[DOE LETTER HEAD]
May 8, 2008
The Honorable A. J. Eggenberger
Chairman
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
Dear Mr. Chairman:
The purpose of this letter is to request a 60-day extension for responding to your letter of
March 17, 2008, regarding the increased rejection rate of high efficiency particulate air
(HEPA) filters at the Filter Test Facility (FTF).
The Office of Health, Safety and Security has convened a Working Team made up of
Federal and contractor employees who are experienced in the use, testing, and
qualification of HEPA filters. The Working Team met April 15-16, 2008, to develop a
draft plan of action in response to your letter. The Working Team members also visited
the FTF on April 17,2008, and witnessed actual inspection and testing of HEPA filters,
and samples of rejected filters. Additionally, the Working Team developed lines of
inquiries and conducted initial teleconference interviews with the three major HEPA
filter manufacturers (Flanders Filters Inc., American Air Filter and Camfil-Farr) and two
filter media manufacturers (Hollingsworth & Vose and Lydall).
The Department shares your concern about the increased contribution of manufacturing
defects to the FTF rejection rates and recognizes that problems may exist in the quality
control programs and manufacturing processes at the vendor level. Further discussions
with the filter/filter media manufacturers and more analysis of available information are
necessary before a final plan of action can be established that addresses the three areas of
concern identified in your March 17, 2008, letter. For these reasons, we are requesting an
extension of the due date for our response until July 16, 2008.
Questions concerning this extension request may be directed to me or Andrew Lawrence,
Director of the Office of Nuclear Safety, Quality Assurance and Environment, at
(202) 586-5680, or Subir Sen, Office of Quality Assurance Policy and Assistance, at
(301) 903-6571.
Sincerely,
Glenn S. Podonsky
Chief Health, Safety and Security Officer
Office of Health, Safety and Security