Subcontractor Conducted Unaccredited Asbestos Training at the Idaho National Laboratory
October 31, 2024
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October 28, 2024
Subcontractor Conducted Unaccredited Asbestos Training at the Idaho National Laboratory
The Office of Inspector General received an allegation that D&D Environmental Consulting, Inc. (D&D), a subcontractor for Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA), conducted asbestos training without Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or state accreditation at the Idaho National Laboratory over a 10-year period. The EPA requires asbestos training be conducted by the EPA or partner-state accredited instructors. This is critical to ensure that asbestos professionals receive accurate safety information when working with asbestos.
We initiated this inspection to determine the facts and circumstances regarding the allegation that D&D conducted unaccredited asbestos training at the Idaho National Laboratory.
We substantiated the allegation that D&D conducted unaccredited asbestos training for BEA employees. Specifically, from February 2015 through May 2022, D&D conducted 8,000 hours of uncertified training for 236 BEA asbestos professionals. This occurred because D&D failed to keep its asbestos training accreditation current despite contractual and regulatory requirements, and BEA did not verify that D&D maintained current accreditation as an asbestos trainer. Finally, BEA’s decision to begin asbestos refresher training with a new subcontractor was not sufficient under EPA regulations.
This report contains four recommendations that, if fully implemented, should help ensure that Idaho National Laboratory employees receive fully accredited asbestos training in the future. Management concurred with the findings and recommendations and agreed to take action to address each of our recommendations. Management’s proposed corrective actions are consistent with our recommendations; therefore, a management decision is not required.