Hanford workers enter McCluskey ‘Atomic Man’ Room

RICHLAND — Workers have entered one of the most dangerous rooms at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation.

The so-called “McCluskey Room” in the Plutonium Finishing Plant is named after worker Harold McCluskey.

He was covered with radioactive material in 1976 when a glove box exploded. McCluskey, who was 64 at the time, lived for 11 more years and died from causes not related to the accident. He became known as the Atomic Man.

The room has largely been closed since the accident. But workers are now proceeding with a year-long cleanup of the room as they get the Plutonium Finishing Plant ready for demolition.

Hanford, located near Richland, Washington, for decades made plutonium for nuclear weapons. The site is now engaged in cleaning up the resulting radioactive mess.