Oak Ridge Today

B&W Y-12 donates $10K to Children’s Museum

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B&W Y-12 Check Presentation to Children's Museum

B&W Y-12 Public Affairs Manager Jud Simmons discusses ongoing projects with Mary Ann Damos, executive director of the Oak Ridge Children’s Museum, in the museum’s environmental center and gardens. (Submitted photo)

B&W Y-12 recently donated $10,000 to the Children’s Museum in Oak Ridge. The funds will support the museum’s programs, including its planned Healthy Living exhibit.

“B&W Y-12’s support has been invaluable to the museum,” said Mary Ann Damos, the museum’s executive director. “The financial donations have helped us provide more and better services to the area’s children, but the hands-on donations of manpower also have been helpful.”

B&W Y-12 employees and their families have donated their time and skills on various museum projects for the past 10 years, including painting, planting, and repairs and maintenance to the museum’s heating and air conditioning system. [Read more…]

Nuclear safety board to discuss aging Y-12 buildings, new Uranium Processing Facility

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Y-12 National Security Complex Aerial View

The federal Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board will meet in Knoxville in October to discuss, among other things, the risks associated with continuing to operate old buildings involved in weapons work at the Y-12 National Security Complex, pictured above, and the progress made in the past year to incorporate safety into the design of the multi-billion dollar Uranium Processing Facility.

The federal Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board will meet in Knoxville in October to discuss, among other things, the risks associated with continuing to operate old buildings involved in weapons work at the Y-12 National Security Complex—and the progress made in the past year to incorporate safety into the design of the multi-billion dollar Uranium Processing Facility.

The day-long meeting, which is open to the public, will include two sessions on Oct. 22 at the Knoxville Convention Center. [Read more…]

B&W Y-12, ATLC continue tradition, donate $15,000 to March of Dimes

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B&W Y-12 and ATLC Donate to March of Dimes

B&W Y-12 President and General Manager Chuck Spencer, left, March of Dimes Executive Director Susan Racek, and Atomic Trades and Labor Council President Steve Jones with a $15,000 donation to help improve the health of all babies. (Submitted photos)

Submitted

B&W Y-12 and Atomic Trades and Labor Council marked the 15th year of the Y-12 National Security Complex’s support of The March of Dimes Tennessee Chapter with a $15,000 donation to advance maternal and infant health in the East Tennessee Community.

“B&W Y-12 and the ATLC have been incredible supporters of our work to help fund research and projects in East Tennessee communities,” said Susie Racek, executive director for March of Dimes East Tennessee Divisions. “They have been instrumental in supporting projects in the local hospital NICUs (neonatal intensive care units) and, in particular, funding and helping create the ‘Butterfly Room’ in East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, where families of premature babies who will not be going home can privately spend their last moments with the child.” [Read more…]

Former UPF project manager remembered as talented engineer, gifted leader

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Phillip "Phil" W. Schuetz

Phillip “Phil” W. Schuetz

Phil Schuetz, a former project manager for the multi-billion dollar Uranium Processing Facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex, died Saturday, officials said.

No formal funeral service will be held, but at Schuetz’s request, a celebration of life is being planned for September, Y-12 officials said.

“I was saddened to hear of the passing of Phil Schuetz,” UPF Federal Project Director John Eschenberg said in a Monday statement. “I was honored to work with him for many years at three different sites. He set the example of professionalism for us all with an incredible work ethic and his infectious spirit. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.” [Read more…]

Sirens to sound Aug. 14 for Y-12 emergency management exercise

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Emergency response personnel from the National Nuclear Security Administration and B&W Y-12, along with federal, state, and local emergency management personnel, will conduct an emergency management exercise Aug. 14 at the Y-12 National Security Complex.

During this exercise, the public warning sirens around Y-12 will sound. People in the vicinity of Y-12 may hear the sirens on the morning of Aug. 14. Remember, this siren sounding is only part of the exercise. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency will also initiate an Emergency Alert System test message over participating radio stations. [Read more…]

Guest column: Y-12 wants to have best security in nation’s nuclear weapons enterprise

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Chuck Spencer

Chuck Spencer

Note: This is a copy of a message that B&W Y-12 President and General Manager Chuck Spencer sent to employees July 25 regarding the one-year anniversary of the July 28, 2012, security breach at the Y-12 National Security Complex.

General Manager’s Message: One-Year Anniversary of Security Event

One year ago this coming Sunday (July 28), three individuals trespassed at the Y-12 National Security Complex, damaged government property, and interfered with our ongoing national defense operations. While the security breach was unacceptable, the intruders did not come close to accessing any nuclear materials. Since that time, B&W Y-12 has worked closely with the National Nuclear Security Administration to make numerous changes in security and operations. I want to thank each and every one of you for your role in those improvements. I also want to highlight those improvements specifically and talk a little about our path forward. [Read more…]

DOE summer bus tours end Aug. 30

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DOE Public Bus Tour

This year’s public bus tours of the U.S. Department of Energy’s facilities in Oak Ridge end on Aug. 30. (Photo courtesy DOE/Lynn Freeny)

The public bus tours of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge facilities end Aug. 30. It’s the last day of the 2013 season.

The tours include stops at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Y-12 National Security Complex, and East Tennessee Technology Park, and they provide historical commentary on the transformation of the Oak Ridge Reservation during the past 65 years.

So far this season, 1,148 visitors from 43 states have participated in the summer tour, a press release said. [Read more…]

UPF Project Office moves into former Answer Financial building

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UPF Project Office

Employees working on the multi-billion-dollar Uranium Processing Facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex have consolidated in office space at 90 Union Valley Road across from Y-12, moving there from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Scientific and Technical Information and 1099 Commerce Park.

An office building once used by Answer Financial on Union Valley Road is now home to employees working on the multi-billion-dollar Uranium Processing Facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex.

The UPF employees now located at 90 Union Valley Road, which is across Scarboro Road from Y-12, were previously split between offices at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Scientific and Technical Information and 1099 Commerce Park, said Bridget Correll Waller, Y-12 community and government relations manager. The new consolidated offices include space for UPF federal staff, project managers, and workers in procurement, security, quality assurance, project services and project controls, and Environment, Safety and Health, or ES&H. [Read more…]

Y-12 operator exposed to lithium hydride received second-degree burns, returned to work

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An operator injured after being exposed to lithium hydride powder at the Y-12 National Security Complex in early April sustained second-degree burns, primarily on the face and scalp, but has returned to work, federal officials said.

The operator, who is not identified in federal reports, also received some first-degree burns. But in two separate reports, officials said the employee’s injuries were healing as expected without complications, and the worker was expected to make a full recovery. [Read more…]

‘Diligent’ engineer discovers Y-12 water line break that spilled six million gallons

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East Fork Poplar Creek

East Fork Poplar Creek starts at a spring at the Y-12 National Security Complex and flows through Oak Ridge. About six million gallons of water spilled into it in early June, killing several thousand small fish, after a 10-inch water line ruptured at Y-12.

The break in a 10-inch water pipe at the Y-12 National Security Complex on a Friday night in June—it spilled about six million gallons of water and killed several thousand small fish—was discovered by a diligent engineer who had returned to the plant to check on an abnormal water tower report, officials said.

The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board reported that the plant contractor’s utilities and environmental compliance organizations both had had indications of an abnormal condition, but B&W Y-12 had not established a procedure to respond to the signals.

“The break was discovered because a diligent system engineer decided to come back in to the site and check on an anomalous report of a low level in a water tower that had cleared as the pumps refilled the tank,” the DNFSB report said. “B&W management is evaluating ways to improve recognition of a problem from the available indications during off hours.” [Read more…]

B&W Y-12 signs two new Mentor-Protégé agreements

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B&W Y-12 and BES Technologies Agreement

Erik Connard, BES Technologies chief executive officer, signs a Mentor-Protégé agreement with B&W Y-12 President and General Manager Chuck Spencer. Looking on are, from left, BES Technologies’ Shannon Eaker, chief scientific officer, and Brian Quinley, chief operating officer; Lisa Copeland, B&W Y-12 Socioeconomic Programs manager, and mentor Tom Ford, manager of B&W Y-12’s Industrial Hygiene organization. (Submitted photos)

B&W Y-12 recently signed agreements with two new protégés—BES Technologies and The Molecular Group. The companies join eight other groups currently involved in Y-12’s Mentor-Protégé program.

“We are proud to have these two participants in our Mentor-Protégé program,” said B&W Y-12 President and General Manager Chuck Spencer. “These relationships significantly contribute to Y-12 achieving its objectives of promoting technological growth and business development opportunities. I believe that all parties will benefit from these partnerships.” [Read more…]

Y-12 neutron detector wins R&D 100 Award

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Y-12 Neutron Detector

Ashley Stowe, Y‑12 senior development chemist, working with Fisk University, developed a single-crystalline device that will be used in handheld nuclear nonproliferation and homeland security applications. (Submitted photo)

A Y-12 nuclear nonproliferation technology offering significant possibilities in the homeland security field was among those listed on the R&D Magazine 51st Annual R&D 100 Awards. The honor salutes the 100 most technologically significant products introduced into the marketplace during the past year.

The LISeTM, a high-efficiency thermal neutron detector based on the 6LiInSe2 crystal, is the first large, single-crystal semiconductor of high resistivity that contains lithium and directly detects thermal neutrons with high efficiency. The single-crystalline device will be used in handheld nuclear nonproliferation and homeland security applications to find fissile materials. Its simpler, more compact design, and higher efficiency are key improvements that will appeal to users. [Read more…]