AIKEN, S.C. - Fire protection engineers from across the DOE complex recently gathered at the Savannah River Site (SRS) to share best practices and further improve safety.
Specialists from SRS, the Nevada National Security Site, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Hanford and Oak Ridge sites participated in the symposium led by SRS liquid waste contractor Savannah River Remediation. The group toured SRS and explored ways to reduce risks common to fire protection safety in nuclear operations.
DOE-Savannah River Assistant Manager for Waste Disposition Jim Folk said the forum is key to exchanging expertise and making DOE facilities safer.
“Risk assessment and risk mitigation are essential aspects of fire protection engineering groups in nuclear facilities," Folk said. “Sharing experiences across the DOE complex shows a commitment to developing high standards in safety."
The participants discussed spark-inducing activities, such as welding and grinding, performed at DOE facilities. They agreed to develop a more universal and effective protocol for these activities based on best practices used at their facilities.
SRR President and Project Manager Tom Foster said the symposium allowed for an important conversation on maintaining a strong nuclear safety culture.
“The recent symposium allowed us to converse with other fire protection programs that assess similar risks and learn from each other on best practices," Foster said.
A follow-up symposium will be held in the future.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
