Evaluation of Chemical Processing 

Plant (CPP) Dosimetry for SEC00219

Timothy D. Taulbee, PhD, CHP

Lara Hughes, PhD, CHP

W. Mitch Findley, CHP

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Overview

• Background on Dosimetry

• Review of INL claims in NOCTS

• Review of INL Dosimetry for Data Gaps

• Comparison of Health Physics Monthly Reports 

vs. Dosimetry Records

• Review of INL Dosimetry Procedures

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Background on Dosimetry at INL

• One badge one area methodology

• If a worker who routinely worked at MTR went to CPP they left their 

MTR badge at MTR security checkpoint and picked up a Temporary 

Badge at CPP.

• Visitors picked up temporary badges upon entrance to CPP 

• Dosimetry Records

• CPP Main Badge Reports (Main codes 5, 53, 55)

• CPP Temporary Badge Reports

• CPP Construction (CX) Reports (codes 11, 113, 115)

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Division of Compensation Analysis and Support

• Example of 

CPP Badge 

Report

• Phillips Petroleum

• AEC

• NRF

• Subcontractors

• FC Torkelson

SRDB 143068
Division of Compensation Analysis and Support

• Example of 

Temporary 

Badge Report

• News Reporter

• Phillips 

• other areas

• AEC Personnel

• Construction 

Trades 

• H.S. Wright

• Torkelson

• Vendors

• CocaCola

SRDB 143042
Division of Compensation Analysis and Support

• Example of CX Badge Report

NOCTS 9852
Background Summary

• One badge one area

• Person’s dosimetry could appear on one of several 

reports

• CPP Main Dosimetry Report (05, 053, 055)

• CPP Temporary Dosimetry Report

• CPP Construction (CX) Dosimetry Report (11, 113, 115)

• At this time DOE is much better equipped to identify work 

location for construction trades workers than NIOSH 

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Review of NOCTS Claims

• 1753 INL claims as of April 2015

• Reviewed to determine whether employment period was 

within the proposed SEC

• 872 claims (49.7%) did not work during the SEC period

• 881 INL Claims with employment during SEC Period 

• Reviewed CATI, Dose Reconstruction Report, and DOE file 

of the 881 INL claims with employment during SEC to identify 

CPP workers. 

• 320 claims (36.3%) worked at CPP during SEC period AND had an 

identifiable CPP badge of some kind (regular, temp, visitor, or CX)

• 529 claims (60.1%) had no indication of work at CPP

• 32 (3.6%) claims need further follow-up

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Review of NOCTS Claims

• Why additional follow-up

• DOE provided only annual summary information IF:

• Lifetime External Dose < 500mrem OR > 50 rem

• Annual summaries do not provide location information

• Construction Trades (CX Dosimetry Printouts)

• CX = CPP Construction

• DOE did not send NIOSH these reports when we requested the CPP 

dosimetry records. This was a miscommunication.

• NIOSH did not identify that this subgroup was missing until week of June 

22nd during our evaluation.

• NIOSH has requested these CX reports.

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Review of CPP Dosimetry for Gaps

• CPP Dosimetry Reports (1963-1974)

• 3 months missing

• January 1970

• December 1970 

• December 1971

• Temporary Badge Reports (1959-1976)

• None appear to be missing

• Note: Number of construction trades appear to be significantly 

reduced in 1970s

• CX Dosimetry Reports

• Requested but not yet received by NIOSH

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Comparisons of Monthly Health 

Physics Reports vs CPP Dosimetry

• Reviewed the monthly Health Physics reports to 

determine how many dosimeters the site reported were 

processed versus how many dosimeters we found in the 

dosimetry printouts. 

• Goal is that if the site indicated that they processed 500 

dosimeter badges in a month and we have 500 

dosimeter results then we can be fairly sure we have all 

of the results.

• Reviewed 1963 through March 1970

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support

SRDB 125961
Comparisons of Monthly Health 

Physics Reports vs CPP Dosimetry

• Example: August 1965

• Monthly Reports = 502

• Dosimeter Printouts = 509

• Difference = +7

• Very good agreement on a 

month by month basis

• For this month slightly more 

results on the printouts than 

monthly reports. 

• Cutoff dates, late 

returns, and carryovers

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support

SRDB 125961
CPP Main - Annual Comparison

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support

Year

1962 1964 1966 1968 1970

Number of Badges

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

Monthly Reports 

Dosimeter Printouts 

TLD (Monthly Reports) 

TLD (Dosimeter) 
CPP Construction (CX) - Annual Data

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support

Year

1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970

Number of Badges CX Area (11, 113, 115)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

CX Monthly 
Review of INL Dosimetry 

Procedures

• One badge one area methodology

• If a worker who routinely worked at MTR went to CPP they 

left their MTR badge at MTR security checkpoint and picked 

up a Temporary Badge at CPP.

• In October 1969, the INL site began to explore 

methods to reduce the number of temporary badges 

being assigned. 

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Review of INL Dosimetry 

Procedures

• In December 1969 INL conducted a thorough 

evaluation of the number of regular badges and 

number of temporary badges by area and by 

occupation (operations, trades, etc...) (SRDB# 

143334 p.28)

• Recommendation was to issue a single dosimeter 

badge that employees could wear in all areas instead 

of getting a new temporary badge for each area. 

• To implement, Dosimetry services had to get 

concurrence across multiple organizations including 

security. 

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support
Review of INL Dosimetry 

Procedures

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support

• Implemented in 

March 1970.

• ANC and AEC 

personnel who 

worked in TRA, CPP, 

TSF, and PBF could 

wear their dosimeter 

that was issued in 

another facility into 

CPP

SRDB 8436
Review of INL Dosimetry 

Procedures

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support

• Change in methodology 

was verified through 

review of Dosimetry 

Correspondence files.

• Ms. Stanger wrote 

dozens of these memos 

per month.

• CFA individual used three 

temporary dosimeters (2 

at CPP and 1 at TRA) 

instead of permanent 

dosimeter. 

SRDB 125888
Review of INL Dosimetry 

Procedures

• Memos are consistent with worker interviews (60+) that 

indicated a dosimeter / film badge was required for entry 

into radiological areas including CPP. 

• Memos are consistent with other procedures that indicated 

a dosimeter / film badge was required for entry into 

radiological areas. 

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support

SRDB 125961
Review of INL Dosimetry 

Procedures

• However, procedures indicate that for a nearly 5 year time 

period in the early 1970s, a dosimeter issued from another 

area was allowed to be worn at CPP. 

• Note that this also corresponds with a general decrease in 

the radiological control practices that we observed at CPP 

that lead to the recommendation to add an SEC. 

• Recommend a revised SEC Class definition

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support

SRDB 125961
Revised SEC Class Definition

• All employees of the Department of Energy, its predecessor 

agencies, and their contractors and subcontractors who 

worked at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in Scoville, 

Idaho, and were monitored for external radiation at the 

Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (CPP) (e.g., at least one 

film badge or TLD dosimeter from CPP) between January 1, 

1963 and February 28, 1970 or who were monitored for 

external radiation at INL (e.g., at least one film badge 

or TLD dosimeter) between March 1, 1970 and December 

31, 1974 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 Special Exposure Cohort.

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support