Glovebox inside the Visual Examination and Repackaging Building located in Area 5 of the Nevada Test Site
(Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Energy)

Operational & Safety Programs Support

OMICRON has considerable experience in providing support in developing, implementing, and assessing safety and operational programs. This experience and expertise led to OMICRON being selected to manage nuclear safety program for the Nevada Test Site (NTS) on behalf of National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec).

• Safety Programs: OMICRON has experience in not only implementing and assessing safety programs, but also in developing and managing such programs. For example, OMICRON has:
  • Successfully managed the nuclear safety program at NTS, including developing corporate directives and procedures.
  • Establishing and implementing a criticality safety program at NTS.
  • Developing, implementing, and/or maintaining Unreviewed Safety Questions (USQ) program at DOE sites such as NTS, BNL, SNL, Pantex, and LANL.
  • Developing and implementing SB documents throughout the DOE complex.
  • Assessed programs such as USQs, emergency response, criticality safety, conduct of operations at various DOE sites.
  • Supporting the integrating of safety into design by the development of corporate directives at NTS, supporting the development of DOE-STD-1189, safety/design integration guidance, and supporting its implementation through preparation of safety design documentation and design evaluations at various DOE sites
• Compliance Programs: Our staff engineers are qualified, trained, and have significant experience in supporting a wide range of compliance activities such as:

• Operational Readiness Reviews (ORRs) and Readiness Reviews (RA).
• Management self-assessments, compliance assessments and audits.
• Implementation plans and startup notification reports for nuclear, nonnuclear, and explosive facilities and operations.

Because of our experience in developing comprehensive safety basis documentation, we are well versed in the requirements, and we understand their significance, when confronted with implementation questions.

• Operational Programs: Our personnel have supported clients in implementing operational programs and resolving audit findings. Our expertise spans training and qualification, waste management, conduct of operations, configuration management, change control, and facility and design project management. For example, OMICRON has:
• Supported DOE sites with Sr. Technical Advisors in nuclear safety (e.g., NTS, BNL, Y-12), and DOE/NNSA with mentors and training (e.g., NNSA LASO, DOE SSO, former DOE Nevada office, former DOE AL office, DOE Oak Ridge Operations).
• Provided onsite operational staff augmentation support to facilities, including NTS, SNL, BNL, and LANL.
• Assisted in procedure development at various sites.
• Startups of nuclear facilities at various DOE sites.
• Performed facility and operational improvement assessments, risk/cost-benefit evaluations, and feasibility assessments of safety controls at various sites.
• Supported the development, implementation, and assessment of training programs, including qualification of nuclear, criticality, and USQ personnel at various sites and for DOE site offices.

OMICRON has an audited and approved Quality Assurance program that meets 10 CFR 830.120 requirements and is consistent with the guidance provided in NQA-1) to support project work.

• Nuclear Criticality Safety Programs: Our personnel have supported clients in developing effective nuclear criticality safety programs as well as key elements and procedures to implement the requirements of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) directives, American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/American Nuclear Society (ANS)-8 series, and the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).