Dept. of Energy report: INL unsafe with explosives

The U.S. Department of Energy says the Idaho National Laboratory is not living up to expectations when it comes to management of explosives.

The findings of an intensive inspection by the department’s inspector general says the lab hasn’t been safe with potentially devastating explosives.

“It’s something we’re taking very seriously,” INL spokesman Eathan Huffman said of the audit. “In this particular case, they disagreed with the policies and procedures we have in place for how we transport and handle and inspect explosives that are coming in for research activities at the INL.”

“The INL performed explosive shipment inspections during peak traffic hours at populated main gates rather than at remote area and or during non-peak traffic hours,” according to the July 2 memo. “Idaho inspection procedures could potentially allow inspection handlers to return unsafe explosive shipments to public highways, possibly exposing the general public to hazardous conditions.”

“All of our safety and security experts are taking a look at this report,” said Huffman. “Most of them just got it on Monday was the first time they were beginning to read it.”

Richard Provencher, the director of the department’s Idaho Operations Office, didn’t mention the audit in a speech to the Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday. He said management has been aware of the results of the audit.

“(It) was an audit that was performed by the IG about a year ago,” said Provencher. “So we’ve known about the issues they identified for quite sometime now.”

Provencher said he believes the necessary precautions have already been taken. At this point, he said, it’s merely a formal response that needs to take place.

The full report is posted with this story. (You may have to switch to full-screen view on a mobile device.)