October 8, 2002

BATTELLE COMPLETES INVESTIGATION OF AUGUST 11 WEST JEFFERSON ACCIDENT

Battelle announced today that it has completed its investigation of the August 11 accident at the High Energy Research Laboratory Area near West Jefferson, Ohio. The accident seriously injured two Battelle staff members, who have been released from their respective hospitals and are recovering.

The two Battelle staff members, Thomas Burky and James Gombarcik, were working on an internal research and development project in the defense area when an explosion occurred in the High Energy Research Laboratory-a facility specifically designed for explosives testing.

The investigation has determined that the cause of the accident was an unintentional ignition of energetic materials, most likely as a result of an electrostatic discharge.

The investigation also found the manager and staff members associated with the project exhibited the intent to work safely and efficiently, and recognized (as reflected in the Safety Plan) that electrostatic discharge was the primary hazard. At the same time, the probe indicated that some changes in standard operating and change management procedures could reduce the possibility of similar occurrences.

The investigation also determined that there was no environmental impact from the explosion to the surrounding community.

"We are disappointed that this accident occurred because Battelle has prided itself on a strong environment, safety and health record," said Frank Hood, Battelle Vice President for Environment, Safety and Health. "We are taking immediate action to improve safety at the High Energy Research Laboratory, including an action plan to implement process and safety improvements for research work and to closely track completion. Most important, we are very pleased that Tom Burky and Jim Gombarcik are recovering well from this most unfortunate accident."

Members of the investigative team included: Hood, Dr. Kelly Beierschmitt, Director, Environment, Safety, Health, and Quality at Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Dr. Michael Fisher, Senior Research Scientist at Battelle; Dr. Michael Duffy, Research Leader, Environment, Safety and Health and Safeguards Analysis at Battelle; and Don Cagle, Manager, Environment Safety and Health Operations at Battelle.

Battelle serves industry and government in the areas of technology development, laboratory management, and technology commercialization. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Battelle has annual revenues of $1 billion, has operations at more than 100 locations and clients in 30 countries. It counts as its successes the development of the office copier machine (Xerox), pioneering work on the compact disc, medical technology breakthroughs, and fiber optic advancements for telecommunications.

For more information visit www.battelle.org, or contact Media Relations Manager Katy Delaney at (614) 424-5544, or at delaneyk@battelle.org.