Training tied to spill leads to VX destruction delay
Contractor can't resume disposal until event report completed, expectations
discussed
By Patricia L. Pastore/Tribune-Star
VX destruction startup at the Newport Chemical Agent Destruction Facility
has been delayed until workers complete training aspects related to the 30-gallon
spill of a mixture of VX, water and sodium hydroxide.
"The plant systems acted as expected and the workers responded properly,"
Brubaker said of the June 10 spill. He said the contractor for the disposal
of VX, Parsons, "can't resume operations until the event report is completed
and the work-force expectations are discussed with the four plant shifts."
The re-start will be just as deliberate and slow as if VX operations had
not been done before at this location, Brubaker said. He said safety remains
the priority of the Army when resuming VX destruction.
"The lessons-learned aspect of training is still
under way and there is specific training going on related to how personnel
respond to events within the plant," Brubaker said. "It's unfortunate that
we have a small spill, but the good news is the plant systems reacted as
designed. I'm very happy with the performance with the plant itself and with
this work force."
Brubaker said all demilitarization plants, like this one at Newport, are
specifically designed with a central area of the facility designed to contain
any spill. He said an air monitor that measures the level of agent in the
room causes the feed of VX into the neutralization reactor to be shut off
if the level rises above a preset concentration.
There are sumps in the room to contain the spill.
When the spill is cleaned with sodium hydroxide and water, this mixture flows
into the floor containment sump and is pumped out into a spent decontamination
tank to complete the cleanup operation, Brubaker said.
Workers dressed in decontamination attire made five entries into the containment
area to complete the cleanup, according to Brubaker. Everything is cleaned
up and now the workers are completing documentation training. When the training
events are completed and he feels it is safe to restart operations, VX neutralization
will resume, Brubaker said.
"The restart will be very slow and deliberate," he said.
Chemical agent VX was manufactured at the Newport Chemical Depot between
1962-1968 for the U.S. defense stockpile. A drop of VX the size of a BB can
kill a human in minutes, the Army has said.
Newport has safely stored and protected 1,269 tons of VX since 1968.
About 3,381 gallons of VX has been destroyed since agent neutralization operations
began May 5.
Patricia Pastore can be reached at
(812)231- 4271 or pat.pastore@tribstar.com.
Story created Jun 22, 2005 - 09:38:32 CDT.
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