Enc.

ADVISORY BOARD ON RADIATION AND WORKER HEALTH

4676 Columbia Parkway, MS: C-46 

Cincinnati, Ohio 45226

(513) 533-6825

CHAIRMAN

James M. Melius, M.D., Dr. PH.

 Albany, New York

MEMBERS

Henry Anderson, M.D.

 Madison, Wisconsin

Josie Beach

 Kennewick, Washington 

Bradley P. Clawson

 Rexburg, Idaho

R. William Field, Ph.D. 

 Iowa City, Iowa

Michael H. Gibson

 Franklin, Ohio

Mark A. Griffon

 Salem, New Hampshire

Richard Lemen, Ph.D.

 Canton, Georgia

James E. Lockey, M.D.

 Cincinnati, Ohio

Wanda I. Munn

 Richland, Washington

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

 College Station, Texas 

Robert W. Presley

 Seymour, Tennessee

David B. Richardson, Ph.D.

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Genevieve S. Roessler, Ph.D.

 Elysian, Minnesota

Phillip Schofield

 Bosque Farm, New Mexico

Paul L. Ziemer, Ph.D.

 Lafayette, Indiana

STAFF

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Theodore M. Katz, MPA

 Atlanta, Georgia

COMMITTEE MANAGEMENT 

Zaida Burgos

 Atlanta, Georgia

July 27, 2011

The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius

Secretary 

Department of Health and Human Services

200 Independence Avenue, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20201

Dear Madam Secretary:

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

Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) Petition 00161 concerning workers at the 

General Electric Co. in Evendale, Ohio under the statutory requirements 

established by the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation 

Program Act of 2000 (EEOICPA) and incorporated into 42 CFR Sec. 83.13. 

The Board respectfully recommends that SEC status be accorded to: 

“All employees of the Department of Energy, its predecessor 

agencies, and their contractors and subcontractors who worked at 

General Electric Co. in Evendale, Ohio, from January 1, 1961

through June 30, 1970, 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 included in the SEC." 

This recommendation is based on the following factors:

• Individuals working at the General Electric Co. in Evendale, Ohio, during 

the time period in question worked on the development of hightemperature fuel elements and reactor materials for the Atomic Energy 

Commission. 

• The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 

review of available monitoring data as well as available process and 

source term information for various production activities at the General 

Electric Co. in Evendale, Ohio, found that NIOSH lacked adequate 

information necessary to complete individual dose reconstructions with 

sufficient accuracy for internal radiological exposures to uranium, 

thorium, and fission product radionuclides during the time period in 

question. The Board concurs with this determination.

• NIOSH determined that health may have been endangered for these 

General Electric Co. employees during the time period in question. The 

Board also concurs with this determination.
The Secretary July 27, 2011

Based on these considerations and the discussion at the July 11, 2011 Board meeting held by 

conference call, the Board recommends that this class be added to the SEC.

Enclosed is the documentation from the Board meeting(s) where this SEC class was 

discussed. The documentation includes transcripts of the deliberations, copies of the petition, 

the NIOSH review thereof, and related materials. If any of these items are unavailable at this 

time, they will follow shortly. 

Sincerely,

 [Signature on File]

James M. Melius, M.D., Dr. PH

Chairman, ABRWH

Enclosure