Safety at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

Conference · Thu Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:10177890

Wu, Chuan-Fu

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a Department of Energy (DOE) project designed to demonstrate safe disposal of transuranic (TRU) wastes in the excavations of a salt bed situated 2,150 feet underground. The operational philosophy of the WIPP is threefold: to start clean and stay clean, to meet or exceed regulatory requirements, and to keep radiation exposures as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA). The well-being of the public, the environment, and the workers is the project`s first priority. Extensive safety measures have been and will continue to be taken throughout all phases of project activities. This paper describes the major elements of the WIPP safety program which includes a training program with special emphasis on safety, for operations, maintenance, engineering, and all technical support positions; a TRU Package Transporter-II (TRUPACT-II) for safe transportation of TRU waste; radiation protection programs; a volatile organic compound (VOC) monitoring program; and an ALARA committee to oversee and provide guidance to ALARA activities.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Carlsbad, NM (United States). Waste Isolation Div.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-86AL31950
• OSTI ID: 10177890
• Report Number(s): DOE/WIPP--92-044C; CONF-9209226--4-Extd.Abst.; ON: DE93017930
• 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
ALARA
ALPHA-BEARING WASTES
COMPLIANCE
HEALTH AND SAFETY
MONITORING
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PERSONNEL
RADIATION PROTECTION
RESOURCE RECOVERY ACTS
SAFETY
TRAINING
TRANSPORT
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
VOLATILE MATTER
WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE
WIPP