Setting a New Standard of Excellence at West Valley Demonstration Project

A cross section of employees at the West Valley Demonstration Project participate in a conduct of operations class to further improve the implementation and understanding of the program and its importance for safety and operational excellence.

WEST VALLEY, N.Y. — All hands were on deck recently for a unique sitewide training focused on conduct of operations, which establishes the core standards and operating philosophy that drive excellence across the West Valley Demonstration Project and broader U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) complex.

The message from the training was clear: every employee contributes directly to operational integrity and mission success.

A conduct of operations program consists of formal documentation, practices and actions implementing disciplined and structured operations that support mission success and promote worker, public and environmental protection, according to DOE.

The training for the West Valley team reinforced the critical role conduct of operations plays in ensuring safe, compliant and high quality cleanup work. While often associated with nuclear operations, conduct of operations principles extend across maintenance, engineering, environmental services, quality control, procurement, accounting and all other disciplines at the site.

The training also demonstrates how EM leverages the best of American industry to run the largest environmental cleanup program in the world, safely meeting DOE’s legal cleanup responsibilities to ensure American communities are safe and prosperous.

“When faced with the cleanup work we perform, following our training is key,” said Jason Casper, president and program manager for EM cleanup contractor West Valley Cleanup Alliance (WVCA). “This is what directs and guides us to a better outcome without sacrificing safety, compliance or quality. Conduct of operations training reinforces this concept of leading with safety while sustaining operational excellence.”

Developed in-house, the training draws on decades of site experience, global incidents and benchmarking from other DOE locations. WVCA Conduct of Operations Program Specialist Barry Lester designed the program to strengthen awareness, improve implementation and deepen employees’ understanding of how their daily actions support the broader mission.

“This class is about creating awareness of how this program applies to each employee and how they can contribute to its success,” Lester explained. “We’ve hired many new employees over the past few years, and it was the right moment to reinforce the workforce’s understanding and application of conduct of operations. In doing so, we continue our efforts as a learning organization — one that is committed to growing, improving and achieving excellence in safe and compliant operations.”

A key takeaway for Lester: Newer employees shared real world personal experiences and examples of events where various aspects of conduct of operations failed. That’s when you know they understand how conduct of operations can affect us all, whether at work or at home, he noted.

The training incorporates hands-on exercises and group discussions to reinforce key concepts and encourage practical application. A final exam helps measure knowledge retention and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

To maintain a high level of readiness and ensure new employees receive consistent instruction, conduct of operations training will be offered every two months at West Valley. Refresher sessions will also remain available for employees seeking to strengthen their understanding and performance.

-Contributor: Joseph Pillittere