§6261 — Title 10 Armed Forces | U.S. Code

§6261 Worker protection at nuclear weapons facilities

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle A— - General Military Law › Part PART VI— - ELEMENTS OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND OTHER MATTERS › Subpart Subpart B— - Atomic Energy Defense › Chapter CHAPTER 606— - PERSONNEL MATTERS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - WORKER SAFETY › § 6261

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Energy can give grants to nonprofit groups so they can train people who do hazardous substance or emergency work at DOE nuclear weapons sites and so they can write training programs. Grants go to groups that can run good health and safety training and that can find and include the workers who need the training. The Secretary must prefer employee groups and joint labor‑management training programs that already get a grant under section 126(g) of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (42 U.S.C. 9660a). Training must follow DOE safety orders, including orders 5480.4 and 5480.11. The Secretary may fine DOE contractors who hire these responders but do not train them or do not certify they are trained under the DOE orders. Fines can be up to $5,000 for each day the problem continues. The Secretary must make rules to carry out these parts. “Hazardous substance” here includes radioactive waste and mixed radioactive and hazardous waste.

Title 10, §6261

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)The Secretary of Energy is authorized to award grants to organizations referred to in paragraph (2) in order for such organizations—

(A)to provide training and education to persons who are or may be engaged in hazardous substance response or emergency response at Department of Energy nuclear weapons facilities; and

(B)to develop curricula for such training and education.

(2)(A)Subject to subparagraph (B), the Secretary is authorized to award grants under paragraph (1) to non-profit organizations that have demonstrated (as determined by the Secretary) capabilities in—

(i)implementing and conducting effective training and education programs relating to the general health and safety of workers; and

(ii)identifying, and involving in training, groups of workers whose duties include hazardous substance response or emergency response.

(B)The Secretary shall give preference in the award of grants under this section to employee organizations and joint labor-management training programs that are grant recipients under section 126(g) of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (42 U.S.C. 9660a).

(3)An organization awarded a grant under paragraph (1) shall carry out training, education, or curricula development pursuant to Department of Energy orders relating to employee safety training, including orders numbered 5480.4 and 5480.11.

(b)(1)Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary shall assess civil penalties against any contractor of the Department of Energy who (as determined by the Secretary)—

(A)employs individuals who are engaged in hazardous substance response or emergency response at Department of Energy nuclear weapons facilities; and

(B)fails (i) to provide for the training of such individuals to carry out such hazardous substance response or emergency response, or (ii) to certify to the Department of Energy that such employees are adequately trained for such response pursuant to orders issued by the Department of Energy relating to employee safety training (including orders numbered 5480.4 and 5480.11).

(2)Civil penalties assessed under this subsection may not exceed $5,000 for each day in which a failure referred to in paragraph (1)(B) occurs.

(c)The Secretary shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section.

(d)For the purposes of this section, the term “hazardous substance” includes radioactive waste and mixed radioactive and hazardous waste.

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 2731 of Title 50, War and National Defense, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 119–60, § 3111(b)(1).

Amendments

2025—Pub. L. 119–60, § 3111(d)(2)(B), realigned margins.