INDEX


U.S. Department of Energy                                    ORDER
     Washington, D.C.                                     DOE 5610.11
                                                            10-10-90

SUBJECT:  NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVE SAFETY

1.  PURPOSE.  To establish the Department of Energy (DOE) policy,
    procedures, authorities, and responsibilities for assuring the safe
    conduct of nuclear explosive activities under the Department's Nuclear
    Explosive and Weapon Safety Program.

2.  CANCELLATIONS.  DOE 5610.3, PROGRAM TO PREVENT ACCIDENTAL OR
    UNAUTHORIZED NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVE DETONATIONS, of 12-18-80, and those
    portions of DOE 5610.1, PACKAGING AND TRANSPORTING OF NUCLEAR
    EXPLOSIVES, NUCLEAR COMPONENTS, AND SPECIAL ASSEMBLIES, of 9-11-79,
    which address nuclear explosives.

3.  SCOPE.  This Order applies to DOE Headquarters and field elements and
    its contractors and subcontractors that conduct activities involving
    nuclear explosive in support of the nuclear weapons program as provided
    by law and/or contract and as implemented by the appropriate contracting
    officer.

4.  APPLICABILITY.  This Order applies to all activities and operations
    involving nuclear explosives and nuclear weapons conducted under the
    Department's nuclear weapon program.

5.  REFERENCES.

    a.  DOE 5000.3A, OCCURRENCE REPORTING AND PROCESSING OF OPERATIONS
        INFORMATION, of 5-30-90, which sets forth the policy, assigns
        responsibility, and provides criteria and instructions for reporting
        unusual occurrences that have programmatic significance at DOE
        operations.

    b.  DOE 5484.1, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, SAFETY, AND HEALTH PROTECTION
        INFORMATION REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, of 2-24-81, which provides for
        reporting of information having environmental protection, safety, or
        health protection significance for Departmental operations; for
        investigation of occurrences; and effluent and environmental
        monitoring program requirements.

    c.  DOE 5500.2A, EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION REPORTING, AND RESPONSE LEVELS,
        of 4-13-88, which provides for an emergency notification and
        reporting system and establishes emergency response levels and
        associated response actions.

    d.  DOE 5500.3, REACTOR AND NONREACTOR NUCLEAR FACILITY EMERGENCY
        PLANNING, PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE PROGRAM FOR DOE OPERATIONS, of
        8-13-81, which establishes requirements for site-specific emergency
        plans and procedures for radiological emergencies in reactors and
        nonreactor nuclear facilities.

    e.  DOE 5610.10, NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVE AND WEAPON SAFETY PROGRAM, of
        10-10-90, which establishes DOE policy, objectives, and
        responsibilities for the DOE nuclear explosive and weapon safety
        program.

    f.  Joint Department of Energy/Department of Defense (DOE/DOD) Technical
        Publication 20-7, "Nuclear Safety Criteria," of 9-1-86, which
        contains information concerning safety criteria applicable to
        transportation, storage, handling, and processing of nuclear weapons
        and nuclear components.

    g.  Joint DOE/DOD Technical Publication 35-51, "General Instructions
        Applicable to Nuclear Weapons," of 11-27-89, which contains
        information, specifications, and procedures pertaining to DOE
        special design ordnance items.

    h.  Joint DOE/DOD Technical Publication 45-51, "Transportation of
        Nuclear Weapons Material, General Shipping and Limited Life
        Components (LLC)," of 3-16-84, which provides information,
        instructions, and procedures to be followed for all DOE shipments of
        nuclear weapons material between DOE and DOD.

    i.  Joint DOE/DOD Technical Publication 45-51A, "Transportation of
        Nuclear Weapons Material (Supplement), Shipping and Identification
        Data for Stockpile Major Assemblies," of 2-1-80, which contains
        equipment description, security classification, package dimensions
        and other data pertinent to shipment of nuclear weapons material to
        DOE and DOD.

    j.  Joint DOE/DOD Technical Publication 45-51D, "Transportation of
        Nuclear Weapons Material (Supplement), Shipment by
        Safe-Secure-Trailer (SST)," of 7-14-89, which contains supplemental
        information for preparation and shipment of nuclear weapons and
        materials by SST.

    k.  Join DOE/DOD Technical Publication 45-51E, "Transportation of
        Nuclear Weapons Material (Supplement), Shipment by Railcar," of
        12-7-89, which contains information for preparation and shipment of
        nuclear weapons and materials by rail.

    l.  "Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs,"
        issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, 53 CFR 11970
        of 4-11-88.

    m.  "Highway Safety Programs:  Standard for Calibrating Units for Breath
        Alcohol Testers," issued by National Highway Traffic Safety
        Administration, 49 CFR 48855 of 12-14-84.

6.  DEFINITIONS.

    a.  Abnormal Environment.  Those environments as defined in a weapon's
        stockpile-to-target-sequence and military characteristics in which
        the weapon is not expected to retain full operational reliability.
        In DOE manufacturing, testing, and transportation operations,
        abnormal environment means an environment that a nuclear explosive
        is not expected to experience during operations.

    b.  Access.  That proximate to a nuclear explosive that affords a person
        the opportunity to tamper with it or to cause a detonation.

    c.  Activate.  The actuation of a design safety feature to a position
        that would permit the transmission of prearming, arming, or firing
        signals.

    d.  Arming.  Configuring a nuclear explosive such that a single signal
        will initiate a nuclear detonation.

    e.  Custody.  Responsibility for the control of and access to nuclear
        explosives.

    f.  High Explosive Deflagration.  A rapid chemical reaction in which the
        output of heat is sufficient to enable the reaction to proceed and
        be accelerated without input of heat from another source.
        Deflagration is a surface phenomenon with the reaction products
        flowing away from the unreacted material along the surface at
        subsonic velocity.

    g.  High-Explosive Detonation.  A violent chemical reaction within a
        chemical compound or mechanical mixture evolving heat and pressure.
        A detonation is a reaction that proceeds through the reacted
        material toward the unreacted material at a supersonic velocity.

    h.  Live Pit.  A fissile component, or set of fissile components,
        designed to fit in the central cavity of an implosion system and
        which if placed therein will create a nuclear explosive.

    i.  Main Charge.  The high explosive whose explosive energy implodes the
        pit.

    j.  Mock High Explosive.  A nondetonable material used to simulate one
        or more properties of high explosives.

    k.  Nuclear Detonation.  An energy release through a nuclear process,
        during a period of time on the order of one microsecond, in an
        amount equivalent to the energy release by the detonation of four or
        more pounds of TNT.

    l.  Nuclear Explosive.  Any assembly containing fissionable and/or
        fusionable materials and main charge high explosive parts or
        propellants capable of producing a nuclear detonation (e.g., a
        nuclear weapon or test device).

    m.  Nuclear Explosive Area.  Any area that contains a nuclear explosive
        or the unassembled main charge high explosive parts and pit.

    n.  Nuclear Explosive Duty.  Duty that requires a DOE or DOE contractor
        employee to perform hands-on work on a nuclear explosive and/or to
        have access to and/or control of a nuclear explosive that could
        allow an individual to cause a detonation.

    o.  Nuclear Explosive-Like Assembly (NELA).  A nonnuclear assembly that
        represents a nuclear explosive in its basic configuration (main
        charge high explosive and pit) and any subsequent level of assembly
        up to its final configuration, or which represents a weaponized
        nuclear explosive such as a warhead, bomb, reentry vehicle, or
        artillery shell.  This nonnuclear assembly does not contain an
        arrangement of high explosive and fissile material capable of
        producing a nuclear detonation.

    p.  Nuclear Explosive Safety Study.  A formal DOE process whereby the
        safety of an operation, including transportation, involving a
        nuclear explosive is evaluated and documented in a study report.

    q.  Nuclear Explosive Safety Survey.  A formal DOE process whereby an
        operation, including transportation, involving a nuclear explosive
        is evaluated by conducting a comparative analysis of the operation
        with the nuclear explosive operation evaluated in an existing
        Nuclear Explosive Safety Study report.

    r.  One-Point Safe Nuclear Explosive.  A nuclear explosive, which in
        the event of a detonation initiated at any one point in the high
        explosive system presents no greater probability than one in a
        million of achieving a nuclear detonation.

    s.  Personnel Assurance Program.  A program that establishes the
        requirements and responsibilities for screening, selecting, and
        continuously evaluating employees being considered for assignment
        or assigned to nuclear explosive duties.

    t.  Positive Measures.  Design features, safety rules, procedures, or
        other controls used individually or collectively to provide nuclear
        explosive safety.  Positive measures are intended to assure a safe
        response in applicable operations and be controllable.  Some
        examples of positive measures are strong-link switches; other safety
        devices; administrative procedures and controls; general and
        specific nuclear explosive safety rules; design control of
        electrical equipment and mechanical tooling; and physical,
        electrical, and mechanical restraints incorporated in facilities and
        transport equipment.

    u.  Prearming.  Configuring a nuclear explosive in such a manner that
        with proper arming and firing signals the nuclear explosive could be
        detonated.

    v.  Reader Worker Procedure and Check-Off.  A procedure used in
        operations involving nuclear explosive duties under which one person
        reads the description of the operation to be performed, the
        operation is performed, and the reader checks off on a list that the
        operation has been performed.

    w.  Safe-Secure Railcar (SSR).  A specially designed railcar that has
        protective and deterrent systems and is used in a special train to
        transport nuclear explosives or special nuclear material.

    x.  Safe-Secure Trailer (SST).  A specially designed semi-trailer that
        has protective and deterrent systems that is used with a special
        tractor to transport nuclear explosives or special nuclear
        material.

7.  POLICY.  Nuclear explosive activities and operations shall be
    comprehensively reviewed, evaluated, and documented to enable informed
    management decisions to implement the overall objectives of the
    Department's nuclear explosives and weapons safety program.

8.  RESPONSIBILITIES AND AUTHORITIES.  Within DOE, safety is a line
    management responsibility.  Programmatic responsibilities covered by
    this Order are as follows:

    a.  Assistant Secretary for Defense Programs (DP-1) is responsible for:

        (1)  Reviewing Operations Office Manager's decisions to not grant
             Personnel Assurance Program certifications, or to revoke
             certifications, and issuing a decision to grant or reinstate
             certifications.

        (2)  Approving any requests for deviations from general nuclear
             explosive safety rules when determined appropriate.

        (3)  Approving Nuclear Explosive Safety Studies of a nuclear
             explosive subsequently determined to be non-one-point safe
             after a previous certification of one-point safe.

    b.  Deputy Assistant Secretary for Military Application (DP-20) is
        responsible for:

        (1)  Implementing the overall requirements of this Order.

        (2)  Approving Nuclear Explosive Safety Study Reports.

        (3)  Conducting appraisals of field activities and assuring that
             corrective actions are taken.

    c.  Deputy Assistant Secretary for Security Affairs (DP-30) is
        responsible for establishing safeguards and security policies,
        standards, and programs for preventing unauthorized access to
        nuclear explosives in DOE custody.

    d.  Managers of the Operations Offices are responsible for implementing
        the provisions of this Order in their respective areas of
        responsibility and authority to include:

        (1)  Assuring that responsibilities and authorities are clearly
             defined and delegated at appropriate management and supervisory
             levels.

        (2)  Assuring that, prior to the beginning of any operation that has
             nuclear detonation potential, a nuclear explosive safety study
             and/or survey has been conducted and approved.  Safety study
             reports are to be submitted to DP-20 for approval.

        (3)  Submitting Nuclear Explosive Safety Study Reports to DP-20 for
             approval.

        (4)  Approving Nuclear Explosive Safety Survey reports.

        (5)  Appointing a Chairperson, members, and technical advisors to
             the Nuclear Explosive Safety Study Group (NESSG) in accordance
             with procedures set forth in this Order.

        (6)  Assuring that each NESSG has available for evaluation the
             technical data, safety analysis, operating procedures,
             proposed safety rules, immediate-action procedures, pertinent
             approved nuclear explosive safety studies, and security
             measures applicable to the nuclear explosive safety of the
             operation under consideration.

        (7)  Assuring that NESSG recommendations, safety rules, and
             immediate-action procedures that have been approved are being
             effectively implemented.

        (8)  Implementing the criteria for permanent marking instructions
             and NELA requirements as established by the Manager,
             Albuquerque Operations Office.

        (9)  Conducting appraisals of activities under their cognizance
             and assuring corrective actions are taken as required.

        (10) Reporting occurrences in accordance with Chapter X of this
             Order.

    e.  Manager Albuquerque Operations Office, in addition to the
        responsibilities and authorities in paragraph 8d above, is
        responsible for establishing the criteria for permanent marking
        instructions and the nuclear explosive-like assembly (NELA)
        requirements.

BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY:



                                        JIM E. TARRO
                                        Director of Administration and
                                          Human Resource Management