Contractors Collaborate on Safety and Progress at Hanford’s 324 Building

RICHLAND, Wash. – EM Richland Operations Office (RL) contractors Central Plateau Cleanup Company (CPCCo) and Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS) are teaming up again to continue removing contaminated soil beneath the 324 Building, a former nuclear materials research facility on the Hanford Site.

CPCCo crews in protective gear recently finished installing the last of 13 vertical structural supports, called micropiles, to fortify the foundation under a hot cell in the 324 Building where remotely operated equipment will be used to cut through the floor and excavate the contaminated soil.

“Installing the micropiles is a significant accomplishment in this challenging project,” said Tim Trevis, CPCCo project manager. “I’m proud of our group’s teamwork and persistence to ensure a safe path forward.”

Key to safely installing the micropiles has been the continued use of mock-ups on the project. Such simulated work environments are frequently used at Hanford to allow employees to train and test equipment and procedures before performing work in a radiological environment.

As work on the micropiles wrapped up, a team at the Volpentest HAMMER Federal Training Center, managed by HMIS, met to practice repairing one of the overhead cranes in the building that workers will use to remotely clean out the contaminated hot cells. CPCCo radiological control technicians offered coaching and assistance as the team rehearsed the repairs. HAMMER stands for Hazardous Materials Management and Emergency Response.

“Utilizing the props at HAMMER allows workers to safely train and understand the tasks in a realistic, controlled environment,” said Brian Von Bargen, HMIS vice president of Interface & Integration Services. “This will translate to continued efficient work at the 324 Building that maintains the principle of minimizing radiation exposure.”

“I appreciate the excellent collaboration and organization among multiple contractors and crews to safely advance this work,” said Mark French, RL Projects and Facilities division director for Hanford’s Central Plateau Cleanup Project. “The sustained progress on projects like this reinforces the value of our collaborative One Hanford approach: everyone working toward a common goal to accomplish the cleanup mission.”

The 324 Building supported research on radioactive materials while operating from 1966 to 1996. Removing the contaminated soil under the facility is a priority in the Hanford cleanup mission, due to the building’s proximity to the Columbia River and the city of Richland.