San Onofre workers fired, disciplined over safety lapses

Seven workers at the San Onofre nuclear power plant near San Clemente have been disciplined or fired in connection with a rash of safety and security problems uncovered by federal regulators last year, Southern California Edison officials said Tuesday.

“Where the acts were deliberate misconduct, employees were discharged and contract workers were no longer permitted on the property,” said Gil Alexander, an Edison spokesman. “Where the conduct was determined to be less egregious, alternative disciplinary actions were taken.”

The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station employs about 2,160 people and generates electricity for 2.75 million households. With very few exceptions, Alexander said, plant workers perform their jobs in compliance with company and government regulations.

On Monday, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which oversees the nuclear power industry, announced that it had found five violations of federal requirements at San Onofre.

In one case, a fire protection specialist on the night shift falsified records for more than five years to show that operators had made hourly fire patrols when they had not.

The other violations involved a radiation worker who failed to comply with a work permit; a failure by supervisors to oversee an unqualified technician whose work led to the temporary shutdown of a safety system; and two lapses in plant security.

In lieu of fines and formal citations, the NRC ordered Edison to develop a training program for employees, including ethics courses for managers and contractors. Federal regulators also required Edison to monitor the program and assess its effectiveness.

dan.weikel@latimes.com