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The government awards contracts to companies with histories of misconduct such as contract fraud and environmental, ethics, and labor violations. In the absence of a centralized federal database listing instances of misconduct, the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) is providing such data. We believe that it will lead to improved contracting decisions and public access to information about how the government spends hundreds of billions of taxpayer money each year on goods and services. Report an instance of misconduct »

University of California

Radioactive Material Exposure at Los Alamos Lab (2001)

Date: 01/19/2001 (Date of Fine)

Misconduct Type: Labor

Enforcement Agency: Energy

Contracting Party: Energy

Court Type: Administrative

Amount: $605,000

Disposition: Fine

Synopsis: According to the Department of Energy, “eight workers from [the University of California-operated Los Alamos National Laboratory] were exposed to airborne [radioactive material]; five of the eight were later determined to have suffered detectable intakes of [radioactive material]. Although final dose estimates have not been completed, it is apparent one worker significantly exceeded the Department’s regulatory annual exposure limit and two additional workers may also have exceeded the limit. The TA-18 events included the operation of nuclear facilities outside of the limits and controls established by the facility's safety documents...LANL is exempt from civil penalty by statute; however, because of the collective safety significance of these violations, DOE would have issued a Proposed Imposition of Civil Penalty in the amount of $605,000.”