WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today issued a Preliminary Notice of Violation (PNOV) to Bechtel National Inc. (BNI) for violations of worker safety and health requirements. Worker safety is a priority for the Department, and DOE’s enforcement program supports this priority by holding contractors accountable for meeting regulatory requirements and maintaining a safe and healthy workplace.

 

The violations are associated with an event in which a worker was injured when a 12-inch pipe joint separated and released a pressurized stream of water during preparation of a piping system for pressure testing at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant at the Hanford Site on November 4, 2016. The PNOV cites three Severity Level I violations and two Severity Level II violations of requirements enforceable under 10 C.F.R. Part 851, Worker Safety and Health Program. BNI is cited for violations in the areas of: (1) management responsibilities, (2) hazard identification and assessment, (3) hazard prevention and abatement, (4) training and information, and (5) record keeping.

 

DOE withheld $556,500 in contract fee for significant failures in safety and health performance, including the matters associated with this PNOV. Therefore, in accordance with 10 C.F.R. § 851.5(c), DOE proposes no civil penalty for the violation identified.

 

Section 234C of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, authorizes the Energy Department to pursue regulatory enforcement under 10 C.F.R. Part 851 against DOE contractors for violations of worker safety and health requirements. DOE’s enforcement program encourages contractors to identify and correct worker safety and health program deficiencies at an early stage, before they contribute to, or result in more serious safety and health events.

BNI is the management and operating contractor for the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant Project at the Hanford Site located in Richland, Washington.

 

Additional details on this PNOV is available on the DOE website at: /ea/services/enforcement/notices-violation.