6 Hanford workers go to hospital as precaution

RICHLAND — Six Hanford workers were taken to a Richland hospital Wednesday as a precaution after an unknown liquid spilled on some of them as they were dismantling piping in an evaporator building. A spokesman for Department of Energy contractor Washington River Protection Solutions, Rob Roxburgh, told the Tri-City Herald the liquid was not radioactive and it was being tested. He says some of the liquid spilled on the skin or clothing of some of the workers. A couple felt uncomfortable so all six at the location were taken to Kadlec Regional Medical Center. The piping was left from maintenance at the evaporator building. It is periodically operated to reduce the volume of radioactive and hazardous chemical liquid held in Hanford’s 28 double-shell tanks.