Management of Commercially Generated Radioactive Waste - U.S. ...

5.57
TABLE 5.4.11. Estimates of Nonradiological Disabling Injuries and Fatalities Associated
with Repository Construction Based Upon Current Industrial Statistics for
Similar Operations( a )
Surface Facility
Construction
Spent Fuel
Geologic Media
Salt Granite Shale Basalt
(51,000 MTHM) (122,000 MTHM) (64,000 MTHM) (122,000 MTHM)
* Disabling Injuries 70 70 70 70
* Fatalities 1 1 1 1
Underground Mining
Operations
* Disabling Injuries 370 1400 580 1700
* Fatalities 8 30 12 37
Total
* Disabling Injuries 440 1500 650 1800
* Fatalities 9 31 13 38
Surface Facility
Construction
Fuel Reprocessing Waste
Salt Granite Shale Basalt
(62,000 MTHM) (69,000 MTHM) (30,000 MTHM) (59,000 MTHM)
* Disabling Injuries 84 84 84 84
* Fatalities 1 1 1 1
Underground Mining
Operations
* Disabling Injuries 420 1000 510 1200
e Fatalities 9 21 11 25
Total
* Disabling Injuries 500 1100 590 1300
* Fatalities 10 22 12 26
(a) Disabling injuries include only temporary disabling injuries; fatalities include
permanent disabling injuries.
1200, 1000 and 1500 for salt, granite, shale and basalt, respectively; fatalities amount to
about 18, 25, 20, and 31 for salt, granite, shale and basalt, respectively. These losses
need to be recognized as perhaps the largest impact associated with the routine management
of radioactive wastes, and DOE plans for rigorously enforced safety programs to reduce these
potential losses.
5.4.6 Environmental Effects Related to Repository Operation
The operational phase of spent fuel repositories will include the receiving, handling,
and placement of spent fuel elements into assigned subterranean storage areas and the subse-
quent backfilling of these areas when they reach capacity. Similarly, the operational phase
of the repositories for reprocessing fuel cycle wastes includes the receiving and handling