§2731 Worker Protection at Nuclear Weapons Facilities

Summary

The Secretary of Energy can give grants to certain nonprofits so they can train people who do hazardous substance cleanup or emergency work at Department of Energy nuclear weapons sites and make the training courses. Grants go to nonprofits that can run worker health and safety training and reach the groups of workers who do this work. The Secretary must prefer employee groups and joint labor-management training programs that already get grants under section 9660a of title 42. Grantees must follow DOE employee safety training orders, including orders numbered 5480.4 and 5480.11. The Secretary must fine any DOE contractor who has these workers but fails to train them or to certify that they are trained under the DOE orders. Fines may be up to $5,000 for each day the failure continues. The Secretary must write rules to carry out these requirements. For this law, “hazardous substance” includes radioactive waste and mixed radioactive and hazardous waste.