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ADVISORY BOARD ON RADIATION AND WORKER HEALTH

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& 4676 Columbia Parkway, MS: C-46
3 Cincinnati, Ohio 45226

% (513) 533-6825

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October 11, 2006

CHAIRMAN:
ee ion ha The Honorable Michael O, Leavitt
’ Indiana Secretary of Health and Human Services
Department of Health and Human Services
MEMBERS: 200 Independence Avenue, S.W.

Bradley P: Clanvacri Washington, DC 20201

Rexburg, Idaho
Michael H. Gibson Dear Mr. Secretary:
Franklin, Ohio
MenkK Galion The Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health (The Board) has
Salem, New Hampshire evaluated SEC Petition-00061 concerning workers at the Los Alamos
James E. Lockey, M.D. National Laboratory under the statutory requirements established by
Cincinnati, Ohio EEOICPA and incorporated into 42 CFR Sec. 83.13 and 42 CFR Sec.
James M. Melius, M.D., 83.14. The Board respectfully recommends a Special Exposure Cohort
Ph.D. (SEC) be accorded to all employees of the DOE predecessor agencies,
Albany, New York and their contractors or subcontractors, who were monitored or
Wanda |. Munn should have been monitored for exposure to ionizing radiation
Richland, Washington associated with radioactive lanthanum (RaLa) operations at Technical
ead W. Poston, Sr., Area 10 (Bayo Canyon Site), Technical Area 35 (“Ten Site”), and
nD. - Buildings H, Sigma, and U (located within Technical Area 1) at the Los
Calne Sean Tare Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) for a number of work days
Rope Frees aggregating at least 250 work days during the period from September
, 1, 1944 through July 18, 1963, or in combination with work days within
Genevieve S: Roecsler, the parameters established for one or more other classes of employees
Elysian, Minnesota in the SEC.
This recommendation is based on the following factors:
STAFF:
EXECUTIVE e People working in these areas of the Los Alamos National
SECRETARY: Laboratory were associated with radioactive lanthanum (RaLa)
Lewis V. Wade, Ph.D operations as part of the early development and testing of nuclear
Washington, DC weapons. In reviewing the available monitoring data for these
operations, NIOSH found that it did not have access to sufficient
Ter: information , including internal personnel dosimetry, workplace
ol monitoring data, or sufficient process and radiological source
LaShawn D. Shields information, that would allow it to estimate with sufficient
Atlanta, Georgia

accuracy the potential internal radioactive lanthanum doses to
which members of the proposed class may have been exposed.
The Board concurs with this determination.


The Honorable Michael O. Leavitt October 11, 2006

e NIOSH determined that health was endangered for the workers exposed to radiation in
these areas of the Los Alamos National Laboratory within the time period in question.
The Board concurs with this determination.

e The NIOSH review of the data was found that it was sufficient to support accurate
individual dose reconstruction for external doses and occupational medical doses for
workers in the areas in question at the LANL. The Board concurs with this
determination

e In their evaluation, NIOSH determined that it was difficult to identify people who
worked in these areas of LANL based on job classifications. Therefore, the Board
recommends that determination of eligibility for this class take into account this
difficulty and in the absence of work history or other information to the contrary,
workers at the LANL facility during the time period in question should be presumed to
have worked in the areas in question.

Enclosed is supporting documentation from the recent Advisory Board Meeting held in Las
Vegas, Nevada where this special exposure cohort was discussed. If any of these items are
unavailable at this time, they will follow shortly.

Sincerely,
DD

Paul L. Ziemer, Ph.D.
Chairman

Ene.