Independent Assessment of Safety Training at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Office of Enterprise Assessments
October 30, 2025
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October 2025,
Independent Assessment of Safety Training at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Enterprise Assessments (EA) conducted an independent assessment of UT-Battelle, LLC (UT-Battelle) safety training at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) from May to July 2025. The assessment evaluated the extent to which UT-Battelle’s safety training practices have adapted to workplace changes since the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the loss of experienced staff who historically have provided coaching or mentoring to new hires; a surge in the hiring of new staff; and an increased reliance on remote work/telework. The assessment reviewed 4 of the 28 ORNL directorates: the Office of Technical Training (OTT), within the Environment, Safety, Health, and Quality (ESH&Q) Directorate; the Energy Science and Technology Directorate (ESTD); the Facilities and Operations (F&O) Directorate; and the Physical Sciences Directorate.