Overall – Program Summary/Abstract
Workers on nuclear sites face health and safety threats from known and unknown hazards.
Evolving job conditions (e.g. disposing of nuclear waste from plant decommissioning) pose new
and increased threats. Workers on these jobs need training to protect themselves, the
community, and the environment. Training not only reduces job site accidents, injuries, and
fatalities, but it is also required under various government regulations.
Under the proposed program, LIUNA Training and Education Fund (LIUNA Training) will
provide training to help workers identify job site hazards; protect themselves, the community
and the environment; prepare for unanticipated job site incidents and support disaster response
actions. Targeted workers perform a variety of jobs, such as waste containment, reduction, and
removal, building demolition, construction and/or reconstruction and renovation, radiation
monitoring and decommissioning of nuclear power plants.
Affiliated training partners will conduct the training and certification of workers and DOE staff.
Other subject matter experts will collaborate with LIUNA Training on quality assurance, health
and safety issues, scientific and technological advances, and efforts to disseminate model
programs. Training will target Construction Craft Laborers, and other construction trades,
environmental contractors and government personnel when appropriate. Special outreach will
target minority, disadvantaged and non- or limited-English speaking workers.
Training will be provided by 8 partner centers located in the following areas: West Valley, NY;
Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in KY; Oak Ridge in TN; Savannah River in SC; Los Alamos
National Laboratory in NM; Nevada Test Site, Idaho National Laboratory and Hanford in WA.
Training will target employer and worker needs in each location and prepare workers for
possible events in their geographic region. LIUNA Training and partners will provide 90
training weeks with approximately 2,120 trainees during the first program year and similar
levels during the remaining four years. Training may include Hazardous Waste Worker and
Refresher, Nuclear Power Plant Worker and Nuclear Technician among others.
The grant program will train and certify instructors, provide competency-based credentials, and
foster effective educational and training models. Collaborative efforts with DOE NTC, industry,
and workforce development organizations will help advance training needs and innovations and
improve overall quality and effectiveness of the DOE Worker Training Program at large.