WASHINGTON, D.C. - Individual workers tackling legacy cleanup work are the focus of a series of videos produced at EM sites available on YouTube.
The brief “Day in the Life" videos take viewers through typical shifts of EM workers at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), Oak Ridge Site in Tennessee, Hanford Site in Washington state, West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) in New York, and Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico.
One of the video series stars is Jon Tanaka, an NNSS Radioactive Waste Management Complex supervisor. “I know our work is important. I like to camp, hike, swim, and enjoy rivers, lakes, and the outdoors. Our work here makes the environment better so everyone can enjoy it," he says in the video.
Darryl Chapman is a demolition area superintendent at Oak Ridge’s East Tennessee Technology Park. He has supported the Department for nearly three decades, specializing in facility demolition for the past 12 years.
“You’ve got the flexibility in the field to adapt as you go along," Chapman says, describing how changes in environmental conditions or the site’s disposal operations impact demolitions. “We’re adjusting to accommodate their conditions."
A Girl Scout leader by night, Lettie Chilson, works as a WVDP high-level waste manager by day. She oversaw construction of 56 vertical storage casks to contain 278 high-level waste canisters from the site’s Main Plant Process Building.
“Having a balance between work and home life can be a challenge, but with this challenge comes great rewards. I enjoy my days at the site and the people I have the opportunity to work with, but I also enjoy time spent with family and the rewards of being a part of my community through volunteerism - Girl Scouts of Western New York, United Way, and supporting our local food pantries," Chilson said.
Other workers highlighted in the series are Ray Lemmons, a Richland Operations Office radiological control technician, Anthony Alanzo, a WIPP waste handler, and brothers Dwight and Ronnie Hurd, who transport waste cross-country from Oak Ridge’s cleanup.
EM also features the documentary-style worker videos on Facebook with the hashtag #DayInTheLife.
EM documents its cleanup progress, history and workforce on the Facebook page. Special theme days are marked by the hashtags #TeardownTuesday, #WildlifeWednesday, and #FlashbackFriday. Nearly 1,800 people have “liked" EM’s Facebook page since its debut in June last year.
The Day in the Life playlist is part of EM’s larger YouTube playlist of 71 site videos with everything from footage of cleanup - such as the teardown of Oak Ridge's K-27 Building - to the dedication of the WIPP’s Emergency Operations Center.
Keep an eye out for more EM videos on the Facebook and YouTube sites.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
