Work halted over emergency response concerns after Hanford worker dies

Work stopped at the Hanford nuclear site tank farms in Eastern Washington for much of Thursday over emergency response concerns following the death of a worker last week.

The Hanford Atomic Metal Trades Council reportedly called a halt to work midmorning Thursday. The union group could not be reached for comment late Thursday afternoon.

The stop-work order was lifted in the late afternoon after concerns were resolved.

Hanford Mission Information Solutions, the Hanford site contractor in charge of emergency services, said there was no issue with the response time when the worker, Bryan Foster, died and that the response was well within standards.

There was no evidence to indicate that the emergency response contributed to the worker’s death.

“Despite the best efforts of his co-workers and first responders, he passed away,” said Phil Breidenbach, chief operating officer of Hanford Tank Waste Operations and Closure in a message to staff last week.

At issue in the stop-work order was the Hanford Fire Department’s dispatch computer system, which may not readily identify some tank farms, or areas with groups of underground tanks storing radioactive and hazardous chemical waste.

The computer system largely uses buildings rather than tank areas to help identify locations.

The issue was resolved with an agreement to add buildings associated with certain tank farms to the dispatch system to make sure emergency responders have the best possible location information on the sprawling, 580-square-mile site north of Richland.

Hanford workers may call a stop to work if they believe conditions exist that pose a danger to the health and safety of workers or the public.

The Hanford nuclear site has 177 underground tanks to store radioactive and highly hazardous waste until it can be treated for disposal.

The waste is left from the past production of plutonium for the nation’s nuclear weapons program.

On March 26, Foster, a nuclear chemical operator, collapsed and died while in a supply vehicle at the Hanford tank farms.

His cause of death was not immediately determined in an autopsy arranged by Benton County Coroner Bill Leach, but there is no indication that it was work related.

A GoFundMe has been started at bit.ly/4bNWZ0W to help his wife and 4-year-old daughter.

“(Foster) was a dedicated employee at Hanford, a friend to many, and most importantly, a loving husband and dad,” says the fundraiser. “His passing has left an unimaginable void in the lives of those who loved him most.”

Money raised will be used to cover immediate expenses, daily living costs and give his family time to grieve without added financial stress.