Has an adequate drug testing program finally been implemented at the MOX boondoggle? Or do problems continue?

Early this year, SRS Watch received rumors that MOX workers were using fake urine and that testing was “non-random” – clean workers were being more often tested in order to fudge overall statistics.   We raised our concerns at that time and heard nothing back from the US DOE – National Nuclear Security Commission, CB&I AREVA MOX Services  or the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

But DOE/NNSA affirmed drug testing problems at the MOX debacle in the Fiscal Year 2015 award fee determination for the project.  See SRS Watch new release of April 21, 2016 linked here, with link to award fee narrative and other related documents obtained under a Freedom of Information Act request. The award-fee documents clearly reveals that dug testing was “inadequate”:

During this assessment NNSA found that MOX Services is not implementing random drug testing in a manner  that is compliant with the procedure and is therefore not appropriately providing assurance of a drug free  workplace. NNSA found that the randomness of drug testing is not as random as it should be, as there is  only one person authorized to administer testing and her work schedule is well known. This also results in no random tests being performed for workers on off-shifts such as night shift, weekends, holidays, or the test administrator’s scheduled days off. NNSA also found there are too many allowable excuses for  personnel to avoid being tested, such as failure by supervisors to notify personnel to be tested, employees  located at the Barnwell warehouse and not required to report for testing, employees unable to locate the
test administrator upon arrival, employees being away from the construction zone in a “Remote Worker” location though still on SRS property, to name but a few. For the period January through September 2015, these allowable excuses have resulted in the failure to test approximately 1/2 of the personnel selected for random testing, but more importantly they provide known reasons for use by personnel using illegal drugs to avoid testing. NNSA also found that MOX Services had failed to implement specific Dept. of Transportation drug
testing requirements for teamsters. These issues have resulted in MOX Services’ failure to comply with 10 CFR 707 and 53 FR 11970.
An assessment of the Drug-Free Workplace Program showed that MOX Services does have a project procedure  that is being followed to maintain a drug-free environment for the MOX Project. Two observations were  noted as suggestions to 1) standardize the Drug-Free Workplace terms and conditions used in subcontracts  and to 2) consider modifying subcontract terms and conditions to name specific drugs (including the failure levels)  if MOX Services deems it appropriate.

We have still not received  a response from the NRC about this troubling drug-testing matter – see May 2, 2016 letter linked here.

NOTE: SRS Watch expects the chronic problems with the MOX drug testing program to be addressed in the Fiscal Year 2016 award fee determination.  Problems with drug testing, as it applies to CB&I AREVA MOX Services and all its contractors – including Superior Air Handling (rumored to have botched HVAC installation) – must be fully resolved!