September 2015

Review of Oak Ridge National Laboratory Fire Protection Program

The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Enterprise Assessments (EA), Office of Environment, Safety and Health, conducted an independent review of the fire protection program implemented by UT-Battelle at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Irradiated Fuels Examination Laboratory, Building 3525 as part of a complex wide independent targeted review of fire protection at nuclear facilities.  The review included an evaluation of key program elements including adequacy and integration of the fire hazards analysis with the safety basis controls; the baseline needs assessments; fire pre-plans; the exemption and equivalency process; combustible controls; technical safety requirements surveillance and testing; and the inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire detection and prevention safety structures, systems, and components and supporting infrastructure.  The assessment also evaluated the Office of Science oversight processes that are intended to verify the adequacy of the UT-Battelle fire protection program.