Martin Energy Systems (LMES), and
Lockheed Martin Energy Research (LMER) have jointly developed important
insights and useful practices for integrating safety and health into
planning facility disposition projects at Oak Ridge sites.

Examples of Safety and Health lessons learned and good practices identified
and discussed in the referenced report include the following:
* Augmenting facility historical and characterization information
by interviewing former employees. 
* Soliciting worker input in project planning to gain insights
from their experiences with similar projects. 
* Including stakeholders and regulators early in project planning
to provide an open dialogue and early resolution of potential safety
issues. 
* Characterizing facility hazards, including inherent hazards
caused by aging and structural degradation, in the early stages of
planning. 
* Using incentive contracting approaches by prequalifying
contractors and their ES&H programs, using experts to support
development of procurement performance specifications, and streamlining
the procurement process. 
* Forming multi disciplinary teams, including subcontractors, that
are co-located and work together throughout the project to improve
communication and teaming. 
* Streamlining and focusing responsibility for ES&H management by
using a single project ES&H point of contact. 
* Using mock-ups to enhance worker training and familiarization
with the work activities and conditions. In addition, mock-ups can be
used to identify and resolve potential problems in performing the work.

Analysis: 
The referenced document presents excellent examples of how integrating
safety and health considerations into work planning pays great
dividends. It relates the essence of ISMS.

Recommended actions: 
Any facility facing deactivation should consult the reference document
and factor the appropriate lessons learned and good practices into their
planning. The report is also available on-line at 
URL http://tis.eh.doe.gov/whs/bookshelf/Orll.pdf. Printed copies can be
obtained from the following points of contact:

Peter Gross, DOE-OR, (423) 576-0845;
John Rothrock, DOE-OR, (423) 576-0831;
Kenneth Leifheit, DOE-OR, (423) 576-0835;
Tony Eng, DOE Office of Field Support (EH-53), (301) 903-4210;
Charles Campbell, DOE EH-53, (301) 903-1441.

Priority Descriptor: GREEN/Good Work Practice 
Functional Categories (DOE): Environmental Restoration and Waste
Management, Occupational Safety and Health 
Originator: Fluor Daniel Hanford, Inc.
Contact: Project Hanford Lessons Learned Coordinator; (509) 373-7664;
FAX 373-2084; email PHMC_Lessons_Learned@rl.gov
Name of Authorized Derivative Classifier: Jim Stowe (509) 376-1915
Name of Reviewing Official: John Bickford
Keyword(s): multi-disciplinary teams, mock-ups, planning of facility
disposition, hazards, open dialogue, incentive contracting, single point
of contact

References:
DOE/EH-0568, Cost-Effective Facility Disposition Planning with Safety
and Health Lessons Learned and Good Practices from the Oak Ridge
Decontamination and Decommissioning Program