DOE inspector general to review silica charges

Suzanne Struglinski

Friday, Feb. 20, 2004 | 10:30 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Allegations by a former employee of a Yucca Mountain contractor that she was ordered to change silica dust levels collected during tunneling operations will be reviewed by the Energy Department's inspector general's office.

On Feb. 19 the office received a copy of JudyKallas' deposition containing the allegations from Margaret Chu, the director of the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management. Kallas claimed she was forced to change her notes during a deposition on a gender discrimination lawsuit.

Chu wrote, "Because I take all allegations for record falsification and worker retaliation very seriously, I am requesting that you initiate an Inspector General review of the issue raised by Ms. Kallas regarding the recording of silica dust levels in 1996. Additionally, I would like for you to determine why DOE management was not informed of the allegation contained in Ms. Kallas's October 2002 deposition until February 17, 2004."

The inspector general's office has incorporated these allegations into its ongoing efforts examining the silica exposure, according to Wilma Slaughter, a spokeswoman for the inspector general.

In August 2003 the office had received information that during mining and tunnel work done 1990s Yucca Mountain employees may have been exposed to silica or other carcinogens, Slaughter said. This was added to other information received from Chu in January.

The department started a silicosis screening program last month for former Yucca Mountain Project employees who helped dig the tunnel for research related to the plans to store 77,000 tons of nuclear waste there. It will try to contact employees through work records so they can be tested for the disease.

In a letter sent to Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., this week, the department admitted that it knew of silicosis levels during the mining and tunneling work but did not enforce mandatory protection rules. Reid has requested the Labor Department look into the matter and wants a congressional hearing.

In her deposition Kallas complained about her Kiewit Construction supervisor making her change field notes on silica dust levels and the poor protection against the dust.

"Whatever you get on your samples is what it is. He would make me change my field notes," Kallas said. "So when the silica levels were high and you were supposed to slap respirators on these people, they weren't doing it. Then when they finally did do it, they would put these little respirators on that after you had them on for 20 minutes they would not seal against your face. They were like falling off."