Operating watch list tanks: A study in control

Conference · Sun Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:10115223

Marchetti, S

In 1990, Section 3137 of Public Law 101-510 (commonly referred to as the Wyden Bill) identified 23 potential safety issues after reviewing tank farm facilities, operations, anomalies and investigations (Public Law 101-510, 1990). These issues range from episodic flammable gas releases to aging facilities. The 23 potential safety issues were categorized as Priority 1, 2, and 3 issues. The prioritization process identified four Priority 1 safety issues, thirteen Priority 2 safety issues, and six Priority 3 safety issues. The four Priority 1 safety issues were found to affect 53 Hanford waste tanks (48 SSTs and 5 DSTs) now known as Watch List Tanks. These 53 tanks are undergoing extensive scrutiny through inspection, analysis, and documentation review to identify the full scope of the potential safety issues and the most effective methods for stabilization and mitigation/remediation of the potential threat to safety. The remaining 124 Hanford waste tanks (101 SSTs and 23 DSTs) are affected by one or more of the nineteen Priority 2 and 3 safety issues. These safety issues will be closed by upgrading Tank Farm equipment and documentation, further evaluation and remediation, or simply providing positive verification of current information. As the organizational and cultural changes introduced over the past year become a way of doing business in the Tank Farms and the physical upgrades give the Tank Farms staff the necessary tools to work with, operation of the Hanford waste tanks will be brought under control and the 23 identified safety issues will be resolved. As the safety issues are resolved work can be focused on final remediation of the wastes stored in the Hanford Site waste tanks and eventual closure of the Hanford site.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-87RL10930
• OSTI ID: 10115223
• Report Number(s): WHC-SA--1219; CONF-910981--50; ON: DE92006503
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002
054000
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
DOCUMENTATION
HANFORD RESERVATION
HEALTH AND SAFETY
INSPECTION
LEAK TESTING
MAINTENANCE
MITIGATION
OPERATION
REGULATIONS
REMEDIAL ACTION
SAFETY
TANKS
WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE
WASTE FORMS