Status of PER Reviews 1 SC&A - August 25, 2014

NOTICE: This report has been reviewed for Privacy Act information and has been cleared for distribution.

However, this report is pre-decisional and has not been reviewed by the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker 

Health for factual accuracy or applicability within the requirements of 42 CFR 82.

MEMO

TO: Subcommittee on Procedures Review

FROM: John Stiver, SC&A

DATE: August 25, 2014

SUBJECT: Current Status of Program Evaluation Report (PER) Reviews

This memo provides the Subcommittee with an update on the status of PER reviews:

Table 1, “PER Review Status as of August 2014,” has been updated to reflect the status of 

recently completed PER Reviews. Specifically, refer to pages 4–6 of this memo. Updated 

information is presented in bolded blue text for easy identification.

Table 2, “New PERs Not Assigned for SC&A’s Review as of August 2014,” provides a list and 

descriptions of PERs recommended, but not yet been assigned, for review.

Table 3, “PER (Subtask 4) Case Reviews for Assigned PER Reviews Not Completed as of 

August 2014,” provides a listing of Subtask 4 case reviews that have not yet been completed.
Status of PER Reviews 2 SC&A - August 25, 2014

NOTICE: This report has been reviewed for Privacy Act information and has been cleared for distribution.

However, this report is pre-decisional and has not been reviewed by the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker 

Health for factual accuracy or applicability within the requirements of 42 CFR 82.

Table 1. PER Review Status as of August 2014

PER Title Description Notes

OCAS-PER-010

Rev-0 

(April 13, 2007)

The Effect of Rocky Flats 

Neutron Dose Reconstruction 

Project Data

The Rocky Flats Neutron Dose Reconstruction 

Project (NDRP) was initiated to re-evaluate some 

original neutron dosimetry results. Additional 

neutron doses resulting from the efforts of the 

NDRP made it necessary to reassess completed 

Rocky Flats DRs.

PRSC decided to defer this PER for review at 

the July 31, 2012, SC meeting because SEC 

issues were still open. (July 31, 2012,

transcript, p 310)

OCAS-PER-0013 

Rev-0

(August 13, 2007)

Evaluation of the Impact of 

Changes to the Isotopic Ratios 

in for the Paducah Gaseous

Diffusion Plant

Changes to ORAUT-TKBS-0019-5 resulted in 

identifying 734 potentially affected claims.

PRSC decided to defer this PER for review at 

the July 31, 2012 SC meeting because TBD 

issues were still open (July 31, 2012,

transcript, p. 280).

OCAS-PER-0015 

Rev 0

(July 31, 2007)

Mallinckrodt TBD Revision

The Mallinckrodt TBD (ORAUT-TKBS-0005) was 

revised due to issues raised during an SEC review 

and the granting of an SEC status. Some changes to 

the methodology will increase dose and, due to the 

SEC, some exposure pathways will be eliminated. 

Therefore, it is not possible to determine the effect 

on POC without a new dose estimate.

PRSC decided not to review this PER at the 

November 1, 2012, SC meeting. Determined 

resources would be best spent elsewhere 

(November 1, 2012, transcript, p. 162)

OCAS-PER-0016 

Rev-0

(September 25, 2007)

Implementation of IREP 

Procedure for Claims near 50% 

Probability of Causation

In June 2006, the procedure for further evaluation 

of claims with POC values between 45% and 50% 

was revised. This change required the reassessment 

of numerous claims with POCs near 50%.

PRSC decided to defer this PER for review at 

the July 31, 2012, SC meeting. Determined 

resources would be best spent elsewhere (July 

31, 2012, transcript, p. 301)

OCAS-PER-019 

Rev-0

(May 18, 2007)

The Effect of Additional 

Neutron Dose Data from the 

Savannah River Site

The Savannah River Site (SRS) notified NIOSH 

that not all neutron dosimetry data were sent for 

several claims. After receiving the additional data, 

it was necessary to re-evaluate completed claims: 

17 claims initially identified; 4 required reevaluation.

PRSC decided not to review this PER at the 

November 1, 2012, SC meeting. Determined 

resources would be best spent elsewhere 

(November 1, 2012, transcript, p. 161)

OCAS-PER-0022 

Rev-0

(September 20, 2007)

Chapman Valve TBD Revision

Revised DR methodology for internal dose. 

Revision 1 provides a constant intake of uranium 

while revision 0 provided for a lognormal 

distribution of intakes. Ten claims re-evaluated.

PRSC decided to defer this PER for review at 

the November 1, 2012, SC meeting because 

TBD revisions may have required a new PER. 

DCAS was to verify. (November 1 2012 

transcript, p. 168)

OCAS-PER-0023 

Rev-0

(September 20, 2007)

Argonne National Lab-West 

TBD Revision

Change requires that an annual x-ray be assigned 

when no medical records were received. There 

were 22 potentially affected claims.

PRSC decided to defer this PER for review at 

the November 1, 2012 SC meeting because 

dose impact was low and few cases affected. 

(November 1 2012 transcript, p. 154)
Status of PER Reviews 3 SC&A - August 25, 2014

NOTICE: This report has been reviewed for Privacy Act information and has been cleared for distribution.

However, this report is pre-decisional and has not been reviewed by the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker 

Health for factual accuracy or applicability within the requirements of 42 CFR 82.

Table 1. PER Review Status as of August 2014

PER Title Description Notes

OCAS-PER-0024 

Rev-0

(September 25, 2007)

General Steel Industries TBD 

Approval

New TBD will require review of 4 claims. PRSC decided to defer this PER for review at 

the November 1, 2012 SC meeting because 

site profile and SEC issues were open. 

(November 1 2012 transcript, p. 174)

OCAS-PER-026 

Rev-0

(October 31, 2007)

Pantex TBD Revision -

ORAUT-TKBS-0013

Revised the assigned dose for x-ray examinations 

for some organs during specific time frames. 

Potentially affects 50 claims.

PRSC decided to defer this PER for review at 

the November 1, 2012 SC meeting because 

SEC likely reduced the number of effected 

claims and dose impact was minimal. 

(November 1 2012 transcript, p. 144)

OCAS-PER-027 

Rev-0

(October 30, 2007)

Clarksville and Medina Site 

Profile – ORAU-TBKS-0039

New TBD will require review of 65 claims. Some 

Clarksville/Medina Site claims were completed 

using information developed for the TBD prior to 

its issuance. Due to TBD changes during the 

comment resolution process, the doses assigned to 

the pre-TBD claims were underestimated.

PRSC decided to defer this PER for review at 

the July 31, 2012 SC meeting because SEC 

likely reduced the number of effected claims 

and may have taken issues off the table. 

DCAS was to verify. (July 31 2012 transcript, 

p. 314)

OCAS-PER-028 

Rev-0

(October 30, 2007)

Pinellas TBD Revision

It is possible that missed photon dose was not 

included for 24 monitored workers when it should 

have been for dose reconstructions that were 

completed between 8/3/2006 and 11/8/2006.

PRSC decided to defer this PER for review at 

the November 1, 2012 SC meeting because 

PER predates TBD revisions, for which issues 

remain open (November 1 2012 transcript, p. 

152). 

OCAS-PER-0032 

Rev-0

(December 18, 2007)

Nevada Test Site TBD 

Revisions

External dose changes included an increase in 

detection limits of the dosimeter used after 1986 

and an adjustment to missed and recorded photon 

dose from July 1960 to the end of 1965. Potentially 

affects 481 claims.

PRSC decided to defer this PER for review at 

the July 31, 2012 SC meeting because SEC 

likely reduced the number of effected claims 

and dose impact is small. (July 31 2012 

transcript, p. 293) 

DCAS-PER-034 

Rev-0

(December 9, 2011)

Harshaw Chemical Company 

TBD Revision

Increase in the dose estimate due to an increase in 

the estimated intake rate for type S uranium from 

12/1/1949 to 12/31/1953.

PRSC decided to defer this PER for review at 

the November 1, 2012 SC meeting pending 

DCAS review of reason for changed U intake 

rate. (November 1 2012 transcript,p. 170) 

DCAS-PER-036 

Rev-0

(April 5, 2012) Blockson TBD Revision

Considers the changes that were made between 

revision 2 and revision 3 of DCAS-TKBS-0002.

PRSC decided to defer this PER for review at 

the November 1, 2012 SC meeting because 

dose impact is small and few cases affected. 

(November 1 2012 transcript, p. 147) 
Status of PER Reviews 4 SC&A - August 25, 2014

NOTICE: This report has been reviewed for Privacy Act information and has been cleared for distribution.

However, this report is pre-decisional and has not been reviewed by the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker 

Health for factual accuracy or applicability within the requirements of 42 CFR 82.

Table 1. PER Review Status as of August 2014

PER Title Description Notes

DCAS-PER-039 

Rev-0

(January 7, 2013)

Baker Perkins TBD Revision

Several changes in the methods used to reconstruct 

doses at Baker-Perkins resulted in both inhalation 

and external doses being higher for some job 

categories when compared to previous methods. 

Note: only 8 claims complete, all 8 had POCs 

<50%.

Recommend pre-review.

PRSC does not recommend review.

DCAS-PER-041 

Rev-0 (July 12, 2012)

Revision to ORAUT-OTIB0006, Dose Reconstruction 

from Occupational Medical Xray Procedures

Adds organ dose data from lordotic and oblique 

chest X-rays, chest fluoroscopy, thoracic and 

cervical spine X-rays, and skin doses for all 

procedures.

Several changes to the estimated dose were made in 

revision 4. 

The changes that resulted in increases in the 

estimated doses are: 

• An increase in the estimated dose from a lateral 

projection of a lumbar spine x-ray for all years for 

the stomach, bone surfaces, liver, gall bladder, 

spleen and remainder organs. 

• Increase in the estimated dose to the ovaries from 

pelvic x-rays through the end of 1970. 

Affected sites:

Harshaw

Brookhaven

Extrusion Plant

Paducah GDP

Recommend pre-review

Selected for pre-review at March 19, 2014,

Board teleconference. SC&A submitted 

pre-review report April 10, 2014 (SCA-TRPR2014-0003). SC&A’s pre-evaluation did 

not recommend performing a review of this 

PER.

At the April 16, 2014, PRSC meeting, SC 

agreed with SC&A’s recommendation to 

not review PER-041.
Status of PER Reviews 5 SC&A - August 25, 2014

NOTICE: This report has been reviewed for Privacy Act information and has been cleared for distribution.

However, this report is pre-decisional and has not been reviewed by the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker 

Health for factual accuracy or applicability within the requirements of 42 CFR 82.

Table 1. PER Review Status as of August 2014

PER Title Description Notes

DCAS-PER-042 

Rev-0

(November 16, 2012)

Linde Ceramics Plant Technical 

Basis Document Revision

Revision to incorporate changes associated with 

SEC-0154. Incorporates formal internal and NIOSH 

review comments. Constitutes a total rewrite of the 

document. The selection criteria resulted in 78 

claims requiring further evaluation.

Revision 3 of the TBD included the assignment of 

dose in the utility tunnels that was higher than any 

of the previous versions of the TBD. Other changes 

affected the distribution used for the reconstruction 

of internal doses. One such example is the intakes 

assessed for trades workers from 1955 to 1969. The 

estimate of those intakes went from using a 

distribution to assigning a constant that was higher 

than the geometric mean of the distribution but 

lower than the 95th percentile of the distribution

Recommend pre-review

Selected for pre-review at March 19, 2014,

Board teleconference. SC&A submitted 

pre-review report April 10, 2014 (SCA-TRPR2014-0003). SC&A’s pre-evaluation 

recommended performing a review of this 

PER.

At the April 16, 2014, PRSC meeting, SC 

agreed with SC&A’s recommendation to 

review the PER.

SC&A submitted review of PER-042 on 

August 19, 2014.

DCAS-PER-043 

Rev-0 

(June 7, 2013) 

Internal Dosimetry Organ, 

External Dosimetry Organ, and 

IREP Model Selection by ICD9 Code Revision (June 7, 2013)

As part of this PER, thirty six claims were reevaluated to determine the effect of revisions to 

OTIB-5. Two claims resulted in a new probability 

of causation greater than 50%, both as a result of 

changing the internal dose target organ from 

gallbladder to liver for code 155.1. None of the 

remaining thirty four claims exceeded a probability 

of causation of 45%. NIOSH will provide the 

Department of Labor with the list of the thirty-six 

claims evaluated under this PER. NIOSH will also 

request from the Department of Labor that the two 

claims now greater than 50% be returned to NIOSH 

for a new dose reconstruction.

Recommend pre-review

Selected for pre-review at March 19, 2014,

Board teleconference. SC&A submitted 

pre-review report April 10, 2014 (SCA-TRPR2014-0003). SC&A’s pre-evaluation 

recommended performing a review of this 

PER.

At the April 16, 2014 PRSC meeting, SC 

agreed with SC&A’s recommendation to 

review the PER.

SC&A submitted review of PER-043 on 

August 18, 2014.
Status of PER Reviews 6 SC&A - August 25, 2014

NOTICE: This report has been reviewed for Privacy Act information and has been cleared for distribution.

However, this report is pre-decisional and has not been reviewed by the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker 

Health for factual accuracy or applicability within the requirements of 42 CFR 82.

Table 1. PER Review Status as of August 2014

PER Title Description Notes

DCAS-PER-044 

Rev-0 (May 16, 

2013)

Metallurgical Laboratory

No TBD exists for Metallurgical Laboratory claims. 

However, the following changes have occurred (1) 

dates of the operational and residual periods 

changed; (2) an SEC was designated; and (3) some 

previous dose reconstructions referenced ORAUTOTIB-0070 which was revised on 3/5/2012. Note: 

Only 1 claim affected.

Selected for pre-review at March 19, 2014 

Board teleconference. SC&A submitted 

pre-review report April 10, 2014 (SCA-TRPR2014-0003). SC&A’s pre-evaluation did 

not recommend performing a review of this 

PER.

At the April 16, 2014 PRSC meeting, SC 

agreed with SC&A’s recommendation to 

not review PER-044.

DCAS-PER-045 Rev0 (May 13, 2013) Aliquippa Forge TBD Revision

Revision initiated due to comments from the DRSC. 

Residual period approach updated per ORAUTOTIB-0070 and additional data capture information. 

Added an internal approach to account for D&D 

operations in 1988 and 1993/1994. There were 26 

claims affected.

Recommend pre-review

Selected for pre-review at March 19, 2014 

Board teleconference. SC&A submitted 

pre-review report April 10, 2014 (SCA-TRPR2014-0003). SC&A’s pre-evaluation 

recommended performing a review of this 

PER.

At the April 16, 2014 PRSC meeting, SC 

agreed with SC&A’s recommendation to 

review the PER.

SC&A submitted review of PER-045 on 

August 20, 2014.

DCAS-PER-048 Rev0 (September 27, 

2013)

Wah Chang

No TBD exists for Wah Chang claims. However, 

the following changes have occurred (1) dates of 

the operational and residual periods changed; (2) an 

SEC was designated; and (3) some previous dose 

reconstructions referenced ORAUT-OTIB-0070 

which was revised on 3/5/2012. Note: Only 1 

claim affected. There were 113 claims reevaluated.

Recommend pre-review

PRSC does not recommend review.
Status of PER Reviews 7 SC&A - August 25, 2014

NOTICE: This report has been reviewed for Privacy Act information and has been cleared for distribution.

However, this report is pre-decisional and has not been reviewed by the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker 

Health for factual accuracy or applicability within the requirements of 42 CFR 82.

Table 2. New PERs Not Assigned for SC&A’s Review as of August 2014

PER Title Description Notes

DCAS-PER-047 Rev0 (March 26, 2014)

NIOSH/DCAS Program 

Evaluation Report: Grand 

Junction Operations Office

No TBD exists for Grand Junction Operations Office 

(GJOO) cases. However, a template has been used as 

guidance to complete claims. As a result of the 

evaluation of a SEC petition, the template was edited 

on 9/5/2012 to incorporate the additional information. 

This PER is intended to evaluate the effect of these 

changes on previous dose reconstructions. The 

selection criteria resulted in re-evaluation of 24 claims. 

Recommend pre-review at August 28,

2014, PRSC meeting

DCAS-PER-050 Rev0 (March 13, 2014)Program Evaluation Report: Bliss 

and Laughlin Appendix

Bliss and Laughlin dose estimates are currently 

completed using site specific methods formalized in

Appendix D of Battelle-TBD-6000, which was issued 

on 9/11/2012. Prior to the issuance of Appendix D, 

claims were completed using Battelle-TBD-6000 

without site specific guidance. Prior to that, ORAUTOTIB-0004 was used to complete these claims. . This 

PER is intended to evaluate the effect of these changes 

on previous dose reconstructions. There were 27 

claims re-evaluated under this PER.

Recommend pre-review at August 28, 

2014, PRSC meeting

DCAS-PER-052 Rev0 (March 25, 2014)

Program Evaluation Report: 

Westinghouse Nuclear Fuels 

Division

No TBD exists for the Westinghouse Nuclear Fuels 

Division site, but a template has been used as guidance 

to complete claims. Due to the discovery of additional 

air sample data, the unmonitored intakes used in 

template were updated on 6/8/2012. This PER 

evaluates the effect of this change on previous dose 

reconstructions. There were 68 claims re-evaluated 

under this PER.

Recommend pre-review at August 28, 

2014, PRSC meeting

DCAS-PER-054 Rev0 (July 25, 2014) PER 54: Carborundum Company

No TBD exists for the Carborundum site. However, a 

template has been used as guidance to complete 

claims. Many of these claims utilized the ORAUTOTIB-00070 depletion factor, which was revised on 

3/5/2012 and this revision could affect previously 

completed Carborundum claims. In addition, the 

covered period for Carborundum was increased in 

2009 to include 1943. There were 58 claims reevaluated under this PER.

Recommend pre-review at August 28, 

2014, PRSC meeting
Status of PER Reviews 8 SC&A - August 25, 2014

NOTICE: This report has been reviewed for Privacy Act information and has been cleared for distribution.

However, this report is pre-decisional and has not been reviewed by the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker 

Health for factual accuracy or applicability within the requirements of 42 CFR 82.

Table 3. PER (Subtask 4) Case Reviews for Assigned PER Reviews Not Completed as of August 2014

PER Title Description

OCAS-PER-002 Error in surrogate organ assignment resulting in an 

underestimate of x-ray dose in SRS dose reconstructions 3 claims re-evaluated by NIOSH

OCAS-PER-003 Evaluation of the Effect of Adding Ingestion Intakes to 

Bethlehem Steel Cases 6 claims re-evaluated by NIOSH

OCAS-PER-004 Application of photofluorography at the Pinellas Plant 11 potentially affected claims

OCAS-PER-007 Evaluation of the Effect of Revision 2 of the Site Profile 

on Previously Completed Bethlehem Steel Cases 22 claims re-evaluated by NIOSH

OCAS-PER-008

Modification of NIOSH-IREP lung cancer risk model: 

effect of “combined” lung model on non-compensable 

lung cancer claims

8 claims re-evaluated by NIOSH

OCAS-PER-029 Hanford TBD Revisions* 1,190 potentially affected claims

DCAS-PER-038 Hooker Electrochemical TBD Revisions

20 claims re-evaluated by NIOSH (3 cases have 

been assigned for review, and the review of those 

cases is underway.)

* Transferred to Hanford Work Group.