Watchdog group disappointed with Hanford report

A Hanford watchdog group expressed disappointment Wednesday that an Energy Department investigation found no evidence of criminal misconduct by contractors accused of trying to cover up evidence of worker illnesses.

The department’s inspector general said its investigation “did not substantiate criminal misconduct” related to any of the allegations by the Government Accountability Project.

The report to Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham dealt with allegations against contractors that provide health services and are involved in cleaning up highly radioactive waste in 177 underground tanks at the Hanford nuclear reservation near Richland.

“We’re not overly surprised the IG is not finding anything, because we don’t think they did a very good job,” said Tom Carpenter, a Seattle attorney with GAP’s nuclear oversight campaign.

“We feel that the investigation is essentially a disservice to the community. We’re familiar with the evidence. We’ve taken sworn statements,” Carpenter said. “A lot of that evidence was either ignored or not addressed.”

Carpenter said his group would continue its own investigation into the worker health and safety allegations, as are the state Department of Health and National Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Citing complaints from some of the workers, GAP had accused the contractors of altering or destroying health records, filing false injury reports and hiding questionable ammonia vapor readings involving the tank cleanup.

In his report to Abrahams, Inspector General Gregory Friedman said those allegations could not be substantiated, despite interviews with more than 70 current and former Hanford workers, managers and health specialists.

Abraham released a statement saying he was pleased the investigations turned up no evidence of criminal wrongdoing by Hanford contractors, and that there were no known cases of workers being exposed to excessive chemical vapors.

Friedman said he intends to close the case but had turned the report over to the U.S. attorney’s office.

Nevertheless, Friedman said the investigation revealed some concerns in the way Hanford Environmental Health Foundation, the contractor in charge of occupational medicine and hygiene services at the facility, has handled illness and injury complaints.

Noting that many workers interviewed “had unresolved concerns” about safety, Friedman said that “management needs to intensify its efforts to improve employee confidence in the occupational health and safety program at Hanford.”

Abrahams said he will direct Energy officials to implement recommendations from Friedman’s report to enhance worker protection.

But on the allegations of criminal misconduct, the report said it found no evidence that HEHF altered or destroyed medical records, filed false injury reports or inflated the results of an annual performance assessment report to downplay illnesses and injuries.

The report also cleared CH2M Hill Hanford Group, the contractor in charge of the tank cleanup program, of any criminal conduct involving ammonia vapor readings at the tank farm.

“The facts developed during the investigation did not substantiate criminal misconduct relating to alleged cover-ups of vapor readings,” Friedman wrote. The investigation produced “conflicting testimony” on the issue, but investigators could find “no independent corroborating evidence” to support the charges, he wrote.

Based on worker complaints, the Government Accountability Project in September 2003 listed 45 incidents of workers exposed to chemical vapors from underground tanks. In a previous report the IG said it had found two of the 45 incidents improperly classified and nonreportable.

Spokesmen for CH2M Hill Hanford Group were out of their offices Wednesday and unavailable for comment. HEHF spokeswoman Jan McKee did not immediately return a call for comment.