West Valley Demonstration Project Emphasizes Conduct of Operations Training

Sitewide training reinforces critical role of disciplined operations in ensuring safe, compliant and high-quality cleanup work.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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The West Valley Demonstration Project recently held a sitewide training focused on conduct of operations, which establishes the core standards and operating philosophy that drive excellence across the DOE's environmental cleanup efforts. The training reinforced how every employee contributes to operational integrity and mission success, with hands-on exercises and group discussions to strengthen understanding and practical application of conduct of operations principles.

Why it matters

Conduct of operations is essential for the West Valley Demonstration Project and the broader DOE Office of Environmental Management to safely and effectively carry out the largest environmental cleanup program in the world. By instilling these principles across all disciplines, the project can ensure worker, public and environmental protection while meeting legal cleanup responsibilities.

The details

The conduct of operations training covered formal documentation, practices and actions implementing disciplined and structured operations to support mission success. It drew on decades of site experience, global incidents and benchmarking from other DOE locations. The training was designed to strengthen awareness, improve implementation and deepen employees' understanding of how their daily actions support the broader cleanup mission.

  • The sitewide conduct of operations training was held recently at the West Valley Demonstration Project site.
  • Going forward, the training will be offered every two months to maintain a high level of readiness and ensure new employees receive consistent instruction.

The players

Jason Casper

President and Program Manager for EM Cleanup Contractor West Valley Cleanup Alliance.

Barry Lester

WVCA Conduct of Operations Program Specialist who designed the training program.

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What they’re saying

“When faced with the cleanup work we perform, following our training is key. This is what directs and guides us to a better outcome without sacrificing safety, compliance or quality. Conduct of operations training reinforces this concept of leading with safety while sustaining operational excellence.”

— Jason Casper, President and Program Manager

“This class is about creating awareness of how this program applies to each employee and how they can contribute to its success. We've hired many new employees over the past few years, and it was the right moment to reinforce the workforce's understanding and application of conduct of operations. In doing so, we continue our efforts as a learning organization – one that is committed to growing, improving and achieving excellence in safe and compliant operations.”

— Barry Lester, WVCA Conduct of Operations Program Specialist

What’s next

To maintain a high level of readiness and ensure new employees receive consistent instruction, conduct of operations training will be offered every two months at West Valley. Refresher sessions will also remain available for employees seeking to strengthen their understanding and performance.

The takeaway

The West Valley Demonstration Project's focus on conduct of operations training demonstrates its commitment to fostering a culture of safety, compliance and operational excellence across all aspects of the environmental cleanup work. By empowering every employee to contribute to this mission-critical program, the project can continue to set new standards of excellence in the DOE's broader cleanup efforts.