Exposure Based Health Issues Project Report: Phase I of High Level Tank Operations, Retrieval, Pretreatment, and Vitrification Exposure Based Health Issues Analysis

Abstract

National Laboratory (PNNL) staff in helping put this document together in its final form. Lauri Marquardt, Scott Somers, and Rick Melbihess of CHG provided invaluable technical knowledge and insights into the current operations at the Hanford tank farms and the industrial hygiene challenges involved with protection of the workers. Jim Huckaby of PNNL provided his insight into gas and vapor generation and high-probability release points associated with the single-shell tanks. Our thanks go to Charles Olaiya and Richard Grill of the ORP for their discussions on the important aspects of this work, their guidance for the prioritization of efforts, and for their support of the project. We also want to thank Mary Ann McKinney of HEHF for her excellent job of performing a high-quality and timely technical review of the document.

Health hazard evaluation report: HETA-2004-0145-2941, CH2M Hill Hanford Group, Inc. and United States Department of Energy, Office of River Protection, Richland, Washington.

“…NIOSH representatives visited the Hanford Tank Farms March [9][10][11]2004. An opening conference was held on March 9, which was attended by 32 employee and management representatives from CHG, DOE ORP, and the Hanford Atomic Metal Trades Council, an organization representing the various unions present at the Hanford site.…”

“…Examples include breaching an enclosed system, waste intrusion (such as pump installation and core sampling), saltwell pumping, transfer of waste, and a variety of maintenance activities. 9 Vapor releases are more likely when layers of waste are stratified and the work task requires breaking through the layers, or when the environmental conditions are such that atmospheric stagnation occurs (e.g., calm winds, temperature inversion). Based on sampling performed by CHG and other contractors, a variety of compounds has been identified in the vapors, including ammonia, nitrous oxide, benzene, butanol, acetone, hexane, and xylene.…”