NIOSH Program Update

Stuart Hinnefeld

Director

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support

September 2012

Denver, CO
Program News

 DCAS staff updates

• Personnel on detail

• Dose Reconstruction Workshop for claimant 

advocates

• Publication of NCRP Report No. 171, “Uncertainties 

in the Estimation of Radiation Risks and Probability 

of Disease Causation”
Overall Initial Claim Information

(as of August 31, 2012)

 37,758 cases have been referred to NIOSH for dose 

reconstruction

 35,770 (95%) cases have been returned to DOL

• Cases submitted with a DR report 31,406

• Cases currently pulled from DR by DOL 1,245

• Cases currently pulled from DR for SEC 3,119 

 1,316 (3%) cases remained at NIOSH for dose 

reconstruction

 672 (2%) cases were administratively closed
Overview of Active Cases

(as of August 31, 2012)

 Of the 1,316 cases remaining at NIOSH for dose 

reconstruction:

• 250 cases in the dose reconstruction process

• 208 initial draft dose reconstruction reports in the hands 

of claimants, and NIOSH awaiting the return of the OCAS1 form

• 858 cases in development to begin the dose 

reconstruction
Summary of PoCs for Completed 

Dose Reconstructions

(as of September 10, 2012)

 Of the 31,445 dose reconstructions sent back to 

DOL for final adjudication:

• 22,369 cases had a PoC ≥ 50%

• 9,076 cases had a PoC < 50%
Distribution of PoC

for Cases Sent to DOL

(as of August 31, 2012)

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

0-10% 11-20% 21-30% 31-40% 41-49% >= 50%

9059

4072

3338 3574

2299

9064

Probability of Causation

Number of Cases
Submittals vs. Production

(as of June 30, 2012)

0

400

800

1200

1600

2000

2400

Q1-2002Q1-2003Q1-2004Q1-2005Q1-2006Q1-2007Q1-2008Q1-2009Q1-2010Q1-2011Q1-2012

Cases Received from

DOL

Draft DR Reports to

Claimants

Final DR Reports to

DOL
Status of First 5,000 Claims

(as of August 31, 2012) 

 4,862 claims at DOL

• 276 pulled for DOL issues

• 379 pulled for SEC

• 4,207 submitted with DR

 119 claims at NIOSH

• 93 admin closed

• 2 DRs with claimants (DOL reworks/reinstated within past 

year)

• 16 DRs in process (DOL reworks/reinstated within past year)

• 8 gathering information

 19 claim numbers deleted
Status of First 10,000 Claims

(as of August 31, 2012) 

 9,760 claims at DOL

• 451 pulled for DOL issues

• 1,004 pulled for SEC

• 8,305 submitted with DR

 210 claims at NIOSH

• 163 admin closed

• 5 DRs with claimants (0 initial; 5 DOL reworks within past year)

• 32 DRs in process (2 initial; 30 DOL reworks within past year)

• 10 gathering information

 30 claim numbers deleted
DOE Response to Requests 

for Exposure Records

(as of September 11, 2012) 

 Number of outstanding requests 186

 Outstanding requests > 60 days 41
Special Exposure Cohort Summary

(as of September 11, 2012)

 Petitions received 207

 Petitions in qualification process 0 

 Petitions qualified for evaluation 127

• NIOSH evaluation in progress 4

• NIOSH evaluation completed 120

– SEC Evaluation Reports 

 with the Advisory Board 

 for recommendation 8 

 Petitions not qualifying for evaluation 80

Note: Petitions not qualifying include five petitions received prior to the 

rule becoming final and Petition 34 where the site was de-listed. 
Special Exposure Cohort Summary 

(as of September 11, 2012)

 90 SEC classes have been added since May 2005

• 52 (57%) through the 83.13 process

• 38 (43%) through the 83.14 process

 15 SEC classes have been denied since May 2005

 Represents classes of workers from 64 sites

 Represents 4,086 potential claims