DOE proposal to combine security, safety draws heat

A planned reorganization at the Department of Energy−combining the Office of Security & Safety Performance Assurance with the Office of Environment, Safety & Health−has raised concerns among several environmental and safety professionals, including labor unions, safety engineers, three former assistant secretaries for health and safety, and the governors of New Mexico and Washington. They fear that the reorganization will downgrade the importance of workplace health and safety issues and confuse the environment, safety, and health functions and the security functions. A department spokeswoman counters that the move is intended to enhance safety and is at this time only a proposal that remains under examination. DOE says the proposal would also include a plan to place more power to oversee safety and security in the hands of supervisors throughout the complex. But critics worry that safety programs will be swallowed up by security concerns, which, they say, are paramount to the department.