NRC announces fine for Chicago Bridge & Iron violations

The NRC recently announced a Severity Level II Notice of Violation, in addition to proposing a civil penalty, for the violations and actions related to the new reactor construction incident that occurred at the Chicago Bridge & Iron’s facility in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

The building section was safety-related and intended for one of the VC Summer new reactors that is being built in South Carolina. The building section was dropped and consequently damaged in March 2013. This occurred because the rigging and lifting practices of the company were inadequate.

The fine amounts to $11,200, to penalize the company for dropping a prefabricated building section for the company’s new reactor. The additionally issued Severity Level III Notice of Violation applies to a former official at the company.

Following the NRC’s investigation, the NRC staff found that the company’s employees deliberately falsified records about the damage and reasons for the section being dropped. Evidence also implicated that a former official at the company intentionally instructed employees to falsify statements about the building being dropped.

Even though the company’s leaders and employees clearly understood the dangers and significance of dropping the building section, they falsified the information to disregard the NRC’s quality assurance program requirements. These requirements are meant to determine a deficiency in safety or operations in order to keep company officials, employees, and local communities safe.

Since the incident, NRC inspectors have noted that the Lake Charles facility has an improved safety culture and work integrity.