Hanford employees sent home Sunday; swing and graveyard shifts canceled

Hanford workers have been sent home for the day because of “potential adverse road conditions.”

An email from the Department of Energy’s Emergency Operation Center at Hanford said employees were being released immediately as of 1:15 p.m. Sunday.

Only essential employees needed to maintain minimum safe operations have been asked to work through the rest of their shift.

Swing and graveyard shifts are canceled for today for nonessential employees, the news release said.

Hanford site road crews are plowing and sanding the roads, but winter driving conditions should still be anticipated during the commute. Employees who must report to work are urged to use caution and plan for longer commute times.

Officials note that conditions can change quickly, so employees are advised to call the Hanford Hotline, 509-376-9999, before leaving home, and to tune their car radio to 530 AM as they near the site.

This story was originally published January 8, 2017 at 2:20 PM with the headline "Hanford employees sent home Sunday; swing and graveyard shifts canceled."