What is a key action necessary for ensuring the safety of decommissioned equipment?

Removing hazardous inventories is crucial for ensuring the safety of decommissioned equipment. When equipment is taken out of service, any hazardous materials, such as chemicals, fuels, or other dangerous substances, must be properly handled and eliminated to prevent risks such as leaks, spills, or contamination. By addressing these inventories, organizations can mitigate risks associated with the potential reactivation of the equipment or accidents during the decommissioning process.

In contrast, while implementing new safety protocols could enhance overall safety practices in a facility, it does not specifically address the immediate hazards associated with decommissioned equipment. Reinstalling the equipment would pose undue risk since the equipment is meant to be retired from use; this would undermine the very purpose of decommissioning. Increasing staffing levels may help in managing safety operations, but it does not directly tackle the core issue of hazardous materials that need to be safely removed and managed. Thus, focusing on removing hazardous inventories is the most vital action to ensure safety in this context.