Associated Press
RICHLAND — A survey of workers on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation found that most were satisfied by the actions of management to address risks posed by chemical vapors escaping from radioactive waste storage tanks.
However, some workers also felt that improved communication could help alleviate continuing fear of retaliation by management over reporting health issues and better inform workers about the status of protection improvements.
“In our view, improving these areas is critical to ensuring that actions taken to resolve the recommendations for improvement are transparent to members of the workforce and other interested parties,” according to the report issued Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Inspector General.
The Tri-City Herald reported that seven of 52 workers interviewed for the report were worried about possible retaliation related to complaining about health issues from exposure to the vapors.
Chemical vapors associated with Hanford nuclear waste held in underground tanks have been blamed for symptoms such as shortness of breath and nosebleeds and may cause serious neurological and respiratory illnesses. Hundreds of workers have reported symptoms over the years.
The waste is left from the production of plutonium for nuclear weapons.
Most workers felt they were free to express their concerns with management on vapor risk, the report said.
Of the seven workers who felt differently, one had filed a formal complaint earlier this year over concerns related to retaliation. Other workers reported that they thought managers would ignore concerns or that filing a worker compensation claim would put a worker “in a bad position,” according to the report.
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