The U.S. Energy Department has cited the University of Chicago for a series of nuclear-safety violations at Argonne National Laboratory, a research facility that the university runs under a federal contract now up for renewal, the Chicago Tribune reported today. The citation, in the form of a preliminary notice of violation, mentioned a failure to follow paperwork requirements, to train staff members adequately, and to label potentially dangerous equipment as such.
No one has been injured as a result of the violations, which the citation said date back many years, and the Energy Department is apparently not contemplating heavy fines. The citation could, however, make it harder for Chicago to retain the Argonne contract, which has been opened to competitive bidding for the first time (The Chronicle, January 28, 2004).
