Hanford Beryllium Exposure

Privacy/Security Notice Hanford Beryllium Exposure - Building 303-K Privacy & Security Notice

Hanford Facility Beryllium Fact Sheet

Building Number/Name:
Date prepared:
Responsible Contractor:
Contact:

303-K
August 10, 2001
FH-RCP
R. J. Kobelski

PAST OPERATIONS
Beryllium brought in facility: Yes
Form of beryllium: Sealed drums
Period of beryllium operations (dates): Start: 1977 End: 1982
Location(s) in facility that contained beryllium materials: No currently marked beryllium hazard areas were noted during the 1999 beryllium assessment.

Description of beryllium activities: This building, one of several buildings known as a Fresh Metal Storage Building, was built during World War II to store fresh metal (unirradiated uranium), uranium scrap, and chemicals. In 1953 it was upgraded and used as a decontamination facility for fuel fabrication equipment. Beginning in 1970, it was used as a radioactive and mixed waste storage facility. No documented beryllium activities were found for this facility. However, based on a 1995 Facility Closure Plan, drums of beryllium/Zircalloy-2 chips and fines were stored in the building before and after concreting the waste in the 304 Building.

Building monitoring data summary: None identified.
Personnel monitoring data summary: None identified.
Specify Engineering/Administrative controls used during operations: N/A

Maximum Estimated Past Be exposure: NONE

CURRENT OPERATIONS
Building still present: YES
Beryllium present: NO

Current building occupancy/activity: This building is currently unoccupied, with the north half being RCRA closed, and the entire building to be prepared for transfer to D& D.

1999 Study Results: An ambient air sample was collected on 6/17/99 in the southeast corner of 303K just north of the trench running along the south wall. A second air sample was collected on 6/23/99 in the center of the room just east of the trench running north-to-south. A personal air sample was also collected on 6/17/99 in the breathing zone of a technician while wipe sampling surfaces for beryllium. Results reported for these samples were below the Method Detection Limit (MDL) of 0.004 µg/m³and 0.013 µg/m³ for the ambient and personal air samples, respectively. Surface wipe samples were collected from 29 sites throughout the building on 6/17/99. Results reported for these samples were below the MDL of 0.5 mg/100 cm². Because there are no documented beryllium activities for 303K, there are no unsampled areas that should be considered as potentially contaminated with beryllium.

Maximum Estimated Current Be Exposure from Routine Activities: NONE

Basis for above information: Interviews with site workers and publication WHC-MR-0388; FDH beryllium assessment report, 303K Storage Facility Closure Plan, DOE/RL-90-04, Rev 2A.

Comments, including any additional information needed (specify): The Fuels Manufacturing Operation had very tight rules and monitoring requirements for beryllium. Although this building was used to store drums containing beryllium fines, there is no evidence of beryllium contamination ever being present in the building.

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For questions or comments, please send email to Elton_R_Hewitt@rl.gov