DOE's handling of explosives raises 'big bang' fears

Energy Department facilities have failed to follow their own safety procedures, storing dangerous explosives near combustible materials and inspecting shipments of explosives in locations too close to the public, the agency's inspector general warns.

The Energy Department stockpiles a significant amount of explosives at facilities across the country to help facilitate its research work. The agency's inspector general, its internal watchdog, conducted spot inspections recently at the Sandia, Idaho and Los Alamos national laboratories as well as a DOE's Savannah River facility in South Carolina and uncovered several concerns.