Workers at a New Mexico waste plant went into emergency mode after a radiological control technician detected what was believed to be elevated radiological readings; but the situation proved to be a non issue, according to a Wednesday update.
Operations at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, or WIPP, are already on hold due to two February 2014 incidents.
Fire inhalations were the result of a salt haul truck fire on Feb. 5, and then workers were contaminated due to a Feb. 14 radiation event.
On Tuesday, a false alarm caused the technician to contact the Emergency Operations Center and the Joint Information Center.
The technician thought there were elevated radiological readings on a filter from an air particulate sampler located where air is exhausted from the WIPP underground, according to the release.
It was later determined that an error was made in the calculation of initial survey results, which resulted in a false elevated reading, the release states.
By procedure, WIPP personnel on the surface were directed to stay inside buildings, or shelter in place, when the elevated readings were first detected, according to the WIPP update.
Underground personnel were staged at an assembly area and technicians continued conducting confirmatory radiological surveys on the surface and in the underground area, none of which showed any abnormal radiological readings.
All employees were released and the event was terminated at approximately 11:30 p.m., according to the release.
"Although it was determined that there was no emergency or radiological release, WIPP Operations and Emergency Management personnel responded appropriately according to their training and procedures," officials wrote in the report.
The WIPP routinely accepted shipments of transuranic waste from the Savannah River Site and other facilities.
The waste form is solid waste consisting of clothing, tools, rags, residues, debris and other items contaminated with plutonium.
It was reported last week that the March 2016 target date for re-opening the WIPP "is no longer viable," but Energy Department officials are still aiming for a date in 2016 that has not yet been announced.
Derrek Asberry is the SRS beat reporter for the Aiken Standard and has been with the paper since June 2013.