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The Aberdeen Operational Readiness

Review Process –

A Government/ Systems

Contractor Success Story

ASQ Session T12Ron Miller

Aberdeen Chemical AgentDisposal Facility (Accelerated)

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Purpose

Share the scope, role(s), involved organizations and process used to execute Aberdeen’s Operational Readiness Review (ORR) for the mustard neutralization milestone.

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Outline

• Plant Background• Operational Readiness Review (ORR) Process• ORR Organization• Integrated Team• Defined Roles and Accountability• Summary

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Plant Background

• Mustard agent has been stored safely at APG since 1941 – never had a leak

• U.S. required to destroy entire chemical stockpile by the year 2012

• APG has mustard agent stored in large steel containers – no weapons

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Edgewood Arsenal was a production site for chemical weapons since its creation in 1915

Production stopped in 1969

Most of APG stockpile from WWII era

Plant Background (continued)

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Plant Background (continued)What is mustard?

Mustard agent, HD, is not a “gas”

Thick, syrupy liquid, like molasses, that evaporates five times slower than water

Freezes at 58 degrees F, so it’s solid for a large part of the year

Compound of sulfur and chlorine, smells something like garlic

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Plant Background (continued) Program History

• In 1992, public concern over incineration prompted Congress to task the Army to examine alternative disposal technologies

• Army awarded contract to Bechtel National in Oct 98 to design, build, systemize, test, operate and close a facility to neutralize and biotreat the mustard agent

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Plant Background (continued) Sept. 11 Changed Everything

• Army: Enhanced security; added stockpile defense force

• Aberdeen:– Initiated construction of protective structures for stockpile– Developed means for safely accelerating agent destruction at

Aberdeen, Pine Bluff and Umatilla by:! Applying neutralization technology! Taking advantage of skilled ABCDF team! Using existing structures and equipment! Working closely with EPA, Maryland and local officials to ensure full

environmental protection! Keeping the community informed

• Only Aberdeen received authorization to accelerate

Reduce Public Risk

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Plant Background (continued) Project “Speedy Neut”

Neutralizing the Agent Neutralizes the Risk

" Drain containers manually using glove box system

" Triple rinse empty containers, return to storage

" Neutralize agent in ABCDF reactor vessels

" Ship neutralized by-product (hydrolysate) to off-site commercial treatment facility

" After agent neutralization, complete decontamination of containers, cut in half, recycle

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Risk eliminated more than twoyears ahead of pre-9/11 schedule

Accelerated ABCDF (“Speedy Neut”) ContractAwarded to Bechtel National bbbb Feb 02

Engineering complete aaaa Jun 02Construction of neutralization facility complete aaaa Sep 02Pre-ops complete & agent ops start aaaa Apr 03Ton Container Cleanout construction complete aaaa Jun 03TCC pre-ops complete & ops start Sep 03Agent ops complete Nov 03Container cleaning complete Sep 04Closure complete May 05

Plant Background (continued)Accelerated Project Schedule

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Plant Background (continued) Current Status(as of Aug 20, 2003)

•Ton containers drained: 90

• Mustard neutralized: 52 tons

• Hydrolysate shipments: 78

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Plant Background (continued) Project Make Up

• Bechtel National -Non-manual: 283 + 5 agency employeesCraft: 49 + 16 subcontractors

• Battelle Memorial Institute - 99

• General Physics - 26

• Earth Tech - 12

• Horne Engineering – 4

Bechtel Aberdeen Team: 494

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Outline

• Plant Background• Operational Readiness Review (ORR)

Process• ORR Organization• Integrated Team• Defined Roles and Accountability• Summary

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ORR vs RAB

• ORR Plan contains– Senior Board Responsibilities– Establishes Criteria– Responsible Manager Affidavits– Evaluation Team CRADS– Readiness Assessment Board Responsibilities– Finding Categories

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ORR vs RAB (continued)

• RAB Plan contains– How RAB will Function– Board Members and Meeting Frequency– Schedule– Task Description– Dispute Resolution– Process Flowchart

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Outline

• Plant Background• Operational Readiness Review (ORR) Process• ORR Organization• Integrated Team• Defined Roles and Accountability• Summary

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Bechtel Aberdeen Agent Neutralization Readiness Review

Organization

Admin. Support

Facility/EquipmentReadiness Assessment Board

Integrated OperationsReadiness Assessment Board

Operations SupportReadiness Assessment Board

Senior Management OperationalReadiness Review Board

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ORR Process(Ground Rules)

• All participate including stakeholders• Major effort to include all parties – cast a

wide net• One time review instead of multiple reviews

by multiple entities• Led by systems contractor• Look for criteria flowdown• Verify at work locations

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ORR Process(Ground Rules)

• Looking at criteria, select most knowledgeable person irrespective of which government entity/contractor that person works for while maintaining checks and balances

• Open meetings, assigned government stakeholders, monitors

• Hands-on manager and board member involvement• Plant shift manager is in charge of the plant• Assignments and accountability was crystal clear• Detailed guidance to evaluators• Confirm horizontal and vertical integration

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ORR Plan for Initiation of Mustard Neutralization

• 14 Functional Areas– Status of Facility Safety Basis & Design Control– Environmental Protection– Occupational Safety– Equipment/Facility System Readiness for

Operations– Fire Protection– Emergency Preparedness– Training/Training Program

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ORR Plan for Initiation of Mustard Neutralization

(continued)

• 14 Functional Areas (continued)– Plant Management– Maintenance and Surveillance– Laboratory– Medical– Chemical Agent Surety and Physical Security– Treaty– Integrated Operations Demonstration

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Outline

• Plant Background• Operational Readiness Review (ORR) Process• ORR Organization• Integrated Team• Defined Roles and Accountability• Summary

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Integrated Team

• While focused on criteria, observe plant operations

• Responsible managers responded with affidavits

• Evaluation team leads consider affidavit verification plan for approval

• Evaluation team observes work performance• Board approves results• Senior ORR board issues findings

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ORR Plan for Initiation of Mustard Neutralization

• 73 performance objectives broken down into 262 specific criteria

8.0 Plant Management

Functional AreaExample

8.16 A system is in place to assure adequate industrial and agent PPE is identified, procured, and stocked in sufficient quantities to support the mission.

8.16.2 Required industrial PPE is in stock and available for issue. Appropriate sizes are available.

Performance Objective

One of 4 criteria that support Performance Objective

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Sample Integrated Operations Evaluation Sheet

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Sample Integrated Operations Evaluation Sheet

(continued)

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Outline

• Plant Background• Operational Readiness Review (ORR) Process• ORR Organization• Integrated Team• Defined Roles and Accountability• Summary

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Defined Roles

• Each person understood their role(s)– Evaluation Team Leaders– Department Managers– Government Stakeholders– Evaluation Team Members– Readiness Assessment Board Chairs and Members– Operational Readiness Assessment Board Chair

and Members

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Defined Roles (continued)

• All briefed to ensure– Common Understanding of “Rules of Engagement”– Knowledge of the Process

• Written position papers and agreements• Guidance training to evaluation team leads

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Outline

• Plant Background• Operational Readiness Review (ORR) Process• ORR Organization• Integrated Team• Defined Roles and Accountability• Summary

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SummaryORR Process (In Context)

• Started 6 Months Prior to Agent Operations• Lasted Just Over 8 Months• Over 160 Different Individuals Involved – Most in

More Than 1 Role• 24 Government Entities and 13 Contractors Involved• 262 Criteria in 14 Functional Areas Evaluated• 150 Category I Findings Resolved Before Agent

Operations• 103 Category II Findings to Resolve Early Plant

Operations ( 4 Remain Open)

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Summary

• Is it perfect? No• Did it prevent plant operation surprises? Yes• Did it build teamwork? Yes• Did it cause people to think? Yes• Did it improve training? Yes• Did it drive management into the plant? Yes• Did it drive fact-based decisions? Yes