CVE

CVE projects focus on heat safety

Shannan Ryll — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 20:00:49 +0000

June 2024

As we roll into summer, temperatures are on the rise across the country. A record-setting “heat dome” settled across a large part of the U.S. as summer officially arrived June 21, with millions seeing air temperatures exceeding 90 degrees, and heat indices at or above 100 degrees.

VNS Federal Services and CTI and Associates, Inc. (CTI) through their U.S. Small Business Administration-approved joint venture, CTI-VNSFS Environmental, LLC (CVE), run two projects at U.S. Department of Energy sites where the temps have been soaring lately. Our people work outside on a regular basis, and steps are in place to keep them safe.

Chandy Lindberg, H&S Manager at the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility (ERDF) at the Hanford Site in Washington, said temps there typically start rising in June with highs in the mid-to upper-90s and moving into triple digits by July and August.

“We try and plan heavy work for the early morning hours and if it gets too hot, we will sometimes perform work over several days to minimize exposure to the heat in the afternoon. We also follow (industry standard) controls for managing exposure to heat which consist of work-rest regimes, physiological monitoring, optimizing communication of self-care when working in hot conditions and using the buddy system,” Lindberg said.

In Oak Ridge, Tennessee, CVE is involved in the construction of a perimeter security system. Typical outdoor work includes performing excavations, trenching, installing conduit or other security features. July to September can get really hot, said Michael Grant, Site Safety & Health Officer in Oak Ridge.

“To mitigate heat stress, we deploy several 10 by 10 (foot) canopy tents to be used as shade or cool-down areas. Each has a cooler packed with ice, water and electrolyte (powder) packs,” Grant said. “I personally keep a freezer full of Squencher popsicles that I deliver to our crew usually twice a day.”

As with all CVE project sites, “our crew members are trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of heat stress with the intent to look out for each other as the days get hotter,” Grant said.

As the temperatures go up, our bodies begin to adapt to the change. According to OSHA, 50-70 percent of outdoor fatalities occur in the first few days of working in warm or hot environments because the body needs to build a tolerance to the heat over time. The process of building this tolerance is called heat acclimatization. Even when temperatures don’t reach extreme highs, if your body has not adapted to the increasing temperature, then you may begin to experience heat stress symptoms.

There are occupational risk factors (work-related) and personal risk factors that can contribute to heat stress-related illnesses. Being mindful of these risk factors can be the difference between working safely in the heat and feeling ill when executing work. Examples of occupational risk factors include heavy workloads, hot work environments, lack of acclimatization, and wearing excessive PPE. Personal risk factors that may exacerbate heat stress can include medical conditions, medications, lack of physical fitness, alcohol/drug consumption, and previous episodes of heat-related illnesses.

Here are some ways to prevent heat-related illnesses this summer:

Plan ahead – Don’t be afraid to schedule breaks into your work shift; especially if you are performing heavy work or you are anticipating wearing multiple layers of PPE.

Hydrate – Drink plenty of water and electrolytes throughout your work shift. Come to work prepared by consuming plenty of water prior to executing work.
Engineering controls – Air conditioning, swamp coolers, shade tents, and cooling vests can all be used to help mitigate the risk of heat-related illnesses. While we can’t control the forecast, there are ways to control our worker’s work environment!
Identify heat illness symptoms – If you see something, say something! Being able to identify when somebody is at the early phases of feeling heat-related illnesses can prevent a serious injury. If you see a fellow worker experiencing heat stress then be sure to move them to a cool, shaded area and provide them with cold drinking water.

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CVE Completes PIDAS Project Milestone Ahead of Schedule

admin — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 06:22:20 +0000

Aug 2022

CTI-VNSFS Environmental, LLC, the contractor installing new sections of a security system at the Y-12 National Security Complex, recently completed a project milestone ahead of schedule. The joint venture company grew out of a Small Business Administration (SBA) Mentor-Protégé arrangement between CTI and Associates, Inc., and VNS Federal Services, which was approved by the SBA in July 2020.

The perimeter intrusion, detection and assessment system (PIDAS) project is part of an overall plan to shrink the high-security footprint of Y-12. It is part of a Security Infrastructure Revitalization Program (SIRP) at the Y-12 complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Y-12 is a government-owned facility managed by Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC (CNS) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC (NTESS) is the construction manager for the SIRP effort.

NTESS awarded the PIDAS contract to CTI-VNSFS Environmental in November 2021 and the DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) broke ground on the project in April (photo). “We’ve been planning some of these projects for several years, so it’s exciting to see them move to implementation,” said Teresa Robbins, NNSA Production Office manager, following the groundbreaking. “This modernization effort enhances our protection of this vital national security facility.”

Recently, CTI-VNSFS Environmental completed the first quadrant of the retaining wall for PIDAS ahead of schedule, according to Project Manager Michael Lamon. The company has also completed demolition and removal of the existing features, placement of fill materials and installation of security trenches. Good communication with project stakeholders has helped to optimize delivery and resolve potential issues well in advance of construction, Lamon said.

The PIDAS was first installed at Y-12 in 1988, but the age of the system is not the only driver for SIRP. According to the NNSA, the revitalization program incorporates modern technologies to enhance the already robust security system at Y-12. SIRP also includes security upgrades for key facilities and a new personnel and vehicle entry control facility that will better protect personnel from severe weather and improve the efficiency of entry and exit. SIRP also interfaces with other site upgrades, including the West End Protected Area Reduction Project (WEPAR), which broke ground in the spring of 2021. The goal of the $159.9 million WEPAR project, slated for completion in July 2025, is to improve the security posture of the Y-12 site while reducing future cleanup costs of large legacy production buildings by providing easier access to those buildings no longer requiring heightened security protection.

CTI-VNSFS Environmental expects to complete the PIDAS project (all testing and integration done) in the summer of 2024.

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ERDF fuel recycling initiative

admin — Sun, 24 Apr 2022 08:56:52 +0000

April 2022

VNSFS Innovation results in cost savings and environmental benefits

The staff at Hanford’s Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility (ERDF) in Washington State, operated by VNS Federal Services (VNSFS) since 2013, recently came up with an innovative way to recycle diesel fuel from contaminated construction equipment.

In late 2021 and the first part of 2022, the ERDF team received contaminated equipment for disposal that contained diesel fuel. By transferring that fuel to equipment used in contaminated areas of the landfill, the ERDF team saved thousands of dollars in transportation and treatment costs. The new approach also has environmental benefits.

Contaminated Diesel Fuel

The diesel fuel in the equipment that arrived at ERDF would have required treatment before disposal or would have been sent more than 2,000 miles to a specialized treatment facility in Tennessee to be burned in an incinerator. Another option would have been to simply run the equipment until the fuel ran out – both a waste and an unnecessary burden to the environment. Instead, the transportation, disposal and environmental costs of these options were eliminated by recycling the fuel and using it in other pieces of ERDF equipment.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) largest landfill

The 107-acre ERDF, commonly referred to as the hub of Hanford Site cleanup, is the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) largest landfill, and is authorized to accept, stage, treat and dispose of low-level radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes generated by Hanford environmental restoration activities. Waste disposed of at ERDF is required to be in a stable and solid form.

The work that VNSFS performs at ERDF is part of the Central Plateau Cleanup Company scope of work for DOE at Hanford.

VNSFS Innovation Results in Cost Savings and Environmental Benefits | Veolia (vnsfederalservices.com)

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