Officials from the EM Office of River Protection (ORP) and Hanford Atomic Metal Trades Council were on hand for the recent ribbon-cutting of a new workshop for craft workers supporting the tank waste storage and treatment mission at the Hanford Site.
Office of Environmental Management
June 14, 2022
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RICHLAND, Wash. – Officials from the EM Office of River Protection (ORP) and Hanford Atomic Metal Trades Council were on hand for the recent ribbon-cutting of a new workshop for craft workers supporting the tank waste storage and treatment mission at the Hanford Site.
Tank operations contractor Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) teamed with craft workers, starting with the design phase, to make sure the new Multi-Craft Maintenance Facility that replaces multiple smaller facilities would meet their needs.
Watch a video on the opening of the Multi-Craft Maintenance Facility here.
WRPS project managers recently gave ORP representatives a firsthand look at how the building layout improves efficiency by providing craft spaces for workers under the same roof.
“This facility plays an important role in moving Hanford Site projects forward, including our preparation to treat tank waste under the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste Program,” said Jim Lynch with the ORP tank farms program division. “Having a centralized location for the crafts improves efficiency and creates a greater sense of collaboration.”
The 27,000-square-foot facility allows projects to transition easily from craft-to-craft workspaces within the building. As many as 100 people could be working in the facility throughout any given day, including electricians, carpenters, tool crib attendants, painters and insulators, pipefitters and millwrights, and instrument technicians.
“The craftspeople haven’t all been in the facility yet, but those who have stopped in have been really happy with what they’ve seen,” said Jim Klos, WRPS maintenance programs manager. “We appreciate their involvement throughout the project.”
Environmental considerations influenced some features of the building, including repurposing excess equipment from contractor Hanford Mission Integration Solutions. Leftover building materials will also be repurposed for future building projects.
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