February 2012

Review of the Pantex Plant Implementation Verification Review Processes

This report documents the results of an independent review of the implementation verification review (IVR) processes at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Pantex Plant.  The review was conducted January 17-24, 2012, by the DOE Office of Safety and Emergency Management Evaluations, which is within the DOE Office of Health, Safety and Security.  The review was carried out within the broader context of an ongoing program of assessments of the execution of IVRs at DOE sites with hazard category 1, 2, and 3 nuclear facilities.  The overall purpose of these Independent Oversight reviews is to evaluate the processes and methods used for verifying and re-verifying implementation of new or substantially revised nuclear facility safety basis hazard controls.  The objective of this review was to evaluate the extent to which the site contractor and the Pantex Site Office have developed and employed appropriate implementation verification methods.