April 2022

OE-2 2022-01: Falsified Test Results for Components that have Potential Safety Implications

This Operating Experience Level 2 (OE-2) document describes a significant safety concern related to substandard steel components that may be in use at Department of Energy (DOE) sites for safety-related applications.  It recommends actions to be completed by DOE, to include the National Nuclear Security Administration, that consist of locating, evaluating, and reporting components that may have been procured for use at DOE Federal and contractor sites from Bradken, Inc. The Director of Metallurgy at Bradken Inc was criminally charged with falsifying test results on numerous cast items that were used in Naval submarines.  Of specific concern to DOE is if failed materials were purchased and used in critical safety applications such as Safety structures, systems, and components as defined in 10 CFR 830, Nuclear Safety Management.