DOE Differing Professional Opinions

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DOE has established a variety of work processes for its employees (including DOE Federal, contractor, and subcontractor employees) to raise concerns so that they are assessed and appropriate actions are taken. Employees are to use these processes to resolve issues at the lowest possible level. In rare cases, an employee may decide that despite those efforts, there remains a concern about a technical issue with a potential for a significant impact on environment, safety or health.

If you have a concern involving a technical issue with potential significant impact to environment, safety and health and you have tried unsuccessfully to ensure that it is adequately addressed through lower-level processes, please consider whether you should file a Differing Professional Opinion (DPO) through the DPO process discussed on this page and in DOE O 442.2 Chg 1 (PgChg), Differing Professional Opinions for Technical Issues Involving Environmental, Safety, and Health Technical Concerns. If you decide you should, please read the DPO process in the link below, complete the suggested form and the relevant information, and submit your concern to the appropriate DOE DPO Manager identified below.

Submit your DPO

  • Use the DPO submittal form to file your DPO or
  • Use the links below to submit your DPO to a DPO Manager.

TABLE OF ASSIGNED DPO MANAGERS

 

IF YOUR DPO INVOLVES:

SUBMIT YOUR DPO TO:

E-MAIL

MAIL

For the Office of the Under Secretary for Nuclear Security1

Any facility

Jeffry
Roberson

Jeffry.Roberson@nnsa.doe.gov
(301-903-9228)

Jeffry Roberson
Senior Technical
Advisor, Office of Safety (NA-51/GTN) 
National Nuclear Security Administration 
U.S. Department of Energy 
1000 Independence Avenue, SW 
Washington, DC 20585

For the Office of the Under Secretary for Science and Energy2

Any Office of Science hazard category 1, 2 or 3 nuclear facility3

Joanna Serra

Joanna.Serra@science.doe.gov
(301-903-6136)

Joanna Serra
Nuclear Safety Oversight Program Manager
Office of Science (SC-3/GTN)
U.S. Department of Energy
1000 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC  20585 

Any Office of Science facility other than a hazard category 1, 2 or 3 nuclear facility

Karl Moro

Karl.Moro@science.doe.gov
(630-252-2065)

Karl Moro
Assistant Manager for Safety, Technical and Infrastructure Services 
U.S. Department of Energy 
Office of Science – Chicago Office 
9800 S. Cass Avenue 
Argonne, IL  60439

Any Office of Nuclear Energy facility

Craig Welling

Craig.Welling@nuclear.energy.gov
(202-586-7524)

Craig Welling
Chief of Nuclear Safety Office of Nuclear Energy
(NE-1/FORS)
U.S. Department of Energy
1000 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20585

For the Office of the Under Secretary for Management & Performance4

 

Any nuclear facility1

Greg Sosson

Gregory.Sosson@em.doe.gov
(202-586-4505)

Greg Sosson, PE
Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary Safety, Security, and Quality Programs, (EM-40)
Office of Environmental  Management
U.S. Department of Energy
1000 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20585

For All Other Facilities

Any facilities

Patricia Worthington

Patricia.Worthington@hq.doe.gov
(301-903-5926)

Patricia R. Worthington, PhD
Director, Office of Health and Safety (AU-10/GTN)
Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security
U.S. Department of Energy 
1000 Independence Avenue, SW 
Washington, DC 20585
 

1Required by DOE Order (O) 442.2, Chg 1 (PgChg), Differing Professional Opinions for Technical Issues Involving Environmental, Safety and Health Technical Concerns, dated October 5, 2016
2National Nuclear Security Administration
3Science, Fossil Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Nuclear Energy, Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, and Indian Policy and Programs
4See title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, part 830, Nuclear Safety Management, for the definition of nuclear facility.  See DOE-STD-1027-92, Change Notice 1, Hazard Categorization and Accident Analysis Techniques for Compliance with DOE Order 5480.23, Nuclear Safety Analysis Reports, for the definitions of hazard category 1, 2, and 3 nuclear facilities.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:

Thomas Hiltz