National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Special Exposure Cohort Petition Status Updates

Charles Nelson, MS

SEC Team Lead

Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health, 141st Meeting

Teleconference| August 19, 2021
Purpose

 Update to the petitioners, general public, and the Advisory Board on 

Radiation and Worker Health (Advisory Board)

 Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) summary of petitions

– in qualification

– under evaluation

– currently under Advisory Board review

– potential SEC petitions (83.14)
Summary

 Petitions received – 258

1

– In qualification process – 0

– Qualified for evaluation – 153

– Evaluations in progress – 2

– Evaluations completed – 152

 Reports with the Advisory Board – 11

 Petitions not qualifying for evaluation – 105

1

Includes 5 petitions received prior to the issuance of the SEC regulation.
SEC Petitions under Evaluation

 Pinellas Plant 1957-1990

– Clearwater, FL

– Petition SEC-0256

– All employees

– Expected Evaluation Report (ER) completion: September 2021

– Targeting December Advisory Board meeting to present ER
SEC Petitions under Evaluation (cont.)

 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 1990-1995

– Livermore, CA

– Petition SEC-0221

– Addendum to address remaining years 

– All employees

– December 2021 projected completion for addendum
Under Advisory Board Review

 Hanford (SEC-0057) – All SEC issues are closed except those related to current 

ongoing co-exposure modeling efforts

 Savannah River Site (SEC-0103) – A SEC class was recommended by the AB for 

SRS; awaiting HHS action 

– There are remaining open issues with SEC-0103

 Los Alamos National Laboratory (SEC-0109) – NIOSH working to resolve issues 

raised by Sanford Cohen & Associates (SC&A) and the work group

 Sandia National Laboratory – Albuquerque (SEC-0188) – NIOSH completed 

responses to SC&A’s review of the SNL-A Addendum 2
Under Advisory Board Review (cont.)

 Idaho National Lab (SEC-0219) - NIOSH is working to resolve issues raised 

by SC&A and the work group

 Argonne National Laboratory West (SEC-0224) - NIOSH is working to 

resolve issues raised by SC&A and the work group

 Area IV Santa Susanna (SEC-0235) - NIOSH is waiting on records to be 

released from the records center

 Metals and Controls (SEC-0236) - NIOSH is working to resolve issues raised 

by SC&A and the work group
Under Advisory Board Review (cont.)

 De Soto Avenue Facility (SEC-0246) - NIOSH is working to provide 

clarification on a few remaining issues; NIOSH is waiting on records to be 

released from the records center

 Y-12 Plant (SEC-0250) - Addendum to the ER will be presented at this AB 

meeting

 Reduction Pilot Plant (SEC-0253) - NIOSH provided responses to the WG in 

May 2021 regarding the two SC&A observations
Sites With Evaluation Period Awaiting Action

 Hanford (SEC-0057) 1984-1990 (prime contractors)

 Savannah River Site (SEC-0103) 1972-2007

 Los Alamos National Laboratory (SEC-0109) 1996-2005

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

 Idaho National Laboratory (SEC-00219) 1949-1970
Sites With Evaluation Period Awaiting Action (cont.)

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

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

 Metals and Controls (SEC-0236) 1968-1997 (Residual Period) 

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

 Y-12 (SEC-0250) 1987-1994

 Reduction Pilot Plant (SEC-0253) 1976-1978
Potential SEC Petition

West Valley Demonstration Project

– NIOSH evaluating a potential SEC for the Atomic Weapons Employer (AWE) 

period 1966-1968
Questions?