Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Should Ensure Proper Monitoring of Workers for Radiation Exposure When Processing Packages
August 23, 2024
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August 20, 2024
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Should Ensure Proper Monitoring of Workers for Radiation Exposure When Processing Packages
In December 2021, the Office of Inspector General received allegations concerning the handling of radiological materials at Lawerence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). Specifically, the complainant alleged: (1) the survey of a package produced a radiation field above the threshold for a high radiation area, and that the workers were not monitored according to regulation; (2) a stop work order was lifted without establishing proper monitoring controls after concerns were raised to the supervisor; (3) Radiation Protection Group management and Office of Institutional Assurance and Integrity officials inappropriately communicated with each other to hide the lack of high radiation controls; and (4) inadequate monitoring inside gloveboxes may have exposed workers to undocumented levels of radiation.
We initiated this inspection to determine the facts and circumstances regarding the allegations at LBNL related to the handling of radioactive materials.
We substantiated the allegations that workers were not properly monitored when opening a package of radioactive material; that a supervisor lifted a stop work order without establishing proper monitoring controls; and that LBNL did not adequately monitor gloveboxes. By not implementing the proper monitoring controls, LBNL did not comply with 10 Code of Federal Regulations 835 and may be unable to adequately ensure workers will not exceed exposure limits. We did not substantiate the allegation that Radiation Protection Group management and Office of Institutional Assurance and Integrity officials inappropriately communicated to hide the lack of high radiation controls after concerns were raised.
This report contains five recommendations that, if fully implemented, should help ensure that LBNL complies with 10 Code of Federal Regulations 835. Occupational Radiation Protection Management concurred with the findings and recommendations and agreed to take action to address each of our recommendations. Management’s proposed corrective actions are consistent with our recommendations.