Corrective Actions on the Office of Enterprise Assessments Findings and Deficiencies

The Office of Enterprise Assessments implements an Independent Oversight Program to provide Department of Energy line management, Congress, and other stakeholders with an independent evaluation of the effectiveness of Department policy and line management performance in safety, security, and other critical areas. The Office of Environment, Safety and Health Assessments (EA-30), a subordinate office within the Office of Enterprise Assessments, conducts assessments to provide information on the effectiveness and performance of Department programs in protecting workers, the public, and the environment from hazards. We initiated this audit to determine whether the Department is addressing findings and deficiencies identified by EA-30. Our review found that the Department did not always fully address findings and deficiencies identified by EA-30. These issues occurred, in part, because the sites we reviewed did not always provide sufficient oversight pertaining to EA-30 findings and deficiencies, including inconsistent oversight of the issues management processes. In addition, EA-30’s processes presented opportunities for improvement, including tracking findings and deficiencies. As a result of this audit, EA-30 has begun to take steps to address these issues. Department programs may be at risk of unaddressed weaknesses in protecting workers, the public, and the environment from hazards. Effective oversight is an integral part of the Department’s responsibility to provide assurance of its safety and security posture to its leadership, its workers, and the public. To address the issues identified in this report, we have made six recommendations that, if fully implemented, should help ensure that findings and deficiencies are addressed, and effective corrective actions are implemented and documented.