[DOE
LETTERHEAD]
June 2, 2008
Mr. J.K. Fortenberry
Technical Director
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
Dear Mr. Fortenberry:
This is in response to Chairman Eggenberger's April 29, 2008, letter regarding an
evaluation of the activity-level craft work planning and control process and its
implementation by the CH2M HILL Hanford Group, Inc. (CH2M HILL) which
was performed by the Board staff. Subsequent to the Staffs evaluation, members
of my organization performed an independent assessment of the CH2M HILL
work planning and control processes, conduct of operation programs, and the
Office of River Protection's (ORP) oversight programs per our annual assessment
schedule. I believe the results of these evaluations are consistent, and both CH2M
HILL and ORP have been responsive to the concerns identified by both of our
organizations.
Both the Board staff review and the Office of Environmental Management (EM)
noted concerns with the process for categorizing work as either minor, standard,
or complex. CH2M HILL has indicated that it is working through the Energy
Facility Contractors' Group (EFCOG) to identify a better methodology for
categorizing work. In addition, CH2M HILL is also working through the EFCOG
Work Management subgroup to improve their hazard analysis checklists that are
used for planning complex work. It is anticipated that this will resolve the concern
that the Board staff identified in this regard.
The EM assessment of ORP’s oversight and corrective action programs concluded
that the ORP programs had sufficient scope and depth, however, several findings
and observations were noted, and are being addressed. ORP oversight of the tank
farms includes the identification of focus areas which change, based upon
performance trends or adverse events. Following the Board staffs visit, work
planning and control was identified as a focus area for the ORP Facility
Representatives. In addition, ORP recently began an assessment of CH2M
HILL'S design and administrative control, which includes an evaluation of work
planning and control.
Currently,
CH2M HILL and ORP are working on corrective action plans to
address the findings and significant observations identified in the EM assessment
report. That plan is due by June 6, 2008. If you or other members of the Board
staff are interested, we will be pleased to provide copies of the assessment and
corrective action plan.
If you have any further questions, please call me at (202) 586-51 51 or Dr. Robert
Goldsmith, Director of Operations Oversight at (301) 903-4954.
Sincerely,
Dae Y. Chung
Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Safety Management and Operations
Environmental Management
cc:
J. Rispoli, EM-I
I. Triay, EM-2
J. Owendoff, EM-3
S. Olinger, ORP
M. Whitaker, Jr. HS-I .I