In this Aug. 17, 2012, file photo, signs warn against trespassing onto the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tenn.Read more
Nuclear bomb material was found in laundry truck leaving Y-12
Who needs terrorists when we have the workers and security at Y-12 National Security Complex at Oak Ridge?
Last week, the Knoxville News-Sentinel and the conservative Daily Caller website reported that vials of radioactive material used to make nuclear weapons almost left the government facility in East Tennessee after a worker there forgot to empty the pockets of his coveralls before throwing them in the laundry.
The highly-enriched uranium samples "were discovered in the pocket of coveralls located on a laundry truck," after the truck set off an alarm as the driver began to exit a protected area there on Jan. 22, 2014 - some 20 months ago.
News of the slip came Friday from a newly-released Department of Energy Inspector General report, according to the Daily Caller. The inspector general's report states the Oak Ridge facility took corrective actions after the incident but didn't address all appropriate policies and procedures. For example, there was a delay in notifying the plant shift superintendent because of "confusion."
A safety violation was issued because workers did not follow plant procedures to establish at least a 15-foot boundary around the samples and made no attempt to correct the situation or notify appropriate responders.
But the report also indicates some policies that should have been in place simply were not. Y-12 already had a bar code tracking system in place for the handling of some materials samples, but not for those of low weights.
"However, newly (since then) developed Y-12 procedures require the inclusion of [special nuclear material] samples in their bar code tracking system," the report states. Further, "chemical operators are no longer allowed to place samples in their pockets and must check their pockets before removing their coveralls."
That's certainly a relief. Don't you feel better now? We don't either.
The Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge has processed highly-enriched uranium that has been used in nuclear weapons for more than 60 years. One would think that would be plenty of time to learn the importance of safeguarding bomb-making materials.
Of course this is the same complex where in the summer of 2012 three peace activists - one an 82-year-old nun - made their way through several fences and security systems to spend hours praying, singing and spray-painting. Their worst crime, mind you, was symbolically defeating - with incredibly simple tools like bolt cutters - the site's $150 million-a-year security operation.
And, to think, here we are just worried about Iran's bomb-making capabilities.