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Washington Closure Hanford Reaches Six Million Hours of Safe Work

01.04.2012

RICHLAND, Wash.—Washington Closure Hanford and its subcontractor employees working on the River Corridor Closure Project have worked six million hours without a lost workday injury for the first time since the project started in August 2005.  Washington Closure is the U.S. Department of Energy’s first D&D contractor to reach the six-million-hour milestone.

“This safety achievement reflects our employees’ dedication to a strong safety culture,” said Carol Johnson, Washington Closure president and project manager.  “Our continued focus on worker safety, disciplined operations, and looking out for one another will help us successfully finish our cleanup work and meet DOE’s 2015 Vision.”

Managed by Washington Closure, the River Corridor Closure Project is DOE’s largest environmental cleanup closure site in the nation.  Located near the banks of the Columbia River in southeastern Washington state, the river corridor covers 220 square miles or an area the size of Chicago.

Washington Closure is a limited liability company owned by URS, Bechtel National and CH2MHill.  The 10-year, $2.3 billion project is 82 percent complete and on track for closure by 2015. When completed, Washington Closure will officially become the first Hanford site contractor to complete and close out its contract.

Washington Closure is responsible for cleaning up 555 waste sites, demolishing 329 contaminated buildings, placing two plutonium production reactors and one nuclear facility in interim safe storage, and operating the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility.  To date, more than 6.5 million tons of waste material has been moved away from the Columbia River and safely disposed at ERDF.

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