By Todd Hatton
Murray, KY – USEC will change safety protocols at its Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant following an incident last year where an employee accidentally contaminated himself and an adjacent work area. USEC reported the incident to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the two parties reached an agreement on protocol changes. The agreement means the NRC will not fine USEC nor issue a notice of violation. According to the Paducah Sun, the changes stem from a March 2010 accident in which a plant operator became contaminated changing cylinders in the uranium enrichment cascade building and spread the contamination to another area. The employee was not using a radiation monitor and has since been disciplined. No workers were exposed to any significant radiation. NRC spokesman Joey Ledford says USEC has agreed to enhance employee orientations, and improve safety training.