DEFENSE NUCLEAR FACILITIES SAFETY BOARD

February 13, 1998

MEMORANDUM FOR: G.W. Cunningham, Technical Director

FROM: T. Dwyer and H. Waugh, Pantex Site Representatives

SUBJECT: Pantex Plant Activity Report for Week Ending February 13, 1998

DNFSB Activity Summary: Harry Waugh was on site all week. Timothy Dwyer was on

site Monday through Thursday.

Pit Storage Issues: Last week’s Site Representative letter indicated that AAO would

authorize M&H to resume repackaging the second pilot lot (20 W48 pits) in the AT-400A. This

turned out not to be the case. After receiving the formal M&H request to resume operations

(letter dated Friday, February 6 ), AAO decided to refuse permission based on the fact that M&H th

had stated that they were unable to achieve correlation between girth weld examinations

performed radiographically and those performed using ultrasonic methods (UT). In a related

issue, initial Board staff reviews of the DOE-AL (working draft) Integrated Pit Storage Program

Plan revealed that significant rework is required. This feedback has been provided to DOE-HQ.

B61-11 Program: The B61-11 Single Integrated Readiness Review (SIRR) concluded this

week. Preliminary indications are that the Safety Evaluation (SE) members of the SIRR identified

2 pre-start findings, and that the Weapons Program Readiness Review (WPRR) members of the

SIRR identified 11 pre-start findings and 12 post-start findings/observations. Many of the WPRR

findings were related to formal conduct of operations and NEOP issues -- it was apparent that

recent gains in these areas in dismantlement programs have not been vigorously carried over to

the evaluation (D&I) or assembly side of the house. Generic concerns were also raised regarding

PT/supervisor notifications and understanding of lightning safety actions, M&H Management

Self-Assessment (MSA) effectiveness, and D&I project team preparations for reviews.

Secondary Storage Issue: In preparation for the Building 12-116 start-up, M&H has

determined that storage of secondaries will be outside the scope of the contractor ORR. (It will

have to be covered by a separate readiness review at a later date.) This is due to the recent

identification of new information regarding fire scenarios involving secondaries -- M&H does not

have enough time to develop the necessary analyses and controls to address these scenarios for

inclusion in the 12-116 SAR before the ORR is scheduled to begin. The genesis of this new

information was an occurrence at LANL (Occurrence Report ALO-LA-LANL-CMR-1996-0038),

as a result of which a companion classified report has been generated. Both AAO and the Site

Representatives are trying to obtain a copy of this report in order to assess sitewide implications

for secondary storage. The Board staff Oak Ridge cognizant engineer has also been informed.

Mercury (Hg) Contamination Issue: On January 29 , an electronics shop technician th

discovered Hg in the inlet of a leak detector. (See Occurrence Report ALO-AO-MHSMPANTEX-1998-007.) The contamination was minimal; there was no evidence of airborne Hg,

and no personnel were contaminated. Monitoring of gas sample bottles, which are attached to a

manifold from which internal weapon atmosphere samples are obtained, revealed that one bottle

contained ~1 tsp of liquid Hg. The manifold (in 12-84 bay 19) has been declared potentially

contaminated. M&H has determined that 37 weapons had been exposed to this potentially

contaminated environment. Design Agencies have been notified; the investigation is continuing.
Attachment

Upcoming Pantex Events:

February 17-18 -- AAO Management Off-Site Retreat

February 23-March 27 -- W79 NESS

February 26 -- Lightning Protection Working Group meeting**

March 9-20 -- Building 12-116 Management Self-Assessment (MSA)

March 13 -- W76 HATT walkthroughs complete

March 20 -- B61-11 NESE SIID validation [adequacy review]

March 24-25 -- B83 Provisioning and Program Review

March 24 -- W87 ASSET Program Final Management Team Review**

March 30-April 9 -- Building 12-116 Contractor ORR

April 7-17 -- B61-11 NESE

April 8 -- Quarterly Production Meeting**

April 20 -- W79 FDU

April 20 -- W76 SIRR commences

April 20-May 1 -- Building 12-116 DOE ORR

April 28-May1 -- NES Electrical Tester Master Study SIID validation [adequacy review]**

May 1 -- Building 12-116 startup

May 5-8 -- W56 NESS SIID validation [adequacy review]

May 18-June 14 -- NES Electrical Tester Master Study**

June 2-July 10 -- W56 NESS

June 9 -- W76 HAR and ABCD complete

June 9-19 -- W62 NES Revalidation**

NOTES: ** highlights events which are new listings or for which schedule has changed