Subcontractor Cited for Nuclear Safety Violations

April 24, 2000
DOE subcontractor, Mota Corp., was cited after one of its project managers took home more than 1,300 pounds of aluminum without permission.

The Department of Energy (DOE) last week cited the MOTA Corp. of Columbia, S.C., for violating nuclear safety requirements at the department's Argonne National Laboratory East near Chicago.

MOTA Corp. is a subcontractor of the University of Chicago, which operates the Argonne laboratory for the department.

The violation involved a failure to adhere to procedures for the handling and management of materials in a controlled area of the site.

"All subcontractors on DOE sites are required to follow the safety requirements established for that site, and we hold them just as accountable for nuclear safety as we do our operating contractors," said Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety and Health, Dr. David Michaels. "The safety requirements are designed to protect workers and the public, and it is essential that they are followed."

MOTA Corp. was first accused of violating nuclear safety requirements as a result of a March 12, 2000 incident in which a MOTA project manager took more than 1,300 pounds of aluminum home in his personal vehicle without permission and without monitoring for potential contamination.

The half-inch wide, 3-inch thick aluminum strips ranging from 2 to 8 feet in length were originally part of the exterior shell of an accelerator that was being dismantled.

They were stored in a controlled area at the lab, where the accelerator formerly operated.

An Argonne National Laboratory building manager notified security when he noticed a pile of aluminum strips that had been placed near a dock area; it is alleged that an employee subsequently put the aluminum in his vehicle and drove home.

The material was recovered and surveyed.

DOE procedures require radiation protection personnel to test material that may be contaminated before it can be moved off the premises.

In this instance, the material was determined not to be contaminated only after radiation protection personnel tested it while it was still in the project manager's vehicle at his home.

DOE has categorized this a "Level II" safety violation on a three-step scale on which Level I violations pose the greatest potential impact to worker or public safety.

Although worker or public safety were not in danger in this instance, the project manager ignored DOE and Argonne National Laboratory safety requirements when he took the material from the lab to his residence without permission and without having radiation protection personnel confirm it was not contaminated.

The employee no longer has access to the DOE site, and he has been suspended from his job pending further investigation of the incident.

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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