The Hanford tank farm contractor defended its protection of workers in a letter to the Hanford Atomic Metal Trades Council on Tuesday, a day after the union group issued a list of demands to protect workers from chemical vapors.
“Throughout the WRPS contract period, we have ensured that personnel are protected,” said the letter from tank farm contractor Washington River Protection Solutions.
However, the contractor will consider the actions outlined by the Hanford Atomic Metal Trades Council, or HAMTC, said Mark Lindholm, president of the tank farm contractor, in the letter. HAMTC is an umbrella group for 15 unions with workers at Hanford.
Chemical vapors associated with waste held in underground tanks at Hanford have been an issue for at least 20 years. With 53 workers receiving medical evaluations for possible exposure to vapors in recent months, HAMTC told the tank farm contractor Monday that more aggressive action was needed immediately to protect workers.
HAMTC has the power to stop work if it does not believe workers are safe.
Lindholm said in the letter to HAMTC President Dave Molnaa that the tank farm contractor is continuing to improve working conditions that already exceed regulations and the requirements and expectations for industry.
The letter said the contractor has consistently maintained the air that workers breathe to meet occupational exposure limits used in the nuclear and petrochemical industry.
“Our industrial hygiene and monitoring programs are fully compliant and state of the art, setting new standards for our industry,” Lindholm said in the letter.
Some workers report respiratory symptoms after smelling suspicious odors that may be linked to chemical vapors and fear that the chemical exposure could lead to health problems.
The contractor has made progress over the last 18 months in implementing recommendations made in an independent review of the chemical vapors issues.
The industrial hygiene program, which protects workers from chemical hazards, has been expanded and improved to the rigor of Hanford’s program for radiological controls, the letter said.
