The medical team continues to be ready to respond during closure activities at the Blue Grass plant.

“Workers are doing as much or more physical labor now than ever,” said Dr. Craig Tokowitz, medical director, Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass. “That makes our roles even more important.”

Once the last chemical weapons were destroyed in July, workers transitioned into decommissioning and decontaminating the main plant. The work of cutting up equipment and hauling it away is physical labor, Tokowitz said. Much of that work is done in Demilitarization Protective Ensembles, which weigh as much as 50 pounds.

In addition, the Static Detonation Chamber (SDC) 1200 began operating in late October, joining the SDC 2000 in processing drained containerized rocket warheads containing residual amounts of nerve agent. Keeping those units running is also labor intensive.

“We need to be ready to perform our mission every minute. That includes making sure our workers are fit for duty and are able to do their jobs. It also includes training for agent and non-agent emergencies. We hope we never get a call, but we have to be ready,” said Tokowitz.

The doctors, nurses and paramedics perform physicals, do eye, hearing, cardiovascular and respiratory exams and offer cholesterol and similar screenings. They also provide health-related information, in addition to responding to medical calls 24 hours a day, if needed, the doctor said.

“The focus on worker safety continues. We are part of an extra effort to make sure safety is the primary consideration,” said Tokowitz.