Ensuring DOE can Safely Produce Plutonium Pits for the Nuclear Weapons Stockpile
Savannah River Site, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Plutonium is a radioactive material that poses significant hazards to workers and the public and pits are plutonium triggers that sit at the heart of every US nuclear weapon.
Ensuring Safety in Design of the Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility
Our Work
The DNFSB reviewed the preliminary design for the Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility, which is intended to produce essential components for the nation's nuclear deterrent, and found that the proposed safety controls depended on workers to use their senses to detect and evacuate from radiological accidents instead of assigning safety controls.
Our Safety Impact
Following the DNFSB’s engagement, National Nuclear Security Administration added additional safety controls to improve facility worker safety. These controls included more than 200 gloveboxes and other enclosures, more than 100 local alarms, the building fire suppression system, and containers for transport of radiological accidents and plutonium oxide.
Improving the Safety of Plutonium Material Storage
Our Work
Plutonium is a highly reactive metal with properties that make it likely to spontaneously ignite and to release combustible gases from nearby organic materials; these properties mean that additional engineering is needed to safely store plutonium. The DNFSB identified a safety need for DOE to develop technically-justified requirements for nuclear material packaging systems and to prioritize repackaging non-compliant containers.
Our Safety Impact
In response to the DNFSB's safety issues, DOE developed a nuclear material packaging manual, which established a technical basis for evaluating containers and implemented new testing requirements such as drop testing and flame testing. Under these new processes, DOE repackaged its materials into compliant containers.
Improving Robustness of Safety Systems at the Plutonium Facility
Our Work
DNFSB has provided DOE with safety advice that would improve the adequate protection of the public and workers while also making the facility more resilient to produce plutonium pits for the Plutonium Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory. DOE is currently investing several billions of dollars into this facility.
Our Safety Impact
The DNFSB has worked with DOE to enhance the robustness and reliability of the Plutonium Facility's safety systems - such as strengthening the building structure, upgrading the safety classification of the fire suppression system, and replacing aging equipment such as ventilation system fans.
Last Updated: March 23, 2026