The skyline at Pantex continues to change with the addition of the new Environmental Sampling Facility. Replacing the existing space used for Environmental Project’s sampling, well maintenance activities, and Industrial Hygiene‘s Field Sampling Lab, the 11,000-square-foot facility will move the labs closer to the people and infrastructure they support — adding much-needed storage for samples and lab instruments.
The Environmental Sampling Facility, with an estimated investment of approximately $28 million, will provide two new labs, office space, and a parking lot.
“This facility will be extremely beneficial to the people in Environmental and Industrial Hygiene,” Environment, Safety, and Health Division Director Harry Gulley said. “Both groups will be housed in a centralized location on plant site, which will improve efficiency by having equipment and teams in one place. This groundbreaking is exciting for ES&H as we continue safely serving Pantex’s mission.”
The new Industrial Hygiene lab will be used to process samples from all areas of the plant to ensure the safety of Pantexans.
Lab personnel play a key role in overseeing personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements and closely monitor plant operations for safety.
The Sampling and Analysis Lab will support sampling on- and off-site for Environmental Projects, Environmental Compliance, and Waste Operations — ensuring that Pantex complies with environmental regulations and DOE requirements.
“It takes a lot of people doing many different things to make sure every unit meets a very high set of standards,” PanTeXas Deterrence President and General Manager Kelly Beierschmitt said. “Investing in our facilities is also investing in our people. We take great pride in our people. We expect them to safely perform at the highest level to deliver the mission with excellence.”
“The construction of the Environmental Sampling Facility is an investment in Pantex’s future,” Pantex Field Office Manager Jason Armstrong said. “This facility will provide us with the tools and resources we need to strengthen our environmental stewardship, protect our workforce, and support our national security mission. We are confident that this facility will have a positive and lasting impact on Pantex, our community, and the environment.”
Other construction projects currently underway or in the planning stages include the High Explosives Science and Engineering Facility; the High Explosives Synthesis, Formulation, and Production Facility; and the newly funded Gas Lab.
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