Pinellas Site Profile Review

Status Report and Action Items 

Following the Work Group Meeting

Held on October 13, 2011

Presented by Phillip Schofield

Presented to the Advisory Board on Radiation and 

Worker Health

Full Board Meeting Held in Tampa, Florida, 

December 7-8, 2011
Background

• Original Pinellas Technical Basis Documents (TBDs) produced in the 

2005-2006 timeframe

• SC&A Site Profile review completed September 2006 

• Subsequently, three Work Group meetings

– June 11, 2008 

– June 11, 2009 

– October 13, 2011

• Interim between June 2009 and October 2011 meetings, NIOSH 

made extensive revisions to their TBDs – most complete rewrites

– April – July 2011, all posted save TBD-3 (occupational medical) 

• October 13 WG meeting: NIOSH presents summary changes in 

context of addressing unresolved SC&A concerns 

– SC&A tasked to review relevant TBD changes – currently underway. Some 

involve follow-on worker interviews

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SC&A Action Items - October 13, 2011 

Work Group Meeting

• Review documents in table “Summary of Data Capture Searches for the 

Pinellas Plant” of ORAUT-TKBS-0029-1 Rev 1 for relevance to dose 

reconstruction pre-1980

– Status: ongoing, based on preliminary results, additional information will be 

requested from NIOSH

• Review Mound tritides white paper as it applies to Pinellas and prepare a 

formal response (overarching methodology)

– Status: ongoing

– Worker interviews: on-site destructive/non-destructive testing of neutron 

tubes, leaks, incidents. Also unmonitored dose from DU (tritium beds; also, 

TiT2 in glass beds in early years, incidents/accidents) 

• Check the NIOSH revision to TBD-5, Rev. 1 (Occupational Internal 

Dose), Section 5.7.3, to remove guidance for individual dose 

reconstruction in the event of positive plutonium bioassay

– Status: Awaiting NIOSH revision

 

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SC&A Action Items - October 13, 2011 

Work Group Meeting, Continued

• Revisit discussions that resulted from the SC&A white paper “Review of 

Pinellas Plutonium Bioassay Data, dated December 9, 2008.” Review 

bioassay data for confirmation of comprehensive null results

– Conduct worker interviews to obtain more information on: 

• Types of RTGs at Pinellas (use of asbestos gloves implies Pu elements were in 

place during testing)

• On-site non-destructive/destructive testing of RTGs

• Worker recollections of the plutonium bioassay program (frequency, who was 

monitored, criteria for selection, reporting results) 

– Status: ongoing – may extend into 2012 

• Review badge data to confirm that most highly exposed (or exposed vs. 

non-exposed) were badged. Strategy will likely involve matching job 

titles for badged vs. unbadged personnel (Related to Item #1)

– Conduct worker interviews to obtain more information about why badges were 

worn (maximally exposed vs. cohort sampling. Criteria for selection – which 

jobs?) 

– Status: ongoing 4 
SC&A Action Items - October 13, 2011 

Work Group Meeting, Concluded

• Review performance characteristics for dosimeters used in the post June 

1974 time period as identified by NIOSH and tabulated in TBD-6, Rev. 1, 

(Occupational External Dose). 

– Status: ongoing. Based on preliminary results, one concerns remains. 

• Prepare memo outlining deficiencies in D&D discussion and methods. 

Following NIOSH action to identify and provide monitoring/ survey results 

and activity descriptions to support position that D&D activities do not 

require additional dose assignment beyond what is already considered, 

review for adequacy 

– Conduct worker interviews to obtain more information on activities and 

exposure potential during the D&D period. Also availability of survey data 

compiled under 10 CFR 835 and associated DOE directives/standards

– Status: ongoing – awaiting NIOSH action on D&D data 

• Review TBD- 3, Rev.1 (Occupational Medical Dose) when available

– Confirm that the information presented in the Work Group meeting is included 

and that the new information addresses SC&A concerns

– Status: Awaiting revision

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Path Forward

• SC&A expects that the reviews enhanced by interview 

results will likely extend into 2012 

– Finalization of the Pinellas Site Profile (TBD-3) not determined

– Process of conducting, documenting, processing, and finalizing 

interview results will likely extend into 2012

– Dependence on data for D&D period 

– Dependence on resolution of Mound tritides issue

• Though SC&A not tasked, TBD revisions could benefit from 

formal review in some cases (e.g., TBD-3 medical doses)

• Schedule fourth Work Group meeting when NIOSH and 

SC&A complete assigned tasks

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Questions?