Introduction/Administrative News
The TRADE Industrial Hygiene/Occupational Safety Special Interest Group (IH/OS SIG) Steering Committee met on April 4, 2006 through a conference call meeting. IH/OS SIG Steering Committee Chair Ralph Hinterman, Argonne National Laboratory-East (ANL-E), facilitated the meeting in which the following Steering Committee members/guests participated:
Ray Blowitski, DOE, EH-32, Office of Analytical Studies
Deana Colley, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)
Tom Cornell, Fluor Hanford Inc.
Phil Grogin, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)
Ralph Hinterman, ANL-E
Lowell Howard, PNNL
Bob Kapolka, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE)
Dr. Daniel Marsick, DOE, EH-52, Office Of Worker Protection Policy and Programs
Susan Martin, LANL
Deborah McFalls, ORISE
Rob Nicholas, LANL
John Peters, Brookhaven National Laboratory
The following Steering Committee member/guest notified the IH/OS SIG Coordinator that they could not participate in the meeting:
Michael Hurshman, S.M. Stoller
David Weitzman, DOE, EH-52, Office Of Worker Protection Policy and Programs
Three Type B Accident Investigations ES&H Health Advisory,
Ray Blowitski, DOE EH-32, reported that the Three Type B Accident Investigations Advisory was released in January 2006. The purpose of the advisory was to highlight three recent personnel injury events in the DOE complex that concerns problems with conduct of operations and human performance. During January 2006, the Department experienced 19 injuries reported in the Occurrence Reporting System (ORPS), with three of the events being severe enough to require Type B Accident Investigations:
On January 3, 2006, while installing floor grating panels at the K-25 building, an employee fell approximately 40 feet when one of the concrete floor panels under him collapsed (ORPS Report No. EM-ORO-BJC-K25ENVRES-2006-0001).
On January 10, 2006, a first-line manager received first- and second-degree burns on his face, neck, the side of his head, and left hand from flash fire at the Savannah River Site (ORPS Report No. EM-SR-WSRC-LTA-2006-0002).
On January 11, 2006, while operating a table saw at the Heyrend Way Facility, a worker suffered a severe hand injury when the saw blade amputated the worker’s little finger and cut across the palm (ORPS Report No. NE-ID-BEA-INLLABS--2006-0001).
Recommended actions to decrease such events can be found in the Advisory at; www.eh.doe.gov/paa/safety_advisory.html. Questions concerning the Advisory should be directed to Raymond at: Raymond.Blowitski @eh.doe.gov.
10 CFR 851 News
10 CFR 851 codifies the Department's worker protection program requirements established in DOE Order 440.1A, Worker Protection Management for DOE Federal and Contractor Employees. Consistent with the intent of Congress, DOE Order 440.1A forms the basis for the rule's substantive requirements.
The Office of Environment Safety and Health is currently developing a schedule for 851 workshops to be held across the DOE complex. The implementation workshops are being developed to allow both DOE federal and contractor staff to learn about the new Rule, ask questions, and provide assistance in the implementation of 10 CFR 851. The following sites have offered to host an 851 workshop:
ANL-E: Host workshop May 11-12
ORISE: Host workshop in Oak Ridge
LANL: Host workshop near their site
These locations have not been confirmed by HQ at this time. It is anticipated that the workshops would be a two-day event with the 1st day being presentations and the 2nd day being held for detail responses to contractor questions.
Ralph Hinterman reported that his site is developing information to announce their site’s workshop. Ralph will share that information with the committee when available.
Bob Kapolka reported that he has participated in 851 related conference calls sponsored by the Office of Science. The 1st conference call focused on the 10 CFR 851 Noncompliance Tracking System (NTS) (http://www.eh.doe.gov/). Questions came up about:
What is the threshold to be reported to the NTS?
What is the NTS?
Who has access to the NTS?
The 2nd conference call focused on the substance of the 851 including:
Required HQ-approved safety and health plan. Contractors were advised by DOE officials to not wait until the last minute to submit their site’s safety and health plan for approved. Time should be allowed for resolution of HQ issues prior to the February 2007 deadline.
Can ISMS and 851documentation be used for both programs and processes?
Compliance-driven document that addresses the safety and health needs and how you address compliance related issues executively.
Supplement Materials for the Electrical Lessons and Nested—The Nested Safety and Security Committee ProcessDVDs
Rob Nicholas and Susan Martin shared information about the supplement materials for the Electrical Lessons and Nested—The Nested Safety and Security Committee Process DVDs. These LANL-developed DVDs were released as IH/OS SIG products in March. The supplement materials are available at: www.esh.lanl.gov/videoguides/. Included in these supplement materials are the following for the Electrical Lessons DVD:
Discussion Guide
Electrical Safety Guidance Cards: These Guidance Cards can assist you in improving electrical safety during your safety walk arounds. They are provided only as examples to adapt to the site’s organization's requirements, guidelines, and needs:
Nested Safety and Security templates: These templates are provided as tools to assist in the Nested Safety and Security Process. These are intended as guidelines, to be adapted to each organization’s needs.
Questions about these materials should be directed to Rob Nicholas at: robnicholas@lanl.gov.
Joint EFCOG/DOE Chemical Management Workshop
Dan Marsick, DOE EH-52, reported the eighth annual Joint Energy Facility Contractors Group/DOE Chemical Management Workshop held March 14-16 was an outstanding success. They had over 250 people to participate in the workshop. They will have available soon all the presentations in CD format and the conference in DVD format to share with the DOE complex. Dan will let the committee know when they can make a request for these materials. During the workshop, two new committees were established. One will focus on nanotechnology safety and the other one will focus on chemical safety oversight criteria. More information about the conference can be found at: www.eh.doe.gov/chem_safety/ws2006/.
Start Preparation for a 2006 IH/OS SIG Workshop
Deborah McFalls suggested that the 2006 IH/OS SIG Steering Committee Workshop be held in conjunction with the suggested LANL-hosted 851workshop. Deborah noted that recent committee workshops have been held on the east coast and it was now time to plan one on the west coast. The LANL-hosted workshop would be ideal for such a workshop because of location and the fact that most committee members would likely be attending an 851 workshop. The committee agreed to considered that location and event for their workshop. More planning will occur as plans are finalized for that LANL-hosted workshop.
Future Steering Committee Conference Call Meeting
The next Steering Committee Conference Call meeting is scheduled for May 2, 2006, 1:15 – 2:45 EST, conference call number is: (301)903-6058.
For additional information, please contact: Deborah McFalls, IH/OS SIG Coordinator
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education
P. O. Box 117, MS 10
Oak Ridge, TN 37831-0117
