Emergency
Management
Course No.
141.01
PANTEX EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IS IN
PLACE TO PROTECT PEOPLE, PROPERTY, AND THE
ENVIRONMENT
1. State Terminal Objective:
Upon completion of this course, the trainee will describe the purpose of the Pantex Plant Emergency Management Program, how to report abnormal conditions/events, objectives of the Emergency Response Organization (ERO), how emergency notifications are made, and requirements necessary for the implementation of protective actions and protective measures.
2. State Enabling Objectives:
EO1 Identify the Purpose of the Emergency Management Program.
EO2 Describe the Responsibilities to Report Abnormal Conditions, Events, Occurrences, and Emergencies.
EO3 Describe the Notification of an Operational Emergency/Continuity Event Process. EO4 Identify Protective Actions.
EO5 Define Necessary Actions for Shelter for Severe Weather.
EO6 Define Necessary Actions for Shelter for Hazardous Material Release. EO7 Define Necessary Actions for Shelter for Security Event.
EO8 Define Necessary Actions for Evacuation. EO9 Identify the Personnel Accountability Process
EO10 Define Potential Weather Warnings and Announcements. EO11 Identify Actions for a Bomb Threat.
EO12 Identify Actions if a Suspicious Package is found.
EO1: Identify the Purpose of the Emergency Management Program.
The purpose of the Pantex Emergency Management Program is to develop and maintain the capabilities necessary to create or produce acceptable levels of protection for the health and safety of workers, emergency responders, the public, the environment, and the national security, in the event of an emergency at the Pantex Plant.
Emergencies/natural disasters/accidents are unpredictable and happen all the time; however, the public relies on the government to function NO MATTER WHAT. The government (federal, state, or local) and private sector organizations provide basic necessities, or essential functions, to the public, such as utility systems (i.e., water, gas electrical, telephone system), the financial banking system, transportation, and emergency response (i.e., fire and police). Continuity of Operations (COOP) is the program that ensures essential functions are
government to provide vital services, exercise civil authority, maintain the safety of the general public, and sustain the industrial/economic base during an emergency.
Emergencies that can affect the Pantex Plant or the ten-mile radius of the plant (ten-mile Emergency Planning Zone [EPZ]) include Operational Emergencies. An Operational Emergency is defined as a major unplanned or abnormal event/condition that involves or affects plant facilities and activities by causing or having the potential to cause serious health and safety or environmental impacts. These types of emergencies require time-urgent
notification to initiate response activities at locations beyond the event scene to supplement the initial response.
Some examples of emergencies at Pantex are:
• Tornado that causes significant damage to Pantex facilities, with confirmed or suspected personnel injury or death.
• A hazardous material release or chemical release that has the potential to cause, serious detrimental effects on personnel and/or the environment.
• Terrorist attack (i.e., sabotage event, kidnapping, or hostage-taking) involving the Pantex Plant or Pantex operations.
Certain emergencies and events may trigger a continuity event that requires a COOP response. Continuity events include natural phenomena, pandemic/epidemic events, intentional chemical releases, cyber attacks, and/or detonation of an improvised nuclear device.
The Pantex Plant, as well as other government agencies, is also expected to ensure essential functions can be performed even during a catastrophic emergency. These functions, known as Mission Essential Functions (MEFs), are outlined in the Continuity Program, and include maintaining:
• Safety and security of nuclear materials.
• Nuclear weapon incident response through national asset teams (i.e., Accident Response Group [ARG] and Radiological Assistance Program [RAP]).
Several Essential Supporting Activities (ESAs) are required to ensure the MEFs can be continued. An organization’s capability to perform its essential functions has its foundation in the following supportive structures:
• Leadership must support continuity planning and ensure continuity of essential functions.
• Staff must be trained/cross-trained to perform duties in a continuity environment. o Orders of Succession and Delegations of Authority must be developed for
key/essential personnel.
o Vital records (necessary procedures and documentation) must be available and accessible at an off-site location.
• Facilities must be adequate, with separate locations, to assure execution of essential functions.
• If facilities are heavily affected, command and control can be devolved to another location.
• Communications (systems and technology) must be interoperable, robust, and reliable.
Most continuity event scenarios include the same type of emergencies noted in the Emergency Management Program; however, the difference is that continuity considers emergencies on a larger scale that can halt operations, leaving destruction so wide-spread that either the infrastructure or human capital are extinct or extremely incapacitated. Additional hazards planned for in the Continuity Program include pandemic/ epidemic and cyber-attack. MEFs, ESAs, continuity of operations, and other elements of the Continuity Program, are outlined in EM-PLN-0034.
EO2: Describe the Responsibilities to Report Abnormal Conditions, Events, Occurrences, and Emergencies.
All Pantex Plant personnel, regardless of their employer or contracting tier, should take appropriate actions when any unsafe or out-of-the-ordinary adverse condition has been discovered or reported at the plant.
These actions include, but are not limited to:
• Take appropriate actions to assure plant personnel safety.
• Warn other personnel in the immediate area of unsafe conditions.
• Take actions to isolate the unsafe condition, if appropriate.
• Notify your supervisor of any unsafe condition and contact the appropriate plant emergency services function:
o Assist co-workers and other personnel with implementation of protective actions, especially those persons who have special needs, if necessary. Emergency Services Dispatch Center for Fire or Medical
Emergency Extension 3333
Operations Center for Abnormal Events Extension 5000 Radiation Safety for Radiation Alarms/Concerns Extension 5555
• Follow directions provided by emergency response personnel or as communicated via: - Public Address (PA) announcement.
- Alpha-numeric page. - Two-way radio.
- Outdoor warning sirens activation (personnel should seek additional information as to whether the sirens were activated for severe weather or a hazardous
materials/radiological release.
• Take appropriate actions to preserve conditions for continued investigation so long as these actions do not interfere with safety.
While the above-mentioned notification systems should provide warning to the vast majority of plant personnel and visitors, each individual must exercise common sense and general safety awareness. For example, if you are working outdoors or preparing to work outdoors with a storm approaching and you are not aware of any weather warnings, contact your supervisor or the OC, extension 5000, to confirm if there are any weather warnings in effect at the current time. Safety is everyone’s responsibility.
NOTE: The designated point of contact (POC) for visitors or subcontractors working on the site must coordinate a communication method to notify visitors or subcontractors who are working in remote areas not covered by warning systems.
EO3: Describe the Notification of an Operational Emergency/Continuity Event Process.
The notification process is an essential element of response, especially in the event of an Operational Emergency or continuity event. Initial emergency notifications must be made promptly, accurately and effectively to workers and emergency response
personnel/organizations, appropriate DOE/NNSA elements, and other federal, state, and local organizations and authorities. The following communications systems are used to complete on-site and off-site notifications:
• Pantex Communicator System
• Alphanumeric Paging System/Inforad Paging System
• Telephone System
• PA System
• Two-way Radio System
• Facsimile Machines
• Outdoor Warning System
The 24/7 Pantex Operations Center (OC) is the focal point for emergency event response and subsequently, the Plant Shift Superintendent (PSS) is responsible for recalling the Emergency Response Organization/ Continuity Emergency Response Team (ERO/CERT) and notifying off-site agencies of an Operational Emergency or continuity event. If the consequences associated with an emergency event dictate protection of the public, additional notifications are initiated with federal, state, and local jurisdictions.
EO4: Identify Protective Actions
Protective actions are designed to protect the health and safety of Pantex workers and the public; subsequently, employees are required to implement protective actions when instructed by the OC, supervisors/managers, or emergency response personnel. Building Managers/Facility Representatives, supervisors, or Building Wardens are responsible for
ensuring (to the extent possible without endangering themselves) that building/facility personnel have properly responded. Adherence to protective actions is expected of all employees and offers protection for both the employee and the Pantex Plant.
Regardless of the protective action announced, personnel in the affected area should:
• Stop work.
• Attempt to secure classified materials/systems/repositories, if it can be done swiftly and safely.
• If time permits, move to the best available shelter location immediately.
• Cease operations, cease transportation activities, and place materials in a safe and stable configuration.
All personnel should:
• Avoid the Area of the potential emergency condition.
• Remain alert to implement additional protective actions.
In all cases of initiation of protective actions, personnel must not leave the shelter area or re-enter a building/facility unless the “All Clear” has been given or directed by emergency response personnel.
Protective actions must be promptly and effectively implemented to minimize emergency-related consequences and include:
• Avoid the Area - used to keep plant personnel away from a potential abnormal event or emergency condition during the initial emergency response phase.
• Shelter for Severe Weather - used to protect personnel from the potential impact of a tornado or other weather phenomena.
• Shelter for Hazardous Material Release - used to minimize the exposure of threatened personnel to dangerous chemical or radiological materials.
• Shelter for Security Event - used to limit movement and protect personnel and national assets from adversarial conditions.
• Evacuate - used to move personnel from a hazardous condition to a safe location (i.e., muster station).
EO5: Define Necessary Actions for Shelter for Severe Weather
Shelter for Severe Weather is communicated to plant personnel when the National Weather Service (NWS) issues a Tornado Warning for Carson County or any of the eight surrounding counties with the storm’s track moving towards Pantex or report of a tornado, funnel cloud, or rotating wall cloud near the Pantex Plant by plant personnel.
The Shelter for Severe Weather protective action is designed to put plant personnel in the safest location available, in the shortest amount of time, given the unpredictable nature and
rapid onset of severe weather that is currently producing, or has the potential to produce, a tornado.
The national average for tornado warning lead time is 12 minutes. However, one of the most alarming aspects of tornadoes is their randomness. Your best defense is to be alert and prepared. Personnel should monitor the weather conditions, know the shelter locations for their area and be prepared to take decisive action.
Once the announcement has been made to “Shelter for Severe Weather” the weather
conditions may be so severe that personnel will not be able to change locations. It is safer to go to the center of a modular trailer than be caught in a tornado while outdoors trying to get to a more substantial building.
For buildings without identified shelter locations, the safest place is on the lowest floor, in a small room in the interior portion of the building, (center hallways, restrooms, or closets are often the most reinforced part of a building), away from exterior doors and windows. Put as many walls as possible between the shelter locations and the outside of the building to provide additional protection.
Once Shelter for Severe Weather is announced, perform the following actions:
• If time permits, move to the best available severe weather shelter location immediately.
• Once you are in the safest location:
- Protect yourself under a sturdy object, such as a heavy table or under stairs. - Hold on to the sturdiest object available.
- Assume a tornado protection position (on your knees curled into a ball position with your hands over your head).
• If working outdoors or while traveling in a vehicle and a tornado is approaching: - Stop work.
- Seek out the best available shelter in the immediate area of your location. - If time does not permit movement to shelter, abandon the vehicle, lie flat in a
nearby ditch or depression, and cover your head with your hands. Be aware of potential flooding.
EO6: Define Necessary Actions for Shelter for Hazardous Material Release.
Shelter for Hazardous Material Release minimizes the exposure of the threatened personnel to the dangerous chemical or radiological material(s) by using a structure and its indoor atmosphere to temporarily separate people from a hazardous outdoor atmosphere. Personnel may still be in the endangered area, but will be protected by the barrier created by the shelter and the short-term protection of its indoor atmosphere.
Building Wardens have been identified and trained for occupied facilities to assist with the implementation of facility-level protective actions and informing occupants about shelter locations.
Response:
Buildings/facilities occupants must:
• Stop work and attempt to secure classified materials/systems/repositories, if it can be done swiftly and safely.
• Go inside or stay inside.
• Turn off air conditioning, heating, and air handling units that draw in outside air. Close vents if possible.
• Close as many interior windows and doors as possible while moving to a Shelter for Hazardous Material Release location (typically an interior room within a building or structure). Place as many barriers as possible between you and the outdoor environment.
• Take advanced measures to reduce infiltration if possible. After closing windows and doors such: placing plastic sheeting over windows and vents, applying tape over electrical outlets, around doors, and other openings to reduce the air flow.
• Refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, applying cosmetics, using tobacco products, or chewing gum.
o Individuals required to take prescription medication should take the medications, if necessary, but are required to notify the OC and Occupational Medicine Department (OMD) following release from Shelter for Hazardous Material Release protective actions.
• If personnel attempt to enter the building, allow them to come in, but segregate potentially contaminated personnel to avoid potential cross-contamination.
• Maximize your safety by minimizing movement within the site.
• Personnel in vehicles should roll up the windows and close vents that draw in outside air, including heaters and air-conditioners, and proceed to a safe area upwind from the event. EO7: Define Necessary Actions for Shelter for Security Event.
Shelter for Security Event is a protective action involving a series of protective measures that protect national security assets and limit the exposure of plant personnel to adverse impacts.
Plant personnel must be attentive to public address (PA) announcements, pager messages, and instructions from Security personnel or other emergency responders, and implement the directed actions as quickly as possible.
After a “Shelter for Security Event” announcement, personnel should initiate the following response:
Response:
• Report to, or remain at, your designated shelter location.
• Implement personnel and/or material accountability if directed by the OC or emergency response personnel.
• Implement Deny Access protective measures, if applicable to your work location.
• Secure access to shelter location, if possible.
• Stay clear of doors and windows.
• Contact the OC, extension 5000, to report suspicious personnel or activities. EO8: Define Necessary Actions for Evacuation.
Evacuation is used to remove personnel from a geographical area (usually a building) that is either being impacted or is expected to be impacted by an emergency event. When a
building/facility evacuation is necessary, personnel should evacuate to the safest, nearest muster station. Muster station maps are posted at prominent locations throughout facilities and are also located on the Pantex Plant Intranet. Personnel should know the muster station locations for the buildings where they typically work. Muster stations have telephones and rosters (PX-970) to provide communications and personnel accountability capability in an emergency.
Response
• Evacuate the building using the safest and fastest route possible, avoiding the area of the emergency condition to the greatest extent possible.
• Travel to the nearest, safest muster station, preferably a location upwind from the emergency condition.
• Follow the directions on the PX-970 for accountability purposes. Use of blank paper, other writing materials, or verbally communicating accountability is acceptable.
• Provide the PX-970 information to the OC via telephone at extension 5000.
- If possible fax (extensions 5037 or 5039) the PX-970 immediately, if not, fax at the earliest and safest opportunity.
• Follow any directions or instructions from emergency responders, supervisors or the OC.
• Do not attempt to reenter an evacuated building.
Once personnel report to a muster station, the Supervisor and/or Building Warden must coordinate accountability of buildings occupants, visitors, and others as quickly and
accurately as possible. Timely and accurate accountability can prevent the initial emergency responders (i.e., firefighters) from conducting a needless, and potentially hazardous, search and rescue mission, while ensuring the safety of evacuees.
If zone/site evacuation is ordered, emergency responders will make every effort to initiate the protective action in a controlled manner to facilitate rapid implementation. To ensure your safety, you must follow instructions and directions from emergency response personnel to avoid potential delays in evacuation. During zone/site evacuations, personnel may be required to travel to a designated evacuation destination/off-site location using the identified transportation method (i.e., personal or company vehicles, off-site agency buses, etc.)
Evacuation from an impacted facility requires personnel accountability as a critical step in the protective action process.
All DOE/NNSA sites are subject to this basic workplace safety requirement, which is generally considered satisfied if designated personnel (e.g., Building Managers, supervisors, etc.) verify that no one remains inside an evacuated building and all evacuees meet at
designated locations outside the impacted building for an informal headcount. Each facility must establish complete accountability of personnel within 30 to 45 minutes from the recognition and categorization/classification of an emergency event.
The objective of accountability procedures is to ensure that search, rescue, and/or assistance efforts can be initiated promptly to provide for the safety of building/facility personnel who may be injured, trapped, or unaware of the emergency condition.
Once personnel have evacuated to the muster station, the information on the completed PX-970 is faxed, hand carried, or verbally relayed to the OC. If a fax machine is not readily available, personnel must use caution en route to the nearest location with a fax machine. If conditions are too hazardous for personnel to leave the muster station, communicate verbally with the OC.
Although plant-wide accountability is not a specific program requirement, there are situations and/or strategic decisions where plant accountability information would be beneficial to the Emergency Manager.
The Pantex Personnel Accountability System (PPAS) is an electronic system that facilitates accountability of plant personnel.
Once personnel have been notified to initiate personnel accountability procedures, perform the following steps:
On unclassified computer: On classified computer, through the mainframe, by:
• Open the Pantex Intranet homepage,
• Click on the Quick Links - Personnel Accountability
• Enter badge number
• Confirm badge number
• Allowing others to account for themselves
• Exiting the PPAS
• Selecting option "P"
• Entering PPASCode of 7777
• Entering badge number
• Allowing others to account for themselves
• Exiting the PPAS
If personnel are unable to access a computer or the network is inoperable, contact your
immediate supervisor, or administrative assistant. Contact the OC for accountability only as a last resort.
EO9: Identify the Personnel Accountability Process
Personnel accountability is a critical step in the protective action process, especially in conjunction with evacuation from an impacted facility. All sites are subject to this basic workplace safety requirement, which is generally considered satisfied if designated personnel (e.g., Building Managers, supervisors, etc.) verify that no one remains inside an evacuated building and all evacuees meet at designated locations outside the impacted building for an informal headcount. Each facility must establish complete accountability of personnel within
30 to 45 minutes from the recognition and categorization/classification of an emergency event.
The objective of accountability procedures is to ensure that search, rescue, and/or assistance efforts can be initiated promptly to provide for the safety of building/facility personnel who may be injured, trapped, or unaware of the emergency condition.
Once personnel have evacuated to the muster station, the information on the completed PX-970 is faxed, hand carried, or verbally relayed to the OC. If a fax machine is not readily available, personnel must use caution en route to the nearest location with a fax machine. If conditions are too hazardous for personnel to leave the muster station, communicate verbally with the OC.
Although plant-wide accountability is not a specific program requirement, there are situations and/or strategic decisions where plant accountability information would be beneficial to the Emergency Manager.
The Pantex Personnel Accountability System (PPAS) is an electronic system that facilitates accountability of plant personnel. Once personnel have been notified to initiate personnel accountability procedures, perform the following steps:
On unclassified computer: On classified computer, through the mainframe, by:
• Open the Pantex Intranet homepage,
• Click on the Quick Links - Personnel Accountability
• Enter badge number
• Confirm badge number
• Allowing others to account for themselves
• Exiting the PPAS
• Selecting option "P"
• Entering PPASCode of 7777
• Entering badge number
• Allowing others to account for themselves
• Exiting the PPAS
If personnel are unable to access a computer or the network is inoperable, contact your
immediate supervisor, or administrative assistant. Contact the OC for accountability only as a last resort.
In the event of site relocation, the designated evacuation relocation site would be announced prior to initiating a site evacuation, and would depend upon availability of the facility, time of the event, type of event, and number of evacuees. A baseline electronic accountability will be conducted prior to evacuation or accountability will be performed as personnel are exiting the Pantex Plant by collection of badges or at the evacuation relocation site via badge scan or signing a roster with subsequent comparison to the emergency notification listing of plant personnel. The method used for accountability will be communicated to personnel at the time of evacuation.
Defining Announcements by The National Weather Service (NWS).
NWS provides watches and warnings depending upon the severity of the weather conditions. NWS defines watches and warnings as follows:
Watch - A watch is used when the risk of hazardous weather has increased significantly, but its occurrence, location, and/or timing is still uncertain. It is intended to provide enough lead time so that those who need to set their plans in motion can do so.
Warning - A warning is issued when hazardous weather is occurring, is imminent, or has a very high probability of occurring. A warning is used for conditions posing a threat to life or property.
While tornados generate an enhanced focus with the implementation of the Shelter for Severe Weather protective action, other hazards associated with severe weather can be just as
dangerous and deadly. Severe thunderstorms, lightning, heavy rains, high winds, and hail can pose significant safety hazards to personnel.
The following warnings (except for the tornado warning) have no specific general plant personnel protective actions associated with them, but provide a precursor to additional potential weather warnings. However, all personnel should use caution when going/working outdoors and contact your supervisor for further direction.
Lightning Warnings Lightning strikes are within 35 miles of the Pantex Plant.
Lightning Warnings with Personnel Safety Conditions
Plant personnel should remain indoors, lightning strikes are within 10 miles of the Pantex Plant.
Severe Weather Warning for High Winds High winds are forecast to the Pantex Plant. Severe Weather Warning with Personnel
Safety Conditions for High Winds
Plant personnel should remain indoors, sustained wind and wind gusts are 50+ mph.
Severe Thunderstorm *Watch
Plant personnel should use caution when going outdoors and remain alert for possible severe weather warnings.
Severe Thunderstorm *Warning All plant personnel should remain indoors.
Tornado *Watch Plant personnel should remain alert for
possible severe weather and remain indoors. Tornado *Warning Plant personnel are to Seek Shelter for
Severe Weather immediately. EO11: Identify Actions for a Bomb Threat.
• Be calm and courteous.
• Listen to the caller.
• Do not interrupt the caller.
• Extract basic information from caller, if possible, and record information on a PX-2882. If the bomb threat is in a written message:
• Avoid further unnecessary handling of materials.
• Save all materials including envelope, packaging, or container.
• Preserve evidence as effectively as possible to protect things like fingerprints, handwriting, postal marks, and paper.
• Record method by which threat was received.
• Call Security at extension 3922 to report the threat.
• Call the OC at extension 5000 to report the threat.
• Provide all requested information to the OC.
• Follow instructions given by the OC or Security. EO12: Identify Actions if Suspicious Package is Found.
If an unknown, unidentified, or suspicious package is discovered in the workplace, personnel discovering the package should ask other personnel in the immediate area if they can identify the package. DO NOT MOVE or DISTURB THE ITEM or allow others to do so unless they can identify the package. If the package is identified, the owner/identifier should stow it away and/or label it appropriately.
If no one in the immediate area can identify the package, then:
• Secure the area, and notify the Building Manager/Facility Representative.
• Notify all personnel in the building/area and ask them to attempt to identify the package. If the package is still not identified then:
• Leave suspect package undisturbed.
• Notify the OC at extension 5000 of the unattended/unidentified package.
• Describe the package’s appearance and/or type (briefcase, box, etc.) and location. Be as specific as possible when identifying the location.
• If the item is found in a vehicle, give the type, color, license plate, personal or government vehicle, distance and direction from an identifiable location.
• If the item is found in building, give building number, office number and location within the office.
• Stop work.
• Secure classified.
• Evacuate to the nearest/safest muster station.
• Follow all instructions from the Plant Shift Superintendent (PSS)
Do not return to the work area until the “All Clear” has been provided by the OC or emergency responder.
