Y-12 Blog
Y-12 has an improved fire protection system after employees recently completed an extensive eight year plant wide effort to replace more than 9,850 sprinkler heads in six site facilities.
Completion of the $46 million 50 year safety-significant sprinkler head replacement project means that those facilities can continue to meet fire protection requirements. The replacements reduce the risk of the site’s fire protection systems from high to low risk and improve Y-12’s long term operations capability.
Mike Gilmartin, the construction manager, and General Foreman Terry Wilson saw the project from start to finish.
Gilmartin said, “I was involved from the beginning planning and execution on all of the sprinkler heads — up until this last one that completed the project. Construction personnel accomplished a significant safety [milestone] as much of the work was highly elevated, requiring employees to work 10 to 50 feet off the building surfaces. The team worked many 13 day straight workweeks without any safety issues.”
“It was great to see our team performing the sprinkler work while minimizing impacts to mission critical facility production activities,” Wilson said. “Throughout the process several folks displayed participative decision making. They were actively involved in sharing ideas during the planning phase for each system. At the same time, craft participated during field work activities by identifying safety concerns and issues for potential to cause delays, so these items could be worked out without any delay to the project.”
Chris Hammonds, project manager since 2016, said, “Terry played a major part in the overall planning and execution during my tenure on the project. The sprinkler fitter crew provided superior support and performance throughout the effort.”
CNS coordinated the work that involved 20 individual wet pipe systems with more than 12 separate departments using integrated project teams to minimize the impact to ongoing facility operations.
Program manager Cliff Hastings, who worked on the project for five years, saw a lot of work take place.
“I think the most significant accomplishment was the team developing the ability to be mobilized and working different phases of projects in multiple facilities at the same time,” he said. “Some of the team might have been erecting scaffolding in preparation for an outage in one facility, while actively replacing credited sprinkler heads in a different facility, and also shipping waste and closing out drawings in possibly yet another facility.”
The sprinkler heads, which were originally retrofitted to existing nuclear facilities beginning in the late 1960s, were at the end of their 50 year life. While testing a sampling of the fire protection systems may have given a 10-year reprieve on replacement, site leadership chose a longer term solution.
“The facilities that these sprinkler systems protect are essential to ensuring our nation’s security,” said Y-12 Site Manager Bill Tindal. “Therefore, we must take a long term view. Successful completion also provides a safer environment for our workers and increases confidence in our facilities to operate now and well into the future.”
Hastings saw the team demonstrate all CNS principles, but during the process, he felt one stood out: attention to detail.
“As work was being executed, the project team was able to identify multiple legacy deficiencies and get most of them repaired while the project was mobilized. This attention to detail resulted in the facility being left with a more sound and robust fire suppression system,” Hastings said.
Completion of this project brings Y-12’s facilities into compliance with National Fire Protection Association 25 Standard for safety significant systems.
“Replacing these credited fire suppression sprinkler heads has enabled many of our mission critical facilities to continue production operations with an improved margin of safety, without extensive and unnecessary interruptions or delays,” Hastings said.
Hammonds said, “This team completed the project as one and ensured it was completed safely and efficiently within schedule and budget.”
The 50 year sprinkler head replacement crew, pictured in 2016, works so close to ceilings that they must wear these special “bump caps” instead of hard hats. The team was recognized with a 2016 NNSA award for its work in Building 9204-2.
Y-12 completed the suspension and resumption of all operating areas, including canned subassembly production for the B61-12 program, within a six week window. |
Pausing and restarting production operations in a complex nuclear facility understandably poses significant challenges. Despite this, Y-12 was able to accomplish both the suspension and resumption of all operating areas, including canned subassembly production for the B61-12 program, within a six week window.
Y-12 began transitioning to reduced mission critical operations on April 6, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to keeping the workforce in a “ready state,” significant efforts were undertaken during the on site staffing reduction to ensure that equipment was also maintained in a ready state. This included the exercise of rotating equipment, ensuring processes were paused in favorable conditions, and continuing selected preventive maintenance.
“We understand our equipment — how it runs, what is needed to keep it running, and what actions to take to be sure we can quickly recover,” said Y-12 Site Manager Bill Tindal. “There are times in my history here where I would not have made that statement. Through our actions, we have proven our competence.”
After less than one month in reduced mission critical operations, ramp up activities began on May 4, with selected staff preparing the way for the rest of the workforce’s return. These activities included additional equipment preparation and implementation of COVID-19 controls.
On May 19, Y-12 completed restart of all operating areas that were paused, including CSA production for the B61-12. This rapid recovery also demonstrates the effectiveness of equipment and facility maintenance improvements over the last several years. The efforts of the integrated team that included Infrastructure, Engineering, Environment, Safety, and Health, and Production Operations contributed significantly to the efficient restart of all critical operations, which led to Y-12’s ability to meet FY20 mission deliverable schedules.
“We were faced with a challenge of implementing new infectious disease controls. But, true to our principle of participative decision making, we knew we had to bring the work force back on site in order to help define controls that would work for them,” Tindal said. “The engagement and creativity has been phenomenal.”
Take five minutes and learn about CNS's Susan Kozemko of Y-12 Criticality Safety Management and Integration. All views and opinions are the employee’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of CNS. |
For Susan Kozemko, an integrator for Y-12 Operations, setting high standards is woven into her work.
“I do not settle for a lesser standard to just get something done. I’ll hold the line when necessary to ensure the best product is delivered,” she said.
As recent focus directed toward the effects of COVID-19, Kozemko has been serving as a key player for the development of the Y-12 Pandemic Recovery plan. Along with Jeff Yarbrough, Y-12 deputy site manager, both Kozemko and the recovery team helped lead Y-12 from reduced mission critical phase to prevention phase, efficiently and safely.
“While most folks were working from home, I was planning when and how we could return employees to the site once conditions warranted a return,” she said.
When she isn’t working to direct recovery operations, Kozemko ensures that nuclear criticality safety principles are successfully implemented in their corresponding work processes. By supporting a variety of frontline production roles and organizations in uranium, lithium, explosives, and special nuclear materials areas, her internal scope has resulted in a much larger impact of the overall safety and security CNS provides for the nation.
“The more you know about each job and how each fits into the bigger picture, the more you will understand how you can contribute to the overall mission,” she said.
What work advice would you offer to someone who is new to Pantex or Y-12?
Get involved. Find something you are passionate about and try new things. Do not be satisfied with staying in one position for many years; reach out and expand your knowledge base. Accept each day as a learning experience, grasp the opportunity, and be humble.
What is one thing your coworkers would be surprised to know about you?
I’ve climbed Ayer’s Rock in the outback of Australia. On that same trip, I fought off kangaroos looking for a snack, held a koala bear, and experienced the awe of penguins parading from the ocean to shore at sunset.
I am also a large advocate of professional licensure for engineers. I obtained my license in South Carolina in 1996 and worked my way through all the local chapter offices and state offices with the South Carolina Society of Professional Engineers.
What does mission success mean to you?
Everyone working together to meet common goals and delivering the best products that CNS is tasked with delivering. Being able to contribute to the safety and security of the United States is something that I am very proud to be a part of, and doing it time again with high fidelity is truly mission success.
As an employee, what do you want to be remembered for during this time in your career?
Helping out with the challenges that face CNS. I want to be remembered as one who is willing to accept change, adapt to new environments and work practices, and make things better for all involved.
What CNS principle drives you to be successful?
Make the right decision for the right reasons. Those who know me, understand that I may not be 100% correct in every decision that I make, but I am willing to make a decision based on my past experiences and the information from others.
In recognition of working 30 days without a recordable injury at Y-12, the Site Manager’s Safety Council’s Safety Challenge for Charity donated $500 to extend community relief from COVID-19, in partnership with the East Tennessee Foundation’s Neighbor to Neighbor Disaster Relief Fund. Inspired by the act, ETF’s employees also came together to match Y-12’s donation.
Chosen by Y-12 Site Manager Bill Tindal, donating to ETF means broadening our support to represent the East Tennessee community.
“It’s important that we were able to select an organization that means a lot to our community and employees during this time,” Tindal said.
By serving on a grant based request basis, Neighbor to Neighbor Disaster Relief Fund’s program has been able to assess and target community needs throughout our 25 county region during the pandemic. From food, shelter, to utilities, the fund has supplied timely contributions to area non profits providing essential emergency services to affected community members.
“In times of crisis, it is especially crucial that our communities come together in support of our area,” said ETF President and CEO Michael McClamroch. “We are thankful for the support of Y-12’s Safety Challenge. The populations we serve are in desperate need of relief, and we are ready to get to work.”
While safety is one of the top priorities, the opportunity to provide for our community in crisis has the power to encourage maintaining safety precautions, and continue supporting those who need protection more than ever before.
“We hope that by doing this, it keeps people mindful to stay safe every day,” said Atomic Trades and Labor Council president Mike Thompson.
East Tennessee Foundation President and CEO Michael McClamroch (third from left) receives a $500 donation through Y-12’s Safety Challenge.
Mission Engineering is led by Gary Sanders, who has a wealth of experience within the nuclear weapons complex. |
Gary Sanders has led a unique and distinguished career, including stops at the Pentagon and the U.S. Department of Energy Headquarters, where he interacted with top defense brass and foreign nuclear agencies. However, as a child, he aimed higher.
“I always wanted to be an Air Force pilot,” Sanders recalled, “but they wouldn’t let me fly because of my vision.” Instead, he pursued a new path — nuclear engineering and reactor design.
“I never could have predicted all the opportunities I have had,” said Sanders, whose opt in attitude has kept him on the go. An engineering internship at Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory led to graduate school and Sandia National Laboratories, where he helped design the nuclear weapons that Pantex and Y-12 maintain and refurbish today. Fewer than 12 years after starting his career, Sanders had his first special assignment in Washington, D.C., which eventually resulted in multiple assignments with the Air Force.
“I still didn’t get to fly their planes, but I did get to improve the safety features of their nuclear weapons.”
Before joining CNS, Sanders and his wife thoroughly enjoyed two years of retirement. “We’d alternate between visiting mountains and beaches,” he recalled, noting that outside of work he likes to scuba dive and hike. “I also volunteered at the aquarium and really enjoyed raising multiple litters of puppies for the local animal shelter,” Sanders said.
Why are you mission success, and how was it proven during the sites’ reduced, mission critical operations?
Mission Engineering enables Pantex and Y-12 Operations. Production equipment must work, project teams need to be able to do their updates, nuclear safety has to be in place, and so much more. The sites literally cannot do their mission without us, and we are useless if they can’t use what we design and build.
During the reduced, mission critical status, the importance of Mission Engineering was proven yet again: Approximately 80% of the Pantex work to build and surveil weapons continued, and we had teams set up to help with their Safety Basis, tools and procedures. Virtually all of the Development work continued as mission essential, including work on purifying uranium, melting binary, performing readiness assessments of lithium technology, and much more. All Engineering support for the Uranium Processing Facility continued across multiple shifts, and most project engineering support continued, including using computer-aided design to perform designs from home.
How did your opinion of your work environment change as CNS sites were placed in reduced, mission critical status? What is your favorite aspect about your work environment?
The flexibility to perform a large degree of engineering design work remotely has been eye opening and only made possible by the heroic support of Information Solutions and Services. I believe teleworking will permanently change some of how we do business in the future to accommodate family dynamics.
As for my favorite aspect, hands down, it is not having to wear a suit and tie. I wore both for years in Washington, D.C., while working at the Pentagon. I brought only one suit with me when I moved to Tennessee.
As an employee, what do you want to be remembered for?
I can think of two things. First, asking two important questions: Why are we doing it this way, and can we do it better? And second, for reinforcing educational standards for Pantex and Y-12 Engineering positions. An engineering degree denotes a level of technical rigor that must be in place for certain aspects of our work.
What work advice would you offer someone who is new to Pantex and Y-12?
Be open to experiences and challenges — they will both come, and both provide opportunities. Also, visit or transfer between the sites. It’s important to understand the people and challenges at both locations.
What one thing would your coworkers be surprised to know about you?
I was not raised in the United States. My father worked for U.S. Steel, which took us to Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela, where I grew up.