National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) Update

Charles Nelson

SEC Team Lead

Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health, 139th Meeting

Teleconference | April 15, 2021
Purpose

 Update 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*

– Petitions in qualification process – 0

– Petitions qualified for evaluation – 153

– NIOSH new petition evaluations in progress – 1

– NIOSH evaluation completed – 152

 Reports with the Advisory Board – 12

 Petitions not qualifying for evaluation – 105

*NOTE: 258 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 ER completion: Late June 2021

– Targeting Aug. AB meeting to Present ER
SEC Petitions under Evaluation (cont.)

 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 1990-2014

– Livermore, CA

– Petition SEC-0221

– Addendum to address remaining years 

– All employees

– Expected addendum completion: Projecting Oct. 2021

• Delays in data capture at the site may affect completion
SEC Petitions under Evaluation (cont.)

 Y-12 Plant 1987-1994 

– Oak Ridge, TN

– Petition SEC-0250

– Addendum to ER addressing remaining years 

– All employees

– Projected Addendum completion: July 2021
Under Advisory Board Review

 Hanford (SEC-0056) – All SEC issues are closed except those 

related to current ongoing Co-exposure modeling efforts

 Savannah River Site (SEC-0103) – Discussion for SRS will follow 

this presentation

 Los Alamos National Lab (SEC-0109) – NIOSH working to 

resolve issues raised by SC&A and the work group

 Sandia National Laboratory (SEC-0188) – NIOSH is completing 

a response to SC&A 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 EMCBC

 Metals and Controls (SEC-0236) –An update is scheduled 

today’s meeting
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 EMCBC

 Reduction Pilot Plant (SEC-0253) – The work group and SC&A 

are reviewing the NIOSH evaluation report
Sites with evaluation period awaiting action

 Hanford (SEC-0057) 1984-1990 

(Primes only)

 Savannah River Site (SEC-0103) 1973-2007

 Los Alamos National Laboratories-A (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.)

 Lawrence Livermore National Lab (SEC-0221) 1990-2014

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

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

 Metals and Controls (SEC- 0236) 1968-1997 (Res) 

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

 Y-12 (SEC-0250) 1987-1994

 Reduction Pilot Plant (SEC-0253) 1976-1978
Potential SEC Petitions (83.14)

 West Valley Demonstration Project

– NIOSH evaluating a potential SEC for the AWE period 1966-

1968
Questions?