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Teamwork Keeps Plant Workers Safe at Beaver Valley

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Claudia Sacha works as a radiation protection services supervisor at Beaver Valley Power Station in Shippingport, Pa.
Claudia and Dustin Van Dame, senior nuclear specialist, review dosimeter processing information.
Claudia and Dustin Van Dame, senior nuclear specialist,
review dosimeter processing information. 
As a supervisor in Nuclear Radiation Protection Services, Claudia leads a team of eight employees, and to her, leadership means “respecting people, earning the trust of others, finding value in each person, taking ownership of undesired outcomes, and genuinely listening.”

Claudia’s supervisory role includes dosimetry, respiratory protection and radiation protection-related technical issues. Claudia and her team also are responsible for radiation protection software, the most notable being the software that logs employees in and out of radiologically controlled areas and tracks their radiation dose.

“The most challenging part of my job is balancing the need to operate and perform plant maintenance with the principles of radiation protection. The goal is to ensure safe, reliable plant operation as well as sound radiological safety practice. We have a great team that manages roles, communicates effectively and offers support to each other. We also have a strong ability to work through any challenges.”

When asked what she likes best about her job, Claudia said she enjoys being able to work with many areas. “As a support organization, we have the opportunity to interact with many other disciplines; I enjoy that interaction and being able to provide support to ensure smooth plant operations.”

And here’s an interesting note: Last year, Claudia and her team processed 3,123 dosimeters (to measure radiation dose), and reviewed every result before submitting the data to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Now that’s teamwork!

The above post by FirstEnergy is a part of NEI’s Powered by Our People promotion which showcases the innovators within the nation’s nuclear energy workforce.

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