National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) Update

LaVon B. Rutherford, CHP

SEC Health Physics Team Leader

Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health, 130th Meeting

Oak Ridge, Tennessee| August 21, 2019
Purpose

 Update the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health

 Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) summary of petitions

– in qualification

– under evaluation

– currently under Advisory Board review

– potential SEC petitions (83.14)
Summary

 Petitions received – 253*

– Petitions in qualification process – 1

– Petitions qualified for evaluation – 151

– NIOSH evaluation in progress – 1

– NIOSH evaluation completed – 151

 Reports with the Advisory Board – 12

 Petitions not qualifying for evaluation – 101

*NOTE: 253 includes 5 petitions received prior to the federal regulation.
SEC Petitions in Qualification

 Reduction Pilot Plant

– Huntington, West Virginia

– Petition SEC-0253

– 1976-1978

– All Security Guards

– Expected completion: On hold waiting on DOL evaluation of 

covered period
SEC Petitions under Evaluation

 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 1990-2014

– Livermore, CA

– Petition SEC-0221

– Addendum to address remaining years 

– All employees

– Expected completion: February 2020 
Under Advisory Board Review

 Y-12 Plant 1977-1994

– Oak Ridge, TN

– Petition SEC-0250

– All employees

– Expected completion: Being presented at this meeting

Note: NIOSH has reserved the period 1987-1994 for further evaluation
Under Advisory Board Review (cont’d)

 West Valley Demonstration Project 1969-1973

– West Valley, NY

– Petition SEC-0252 (83.14)

– All employees

– Expected completion: Being presented at this meeting
Under Advisory Board Review (cont’d - 1)

 Hanford (SEC-00057) – NIOSH reviewing documentation to determine 

whether prime contractors’ radiological control programs were meeting 

internal monitoring requirements

 Savannah River Site (SEC-00103) – The work group and SC&A are reviewing 

co-worker models and subcontractor monitoring

 Los Alamos National Lab (SEC-00109) – NIOSH working to resolve issues 

raised by SC&A and the work group

 Sandia National Laboratory (SEC-00188) – The work group and SC&A are 

reviewing Addendum 2
Under Advisory Board Review (cont’d - 2)

 Idaho National Lab (SEC-00219) – NIOSH is working to resolve issues 

raised by SC&A and the work group

 Argonne National Laboratory - West (SEC-00224) – NIOSH is working to 

resolve issues raised by SC&A and the work group

 Area IV Santa Susanna (SEC-00235) – An update is scheduled for this 

meeting

 Metals and Controls (SEC-00236) – Advisory Board work group and SC&A 

are reviewing NIOSH white papers
Under Advisory Board Review (cont’d - 3)

 De Soto Avenue Facility (SEC-00246) – NIOSH is working to resolve 

issues raised by SC&A and the work group

 Superior Steel Co. (SEC 0247) – NIOSH is working to resolve issues raised 

by SC&A and the work group
Sites with evaluation period awaiting action

 Hanford (SEC-0057) 1984-1990 (Primes only)

 Savannah River Site (SEC-0103) 1973-2007

 Los Alamos National Laboratories-A (SEC-0109) 1996-2005

 Sandia National Laboratory (SEC-0188) 1997-2011

 Idaho National Laboratory (SEC-00219) 1949-1970
Sites with evaluation period awaiting action (continued)

 Lawrence Livermore National Lab (SEC-0221) 1990-2014

 Argonne National Laboratory – West (SEC-0224) 1958-1979

 Area IV Santa Susanna (SEC- 0235) 1991-1993

 Metals and Controls (SEC- 0236) 1968-1997 (Res) 

 De Soto Avenue Facility (SEC-0246) 1965-1995
Potential SEC Petitions (83.14)

 West Valley Demonstration Project

– NIOSH evaluating a potential SEC for the AWE period 1966-1968