ADVISORY HOARD ON RADIAllONAND WORKER REALm

4676 Colum1ia Parkway, MS: C-46

Cincinnati, Ohio 45226

(513) 533-6825

January 17, 2007

The Honorable Michael O. Leavitt

Secretary of Health and Human Services

Department of Health and Human Services

200 Independence Avenue, S. W.

Washington. DC 20201

CHAIRMAN:

Paul L. ZIemer, Ph.D.

Lafayette, Indiana

MEMBERS:

Bradley P. Clawson

Rexburg,ldaho

Michael H. Gibson

Franklin, Ohio

Dear Mr. Secretary:

Mark A. Griffon

Salem, New Hampshire

James E. Lockey, M.D.

Cincinnati, Ohio

James M. Melius, M.D., Ph.D.

Albany, New York

Wanda I. Munn

Richland, Washington

John W. Poston, Sr., Ph.D.

College Station, Texas

Robert W. Presley

Clinton, Tennessee

The Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health (The Board) has

evaluated SEC Petition-00049 concerning workers at the Monsanto

Chemical Company in Dayton, Ohio under the statutory requirements

established by EEOICPA and incorporated into 42 CFR Sec. 83.13 and 42

CFR Sec. 83.14. The Board respectfully recommends a Special Exposure

Cohort (SEC) be accorded to all Atomic Weapons Employees who were

monito~ or should have been monitored for radiation, while working at

Monsanto Chemical Company Units I, III, or IV in Dayton, Ohio for a

number of work days aggregating at least 250 work days during the period

of January 1, 1943 to December 31, 1949, or in combination with work

days within the parameters established for other classes of employees

included in the SEC. The Board notes that although NIOSH found that

they were unable to completely reconstruct radiation doses for these

employees, they believe that they are able to reconstruct components of the

internal dose (i.e., polonium exposures) and external dose (with the

exception of neutron exposures), and therefore individuals with nonpresumptive cancers may be considered for partial dose reconstructions.

Genevieve S. Roessler, Ph.D.

Elysian, Minnesota

STAFF:

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY: This recommendation is based on the following factors:

Lewis V. Wade, Ph.D

Washington, DC . People working in the above listed areas of the Monsanto

Chemical Company in Dayton, Ohio were exposed to polonium,

thorium, uranium, and other radioactive compounds while working

on nuclear weapons production. In reviewing the available

monitoring and other data for these operations, NIOSH found that

for workers in Units I, III or IV at this facility, it did not have

access to sufficient information, including personnel dosimetry,

workplace monitoring data, or sufficient process and radiological

source information, that would allow it to estimate with sufficient

accuracy the external exposures to neutrons and internal doses to

radionuclides other than polonium. The Board concurs with this

detennination.

COMMITTEE MANAGEMENT:

LaShawn D. Shields

Attanta, Georgia
The Honorable Michael o. Leavitt Jan. 17,2007

NIOSH detennined that health may have been endangered for the workers exposed to

radiatio~ in the above listed areas of the Monsanto Chemical Company in Dayton, Ohio

within the time period in question. The Board concurs with this determination.

.

Enclosed is supporting documentation from the recent Advisory Board Meeting held in Naperville,

Illinois and the Jan~ 11,2007 conference call where this special exposure cohort was discussed.

If any of these items are unavailable at this time, they will follow shortly.

Sincerely,

v"'~~~".. ~ Paul L. lJemer, P~.Q.

Chai~

Enc.