The Nation - News from March 7, 1989

The Department of Energy said it plans to conduct random drug testing on about 8% of its work force, including those employees who handle nuclear weapons. The department said it planned to conduct random tests on about 1,350 of its 16,600 employees. It said it was in the process of giving advance notice to all affected workers. Those to be tested include about 350 employees who handle nuclear weapons or special nuclear materials, either at the department’s Savannah River nuclear materials production plant in South Carolina or at department facilities in Oak Ridge, Tenn. or Albuquerque. Those employees who are not subject to random testing will be tested only if there is reasonable suspicion of the use of illegal drugs or if there is an accident or incident at a department facility, officials said.