- WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration
is moving to replace government safety standards at federal nuclear facilities
with requirements written by contractors -- after Congress directed it
to start fining the contractors for violations.
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- Long-established government minimum standards at the
more than two dozen nuclear weapons plants and research labs around the
nation would become unenforceable guidelines under the Energy Department
proposal.
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- Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., an author of the 2002 legislation
ordering the fines, accused the administration of distorting Congress'
intent with a plan that "will likely decrease worker protection."
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- John Conway, chairman the Defense Nuclear Facilities
Safety Board, which oversees safety at the Energy Department, agreed that
the proposal would weaken safety standards covering more than 100,000 workers
at the facilities. "The way it's written, I don't like it at all,"
hed said.
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- Energy Department officials said they have not made a
final decision on the proposal and emphasized that the government would
retain the authority to approve or reject the contractor-written safety
requirements.
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- "The department believes the proposed rule seeks
to fully protect our workers," Assistant Secretary Beverly Cook said.
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- The proposal was outlined in a draft regulation put out
by the department last month. Cook described it as part of a continuing
effort to get contractors to focus on hazards specific to their sites.
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- The Energy Department can now fine contractors who expose
workers to hazardous levels of radiation, but it has no authority to levy
fines for failing to protect workers from other industrial dangers, such
as exposure to toxic chemicals.
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- The proposed rule would change that, allowing the department
to assess fines against contractors who violate what would be contractor-written
safety plans.
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- "The decision making will be largely in the hands
of contractors to decide what protections are appropriate," said Rep.
Ted Strickland, D-Ohio. "It's the fox guarding the hen house."
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- The government often gives contractors financial incentives
to complete projects ahead of schedule, and tough safety standards could
slow contractors down, said Leon Owens, a worker and past president of
the local union at the government's uranium plant in Paducah, Ky.
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- "I don't feel that a contractor would be as inclined
to develop rules that would go the extra length to provide adequate protection
for workers," Owens said.
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- http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/2376295
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