National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) Update

LaVon B. Rutherford, CHP

SEC Health Physics Team Leader

Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health, 135th Meeting

Teleconference| August 27, 2020
Purpose

 Update the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health

 Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) summary of petitions

– in qualification

– under evaluation

– currently under Advisory Board review

– potential SEC petitions (83.14)
Summary

 Petitions received – 257*

– Petitions in qualification process – 2

– Petitions qualified for evaluation – 152

– NIOSH new petition evaluations in progress – 0

– NIOSH evaluation completed – 152

 Reports with the Advisory Board – 11

 Petitions not qualifying for evaluation – 103

*NOTE: 257 includes 5 petitions received prior to the federal regulation.
SEC Petitions in Qualification

 Pinellas Plant

– Clearwater, Florida

– Petition SEC-0256

– May 1957 – December 1997

– All Employees

– Expected completion: September 2020

• NOTE: Petitioner has requested an additional 

extension to respond to qualification deficiencies. 
SEC Petitions in Qualification (continued)

 Rocky Flats Plant

– Golden, Colorado

– Petition SEC-0257

– 1984-1989

– All Employees

– Expected completion: Qualification determination 

scheduled to be completed August 2020
SEC Petitions under Evaluation

 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 1990-2014

– Livermore, CA

– Petition SEC-0221

– Addendum to address remaining years 

– All employees

– Expected completion: December 2020 
SEC Petitions under Evaluation (continued)

 Y-12 Plant 1987-1994

– Oak Ridge, TN

– Petition SEC-0250

– Addendum to address remaining years 

– All employees

– Expected completion: October 2020 
Under Advisory Board Review

 Hanford (SEC-00056) – An update is scheduled for this 

meeting

 Savannah River Site (SEC-00103) – NIOSH working to resolve 

issues raised by SC&A and the work group

 Los Alamos National Lab (SEC-00109) – NIOSH working to 

resolve issues raised by SC&A and the work group

 Sandia National Laboratory (SEC-00188) – The work group and 

SC&A are reviewing Addendum 2
Under Advisory Board Review (continued)

 Idaho National Lab (SEC-00219) – An update is scheduled for 

this meeting

 Argonne National Laboratory - West (SEC-00224) – NIOSH is 

working to resolve issues raised by SC&A and the work group

 Area IV Santa Susanna (SEC-00235) – SC&A is reviewing 

information submitted by the petitioner

 Metals and Controls (SEC-00236) – The Advisory Board work 

group and SC&A are reviewing a NIOSH response paper
Under Advisory Board Review (continued)

 De Soto Avenue Facility (SEC-00246) – SC&A is reviewing 

information submitted by the petitioner and NIOSH is 

working to provide clarification on a few remaining issues

 Superior Steel Co. (SEC 0247) – An update is scheduled for 

this meeting

 Reduction Pilot Plant (SEC 0253) – NIOSH completed the 

evaluation and a presentation is scheduled for this meeting
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 (continued)

 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

 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