PORTSMOUTH, Va. (AP) — Two safety violations by civilian workers have prompted the Navy to suspend most nuclear work at Norfolk Naval Shipyard.

The Virginian-Pilot (http://bit.ly/1vhSlLn ) reports that the suspension of all but the most critical nuclear operations affects the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the submarines USS Maryland and USS Albany.

Shipyard spokesman Jeff Cunningham tells the newspaper that shipyard workers improperly handled potentially contaminated materials twice in the past month.

Cunningham says the problems were minor. He says there was no safety impact to the public, the environment or employees.

He says shipyard officials ordered the suspension of work to study the problem and establish corrective actions.

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Information from: The Virginian-Pilot, http://pilotonline.com

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