From: Waggoner, Larry O
Sent: Friday, October 27, 2006 1:49 PM
To: Waggoner, Larry O; Perkins, Gregory D; Johnson, Stephen R; Gallagher, Ronald G; Umek, Anthony M; Brown, Mary E; Brown, Lorna A; Brown, Robert L (Radcon); Parsons, Joe E (Ed); Pangborn, Brenda M; Eby, Jerald L; 'Jerry and Sheri Eby'; Glines, Wayne M; Polehn, Jeanie L; Scott, Paul A; Eaton, Tracy D; Silko, John M; Berglund, Owen D; Hunter, Jeffrey L; McKenney, Dale E; Karnofski, Gary C; Jacka, James M; Free, Robert C JR; Call, Diane G; Lueck, B H Jr (Bernie); Tchemitcheff, Eric; McKay, Larry R; Livesey, Lee M; Morrison, Lawrence L; Bergquist, G G (Greg); Brannan, Patrick B (Brad); Gibson, Mark W; Beers, Danny D (Dan); Shymanski, Michael J; Boone, Darren; Kaviani, M (Mano); Lackey, Michael B; ^PHMC Lessons Learned; Kirner, Nancy L; Strom, Daniel J; Ottley, David B (Dave); Lewis, Steven S (Steve); Schieffer, R A (Rick); Demers, Joe W; Bratvold, Tom; Upchurch, Craig E; Haan, Thomas P; Gray, Renee B; Gray, Keith W; Carter, George J; Stubbs, Arthur M; Burstad, Duane R; Berlin, Gregory T; ^Site Reps; Powell, Norman G; Hathaway, S L (Steve); Doolittle, Henry G; Schliebe, Michael J; Smith, Richard N; Lloyd, Earl R; Hetzer, Carla A; Peterson, Larry E; Perks, Marshall F; Pearsall, M C (Catherine); Reck, Enid L; Adams, Edward J; Bickel, Eric E; Dukelow, Gary; Griffin, Gerald B (Gerry); Oldfield, Brian; Higbee, Mark D; Juette, Jon L; Giltz, Theodore P (Ted); Lamson, Sally B; Arslanian, John H; Soldat, Kelvin L; Truex, Michael J; Schoepflin, Daniel E; Gerkensmeyer, D J (Gerk); Andrews, David W; Chronister, Glen B; Pierson, Richard M; Kooiker, Susanne L; Ni, Randy; Stamper, John B; Mellgren, Shawn O; Parson, Julie L; Wiatrak, Dennis J; Hogg, Thomas W (Thom); Snyder, Steven C; Milliken, Nancy J; Waters, Michael S; O'Brien, Patrick M; Landsman, Steven D; Garnett, Steven B (Steve); Holbrook, D S (Doug); Moore, Wayne E II; Johnston, G A (Jerry); Humphrys, Dean W; Martin, Cary A; Riffe, Darrell J; Whitten, Dianne R; Woffinden, Thomas J (TJ); McGinnis, Karen A; George, Thomas E; Encke, David B; Kostoff, Boyd D; Vandervert, Paul J; Curfman, Larry L; Flye, Russell; Gainey, Tom; Gregonis, Bob A; Kuehn, David C (Dave); Rice, Paul D; Wollam, C D (Chris); Stevens, Michael; Gregory, Robert E (Rob); Zinsli, Lloyd C; Aldridge, Patricia K; Highland, Nadine M; Gibbons, Greg J; Bean, Curtis K; Rued, Traci J; Niebuhr, Daniel P (Dan); McAuley, Jim M; Held, John M; Davis, Gary A; Gardner, Donald L (Don)
Cc: ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; Foucault, David; ''; ''; Simiele, Gerald A; ''; 'Ceffalo, Grant'; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; ''; 'Baltz Tim B PSNS'; ''; ''
Subject: ALARA Center Activities for Week of October 24, 2006
Attachments: Plasma Arc Process.jpg; hurricane fogger.jpg; D8 Tank Interior 3-30-06.jpg; D7 Tank Cleaning 9-27-06 (13).jpg; TK-D4 Before-After 08-28-06.jpg; 100_3193.JPG; 100_3196.JPG; 100_3198.JPG; hot ta mock up.JPG; New Microsoft Word Document (2).doc; OPTIMUM CUTTING SPEED RAD CONTROLS.doc
Visit our Website at http://www.hanford.gov/rl/?page=974&parent=973 Things got back to being busy this week.
1. Forwarded info on the models of Hex-Armor gloves being selected by the Hanford facilities to the Savannah River ALARA Center. See www.hexarmor.com. Sent info to Mike Stevens on Real-Time Measurements of Radionuclides in Soil. Forwarded info to Ops planner at 200 LEF concerning HEPA filtered wet/dry vacuum cleaners that have been approved by a Nationally Recognized Testing Lab. Recommended they consider the Nilfisk VT-60. The list of approved NRTLs can be found at http://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/index.html
2. A meeting was held at the ALARA Center to discuss the innovative protective measures used this summer to mitigate heat stress. Bill Smoot discussed the implementation of OREX protective clothing on a few jobs at Tank Farms. See www.orex.com. Workers loved the clothing and wanted to make sure it was available for those jobs where heat stress risks are high. Tank Farms is working on procedures and has developed a checklist to use by planners to ensure engineered controls, administrative controls and heat stress mitigation controls are in place. This includes the OREX protective clothing, Arctic-Heat vests, and physiological monitoring. Some of the physiological monitoring in the future may include remote reading equipment that will monitor the worker's heart rate. Currently, they are refining methods to monitor the worker's pulse rate prior to entry into work areas. The OREX coveralls did not contain a pocket to hold the PAPR pump, so OREX supplied aprons with pockets that could be reversed so that the pocket was at the worker's back. Most workers used the apron with the pockets in front and were able to put tools in the pockets. OREX is going to double-stitch the standard and deluxe coveralls to make them less likely to come apart. CH2M was also able to air condition some of their containments and that dropped the inside temperature to about 78 degreesF.
S. Martellotti discussed how T Plant was using double OREX in the canyon. J. Miller discussed the use of a backpack containing water or Gator-Aide and a drinking tube. The container is filled about 1/3 full and frozen. See http://www.outdoorproducts.com/proddetail.aspx?sku=4311OP
Liquid is then added and the worker can then wear the unit and suck water through a tube when he/she feels the need to hydrate. The workers liked having the frozen liquid on their back on hot days. As the workers exit the Contamination Area, they keep the tube in their mouth until they have completed undressing so the tube doesn't become contaminated.
The 2.2 pound Arctic-Heat vests worn by CH2Mcontain a gel that activates when soaked in cold water for 10-15 minutes.It can also be placed in a refrigerator or frozen to extendthe amount of time it will cool a worker. CH2M bought 80 of these and assigned them to workers. The workers are responsible for laundering their own vest. See http://www.arcticheatusa.com/
3.Received call from F. Steen from PNNL concerning their need to survey a vault below the Building 325 Hot Cell. Recommended using a Gamma Camera mounted to a robot they already own. The Gamma Camera will give them a black and white photo with the highest sources of gamma radiation shown in colors. If they can estimate the distance, the camera will provide the radiation reading atone foot from thehighest source in the cameras field of view.PNNL will talk to WCH about using their Gamma Cam or renting one from EDO Corp. See http://www.ail.com/NuclearDetectionSystem.htm and http://www.edocorp.com/NuclearDetectionImages.htm This brand of gamma Cam only weighs 45 pounds as compared to other vendors that have 450 pound units. Theheavier units cause the robots to tip over.
4. Met with A. Gerard from 222-S Maintenance concerning a job they have of replacing a hot cell drain. After looking at several glovebags and the Lanc's catalog we came up with a tentative design. They intend to cut the lower drain pipe in several locations using a Tri-Tool Clam Shell cutting machine. See www.tritool.com Forwarded ahandout of how Tri-Tool determines the optimum cutting speed and recommended radiological controls for using this tool. See attached Handout.
Larry Waggoner /Jerry Eby
Fluor Hanford ALARA Center
(509) 376-0818 / 372-8961
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
1. Hanford has a bulletin board where items that are going to be excessed can be claimed before the items are sent downtown to an auction. Read the bulletin board at http://apweb02.rl.gov/rapidweb/phmc/procweb/EPBulletinBoard/viewCategory.cfm Need a building? How about a free 10' or 20' long Connex box that could be used for storage, converted to a decontamination facility, heated or cooled to give workers a comfortable standby area, or turned into a radiological work facility? These items and46 more are listed on the website. The ALARA Center sent adds in for 16 cases of one-piece plastic wet suits and 6 cases ofsmall one-piece disposable anti-C coveralls. The wet suits have a sleeve at the waist for an airline or communications cable and a vent in each calf to relieve air pressure from respiratory equipment.
2. While searching for info on puncture resistant gloves I found a website that shows some interesting hand tools. See http://archives.constructiondist.com/publication/article.jsp?pubId=1&id=96. D&D personnel should look at the Cooper High Tension Hack Saw, ARGCO Ratchet Action Pipe Cutter, Task Support Rod and the North American Power Pole.
3. Received thirty-two 5 gallon containers of Polymeric Barrier System (PBS) sealant from S. Cloninger that was left over from a completed project. The cost on each of these is about $200per container. Contractors or facilities can have the PBSfor free, just send a truck and driver to the ALARA Center.
4. Last week's report described whatWaste Disposal & Compliancewas doing to prevent injuries when workers moved waste barrels next to one another. They are cutting up pieces of conduit and either putting them in thefingers of the work gloveor placing them on the outside of the fingers. See the attached photos. Contact Ron Mabry at (509) 373-0059 for more info.
5. Received a message from Harold Hedge, a former CH2M employee who is now the Radcon Manager of a radioactive site in Indonesia.He had been reviewing the IAEA website for new documents and foundthey recently released "Retrieval of Fluidizable Radioactive Wastes from Storage Facilities", IAEA TECDOC Series No. 1518. He recommended the documentas a good reference for different methods for retrieval of various tank wastes. This document can be found at http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/ResultsNew.aspand look under "New Publications". Click on "Full Text" to read/copy the entire document. There are also several other documents that may be of interest.
6. Received call from personnel working at the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility. Their sole mission is to destroy all chemical weapons stored at the Depot. Discussed the methods used to control contamination spread at Hanford versus their controlsfor residual chemical agents. Since the controls are similar, they will plan a visit to the Hanford ALARA Center in about two weeks to look at ourtools and equipment on display.
8. The picture above shows how the kids spent Halloween in 1951 at the Hanford Community House. This photo was obtained by going to website http://www2.hanford.gov/DDRS/index.cfm/, clicking on "Simple Search" and then searching for "Halloween". You can use the Hanford archives to obtain old photos, drawings and documents the same way I found this picture. In many cases, you can see construction photos of the buildings or equipment you may have to D&D. Recommend making this website a "favorite" and using it for work planning.
9. CH2M is sponsoring an ALARA Vendor Forum at HAMMER on November 6th and 7th. Read the attached message for the details.
LESSONS LEARNED - CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PFP
Workers at Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) have nearly completed cleaning out two 4,600 gallon tanks located in below-grade vaults. These tanks contained very high levels of contamination, residual acids/corrosive chemicals, and had to be controlled as a "Confined Space". Previously, workers had completed work on two similar tanks and the lessons learned were incorporated into the work on these two tanks. Cleaning the vaults involved removing dirt, debris,abandoned equipment, and size-reducing to support packaging and loading into waste drums. About 1,000 pounds of material that filled 150 TRU waste drums were removed from each vault. Workers wearing multiple sets of protective clothing, supplied-air respiratorsand ice vests to combat heat stresshad to descend a 22' ladder to get to the tank. Access holes were cut through the sides of the tanks using plasma arc cutting tools. ALARA Protective Measures used included:
· Plasma arc cutting was practiced in a mockup to refine the technique and learn where to position the ventilation. The tank was cut from the outside and ventilation was connected to the tank to reduce the airborne debris outside the tank. Most of the flame, sparks, and debris stayed inside the tank. The original ventilation HEPA filters plugged quickly so larger HEPA filters were installed. The first cut took two shifts, later cuts were made in one hour.
· Use of a customized 20' X 40' containment that isolated the work operations.Metal "people" doors were installed on the containment to reduce the effort of opening and closing the doors. The entrance was set up like an air lock to reduce the chance that contamination might escape. Make-up air entered the tent through ~20 ft2 of furnace filter media mounted in the containment wall.
· Eachvault was fogged with the ETGS glycerin fixative sold by Encapsulation Technologies (www.fogging.com). Workers then poured the ETGS on the floor of the tank and vaultwhere the highest levels of contamination were located to reduce contamination spread. This occurred after surveys showed there was not enough remaining contamination to cause a criticality accident. Each time something was moved, more ETGS was applied witha hand-held fogger (www.dynafog.com) or a spray bottle.
· Temporary lighting was installed to improve working conditions(NOTE: studies show that a poorly lit work area can increase the time it takes to accomplish the work by 40%)
· Extension hoses were attached tothe vault exhausts penetrations so the suction would provide better flow at the contamination source
· Extensive training was accomplished to train workers how to dress and remove their highly contaminated protective clothing. Personnel were trained to assist in undressing following verbatim procedures developed during the training. Workers exiting the vault stepped off the ladder into a large plastic bag and then were cut out of their contaminated suits before stepping out of the bag.
· Most size-reduction of material was done with Saws-Alls and Porta-Band cutting tools. Special skirts were made for the tools to better contain the chips. These were made from clear plastic to allow the workers to see through the skirts. See attached photo of a saddle mounted to a pipe and a hot tap installed.
· If pipes had to be cut, hot taps would be installed at the low point and the pipe drained if there was a possibility it contained liquid. See D-series hot taps at www.expansionseal.com Note: On previous tank work, if the fixative wasn't added at each new cut, they would get high airborne contamination levels at the next cut.