DNFSB advised DOE that the radiological air monitors that activate the Safety Significant Confinement Ventilation System at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant had not been tested in conditions representative of the dusty-salt environment where they will need to function.

DNFSB noted evidence of seismic faults that DOE had not adequately studied or characterized in the underground drifts at the Nevada National Security Site's Principal Underground Laboratory for Subcritical Experimentation. If these faults are found to be active, the design for seismic-related safety controls in the underground facility might need to change.

As an emerging technology, lithium-ion batteries present safety risks due to the difficulty in suppressing and extinguishing lithium-ion battery fires. The DNFSB reviewed the installation of new safety-related power systems at the Nevada National Security Site’s Device Assembly Facility and ultimately found that DOE had not issued requirements nor provided guidance to assess the hazards and identify safety controls necessary for the use of lithium-ion energy storage.