Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Special Exposure Cohort 

Evaluation Report

Mark R. Rolfes, Health Physicist

Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health 

Tampa, Florida 

March 2016

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
ORAU Evaluation Team

 Timothy Adler

 Robert Burns

 Roger Halsey

 Monica Harrison-Maples

 Michael Kubiak

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Petition Overview

 Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) petition 

received October 7, 2015

 Petitioner-requested class definition:

All DOE or DOE contractor employees who 

worked in any area at the Lawrence Livermore 

National Laboratory [LLNL] within the 7000 

East Avenue location in Livermore, California, 

or within the Site 300 location in Tracy, 

California from January 1, 1975 through 

October 28, 2014

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Petition Overview

 Qualified for evaluation on January 6, 2015

 Basis for qualification:

Information available to NIOSH did not provide 

evidence that the gross alpha in vitro bioassay 

measurements, upon which some coworker 

analyses are based, were capable of detecting 

all potential exposure scenarios of concern

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Petition Overview

 Previous SEC classes: 

• SEC-00092: Class added for January 1, 1950 through 

December 31, 1973, for employees who were 

monitored for radiation exposure

• SEC-00163: Class expanded to include “all employees” 

for January 1, 1950 through December 31, 1973, 

eliminating the “who were monitored” distinction

• Limited in vitro and in vivo pre-1974 bioassay data are 

insufficient to support sufficiently accurate coworker 

fission product intake models

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Proposed Class

All employees of the Department of Energy, its 

predecessor agencies, and its contractors and 

subcontractors who worked in any area at the Lawrence 

Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California, 

during the period from January 1, 1974 through December 

31, 1989, for a number of work days aggregating at least 

250 work days, occurring either solely under this 

employment or in combination with work days within the 

parameters established for one or more other classes of 

employees in the SEC.

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Background

 Covered facility from 1950-present

 Original mission was thermonuclear weapons 

development and diverse scientific and engineering 

research activities

 Current mission is scientific, technical, and engineering 

capability with a special focus on national security

 Past research activities: testing of nuclear weapons 

lifecycle, strategic defense research, arms control and 

treaty verification technology, fusion research, atomic 

vapor laser isotope separation (AVLIS), magnetic fusion, 

atmospheric sciences, and commercial nuclear waste

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Background

 LLNL is comprised of two sites:

• 1.5-square-mile Main Laboratory Site located at 

7000 East Avenue in Livermore, CA; and

• 11-square-mile Explosive Test Site, also known as 

Site 300, located 15 miles southeast of Livermore, 

near Tracy, CA

 The Main Laboratory consists of approx. 500 

buildings and structures

• Approx. 50 of the operational buildings contained 

radiological materials areas

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Data Capture Efforts

 On-site personnel interviews were 

conducted during January, February, April, 

and September 2015

 14 crafts and trades workers (electricians, H&S 

techs, machinists, maintenance, sheet metal 

workers, waste management techs, and welders)

 LLNL program staff (Engineering, Global Security, 

Haz Waste, Laser Programs, Nuclear Chemistry, 

Rad Protection, and Weapons Control and 

Integration)

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Data Capture Efforts

 A total of ten week-long site visits were made 

between January and December of 2015

• Document review and selection

• Review of Material Accountability and Control 

records

 LLNL released 1,400 documents on October 1, 

2015

• Documents reviewed by NIOSH through midDecember 2015

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Previous Dose Reconstructions

Total number of claims submitted for dose reconstruction 1047

Total number of claims submitted for energy employees who worked during the 

period under evaluation (January 1, 1974 through December 31, 1989) 942

Number of dose reconstructions completed for energy employees who worked 

during the period under evaluation (i.e., the number of such claims completed by 

NIOSH and submitted to the Department of Labor for final approval)

628

Number of claims for which internal dosimetry records were obtained for the 

period under evaluation (January 1, 1974 through December 31, 1989) 387

Number of claims for which external dosimetry records were obtained for the 

period under evaluation (January 1, 1974 through December 31, 1989) 757

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Radiological Buildings for SEC-00221

 For purposes of timeliness, NIOSH has narrowed 

the scope of the current evaluation, focusing on 

available data sufficiency and feasibility 

conclusions as related to Building 251 for the 

period from January 1, 1974 through December 

31, 1989

 NIOSH will continue to review and evaluate the 

entire LLNL site for the period from January 1, 

1974 through December 31, 1995, and will 

proceed with issuing another evaluation report

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Radiological Buildings for SEC-00221

 Building 251, the Heavy Element Facility, was a 

major facility for supporting the U.S. nuclear 

testing program and for basic research.

 Building 251 had three main tasks under the 

nuclear testing program: (1) nuclear tracer 

fabrication, (2) radiochemical analysis of bomb 

debris, and (3) chemical research into transuranic 

radionuclides.

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Building 251 Operations

 Specialized equipment for manufacturing tracer 

sets. Most of the tracer sets used in the U.S. 

nuclear testing program were manufactured in 

Building 251

 Separations on post-shot samples performed in 

Building 251, after initial sample processing at 

Building 151

 Room 1235 contained the uranium tracer line, 

used to fabricate tracer sets containing U-233 and 

U-235. Process included pressing oxide powders 

into pellets and soldering into brass containers

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Building 251 Uranium Operations

 LLNL U-233 operations occurred almost 

exclusively in Bldg 251

 LLNL received U-233 metal and oxide from Rocky 

Flats Plant for use in tracer applications.

 Inventory documents imply U-233 was also 

received from Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Building 251 Uranium Operations

 Tracer sets were fabricated for all nuclear tests 

overseen by LLNL, and for select sets of nuclear 

tests conducted and overseen by LANL.

 Bomb fraction tracer sets were used to help 

determine fission and fusion yields in the postshot analysis of bomb debris.

 Capsules filled with a radioactive isotope that was not 

produced by the explosion. LLNL fabricated these 

tracer sets in Building 251.

 Tracer U-233 exposure entails alpha emissions as 

internal dose concern, and gamma radiation 

associated with the decay product impurities.

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Building 251 Uranium Bioassay (In Vitro)

 Site-wide routine in vitro monitoring was 

accomplished through a combination of 

four procedures:

 Gross alpha urinalysis (primary for Bldg 251);

 Gross beta urinalysis (also called mixed fission 

product, MFP) (added for Bldg 251 in 1984);

 Plutonium urinalysis (secondary for Bldg 251); 

and

 Uranium urinalysis (uncommon for Bldg 251).

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Building 251 Uranium Bioassay (In Vitro)

 Though MAPPER database is no longer used by 

LLNL, in vitro data contained within MAPPER span 

the 1974 - 1989 period of concern.

 MAPPER database contains monitoring data from the 

early 1960s through ca. 1995 and is believed to be 

complete from approx. the mid-1970s forward

 A “fully identified” version of the database was 

received by NIOSH in 2015.

 MAPPER contains over 35,000 records; approximately 

16,100 records are from within the 1974–1989 

evaluation period.

 Results are predominantly for urinalysis (354 fecal 

samples)

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Building 251 Uranium Bioassay (In Vitro)

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support

In Vitro Results for Building 251, 1974-1989
Building 251 Uranium Bioassay (In Vitro)

 Available in vitro results do not indicate evidence 

of routine in vitro monitoring for uranium 

associated with Building 251

 MAPPER database reveals only five urinalysis 

results for uranium associated with Building 251 

from 1979–1989 (no area field pre-1979)

 All five results are from 1980

 LLNL used either fluorometric or phosphorescence 

measurements in its uranium urinalysis program. The 

sample results are therefore expressed in terms of 

total uranium by mass

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Building 251 Uranium Bioassay (In Vitro)

 Routine in vitro monitoring for workers in Building 251 

during 1974–1989 focused on transuranic materials via 

gross alpha and plutonium urinalyses

 Gross alpha procedure was essentially identical to the 

LANL americium urinalysis procedure

• In addition to Am and Pu, the procedure states it also carried 

actinium, curium, neptunium, and thorium and there is no 

mention of uranium 

 LLNL gross alpha procedure was a bismuth phosphate 

extraction with addition of sulfate to the solution prior to 

the bismuth phosphate extraction

• Sulfates kept the uranium in solution while allowing the 

plutonium to form an insoluble precipitate 

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Building 251 Uranium Bioassay (In Vitro)

 NIOSH cannot assume Th decay products from U-233 

(or the U-232 impurity) would have been sufficiently 

present in the gross alpha in vitro analysis given the 

fact it could have been removed during production

 Gross beta in vitro analysis, if performed, is deemed 

insufficient for U-233 given the lack of countable 

electron emission from U-233 + U-232 and the fact 

the beta-emitting decay products cannot be assumed 

to have been present

 The plutonium urinalysis procedure was specific for 

plutonium

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Building 251 Uranium Bioassay (In Vivo)

 In vivo monitoring at LLNL was 

accomplished via whole-body scanning 

and/or organ counting

 LLNL has no electronic repository for in vivo

monitoring data

 LLNL “official” in vivo records are in the 

form of hard copies stored in personnel 

files

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Building 251 Uranium Bioassay (In Vivo)

 For Building 251 workers, chest/lung counting 

method is likely, given the wide variety of 

transuranic materials handled in Building 251

 Using LLNL’s in vivo data to assign potential doses 

from intakes of U-233 + U-232 would be highly 

uncertain given that gamma-emitting decay 

products cannot be assumed to have been 

present

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Building 251 Uranium Bioassay (In Vivo)

 In vivo monitoring results for seven LLNL 

employees associated with Building 251 from 

1974–1995

 Though some whole-body counts, most of the 

monitoring was for lung scans as would be expected 

for a transuranic facility

 NOCTS in vivo monitoring found for only two 

workers associated with Building 251 from 1974–

1989

 Seven lung counts

 Fourteen whole-body counts

 One liver count

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Building 251 Air Monitoring

 NIOSH has no evidence of a comprehensive LLNL 

repository for air monitoring data. NIOSH has very 

few results from within the 1974–1989 evaluation 

time and/or from Building 251.

 A 1980 DOE review of Building 251 operations:

 Noted “excessive” failure rate for the CAMs used in the various 

laboratories in Building 251, and recommended that LLNL “vigorously 

pursue” improving the air monitoring in the building

 1990 DOE Tiger Team assessment:

 Noted air monitors and air samplers did not appear to be strategically 

placed with respect to capturing representative samples

 Further noted that BZ monitors were not used at LLNL and CAM 

placement appeared to emphasize general room air monitoring rather 

than representative workplace monitoring

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Building 251 Access Control Information

 Building 251 was surrounded by security fencing with 

access controlled by a Controlled Access by Individual 

Number (CAIN) booth. NIOSH’s first reference of 

CAIN booths is March 1980.

 1980 logbooks indicate construction workers, electricians, 

and site visitors were routinely present in the building 

during that time

 Machinist interviews indicate:

 Access controls were less stringent during the 1970s

 More common for them to work in different facilities across 

the site

 Researchers and support staff routinely went back and 

forth between Building 151 and Building 251

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Building 251 Access Control Information

 1980 logbook entries for Building 251 indicate:

• The north door of Building 251 was wedged open 

while construction was going on in the building

• Visitors to Building 151 were going over to 

Building 251 without wearing dosimeters

 NIOSH data capture and interview efforts have 

been unable to locate historical access control 

records for the site, or for Building 251.

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Building 251 Access Control Information

 Information currently available to NIOSH 

contains insufficient access control 

information or records for Building 251, and 

insufficient general site worker movement 

data, to accurately assess whether an energy 

employee, or class of employees, did or did 

not potentially enter Building 251 during the 

period 1974 though 1989

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Feasibility of Dose Reconstruction

 NIOSH has determined that it has insufficient information 

to verify that the routine in vitro bioassay program for 

Building 251 workers (combinations of analyses for gross 

alpha in urine, gross beta in urine, and plutonium in urine) 

was adequately sensitive for detection of U-233 intakes 

during the period 1974-1989

 Similarly, NIOSH has determined that photon-emitting 

decay products and contaminants cannot be assumed to 

have been sufficiently present in the U-233 source term to 

verify that the routine in vivo bioassay program for Building 

251 workers was capable of detecting U-233 intakes during 

the period 1974-1989

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Feasibility of Dose Reconstruction

 Information available to NIOSH from multiple site 

inspections performed from 1980 to 1991 indicate 

deficiencies in LLNL’s implementation of the air monitoring 

program in Building 251

 NIOSH has determined the available air monitoring data 

from Building 251 may not be adequately representative of 

the worker breathing zones, and are consequently not 

considered sufficient for Building 251 dose reconstruction 

during the period 1974-1989

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Feasibility of Dose Reconstruction

 It is not feasible to estimate with sufficient accuracy the U233 internal doses for LLNL workers in Building 251 during 

the period from January 1, 1974 through December 31, 

1989

 Information currently available to NIOSH contains 

insufficient access control records for Building 251, and 

insufficient general site worker movement data, to allow 

NIOSH to accurately assess whether a class of employees 

did or did not potentially enter Building 251 during the 

period under evaluation

 NIOSH therefore recommends the extension of the 

recommended class to include all LLNL workers during the 

period from January 1, 1974 through December 31, 1989

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Feasibility of Dose Reconstruction

 NIOSH finds that it is feasible to reconstruct occupational 

medical dose for LLNL workers with sufficient accuracy 

during the period from January 1, 1974 through December 

31, 1989

 Consistent with the findings of NIOSH’s 2010 evaluation of 

the LLNL SEC-00163, NIOSH finds that external dose for 

photon, beta, and neutron exposures can likely be 

reconstructed for all members of the evaluated class for the 

period from January 1, 1974 through December 31, 1989. 

NIOSH will continue to perform a full evaluation of external 

exposures during the period from 1974–1995

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Feasibility of Dose Reconstruction

 For the purposes of timeliness, NIOSH is issuing 

this report covering available data sufficiency and 

feasibility conclusions to-date, but will continue to 

review and evaluate internal and external 

exposures other than U-233 during the period 

from 1974–1989, and all internal and external 

exposures during the period from 1990–1995

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Health Endangerment

 The evidence reviewed in this evaluation indicates that some 

workers in the class have accumulated chronic radiation 

exposures through intakes of radionuclides and direct exposure 

to radioactive materials, without exposure during a discrete 

incident likely to have involved levels of exposure similarly high 

to those occurring during nuclear criticality incidents

 Consequently, NIOSH is specifying that health may have been 

endangered for those workers covered by this evaluation who 

were employed for a number of work days aggregating at least 

250 work days within the parameters established for this class or 

in combination with work days within the parameters 

established for one or more other classes of employees in the 

SEC 

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Proposed Class

All employees of the Department of Energy, its 

predecessor agencies, and its contractors and 

subcontractors who worked in any area at the 

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 

Livermore, California, during the period from January 

1, 1974 through December 31, 1989, for a number of 

work days aggregating at least 250 work days, 

occurring either solely under this employment or in 

combination with work days within the parameters 

established for one or more other classes of 

employees in the SEC

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support