DISCLAIMER; This is a working document provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 

technical support contractor, SC&A, for use in discussions with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and 

Health (NIOSH) and the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health (ABRWH), including its Working Groups 

or Subcommittees. Documents produced by SC&A, such as memorandum, white paper, draft or working documents 

are not final NIOSH or ABRWH products or positions, unless specifically marked as such. This document prepared 

by SC&A represents its preliminary evaluation on technical issues.

NOTICE: This document has been reviewed to identify and redact any information that is protected by the 

Privacy Act 5 USC §552a and has been cleared for distribution. 

MEMORANDUM

TO: Idaho National Laboratory/Argonne National Laboratory-West Work Group 

FROM: SC&A, Inc.

DATE: July 26, 2018 

SUBJECT: Interim Status of Verification and Validation Activities for CPP (1963–1970) 

Introduction and Background 

As part of its evaluation of Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) Petition 00219, the Idaho National 

Laboratory/Argonne National Laboratory-West (INL/ANL-W) Work Group requested that 

SC&A investigate methods to validate and verify the proposed class definition for the Idaho 

Chemical Processing Plant (CPP) during the period from January 1, 1963, to February 28, 1970. 

The portion of the proposed class definition for this period is stated in the SEC-00219 evaluation 

report as follows:

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 (a) who 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... 

[NIOSH 2017]

Specifically, SC&A was tasked with evaluating the portion of the class definition that required 

CPP-specific external dosimetry. Preliminary investigations by the National Institute for 

Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and SC&A discovered that nonroutine external 

badging (referred to as “temporary badges” in this memo) was not always entered into the INL 

electronic dosimetry system, and thus these dosimetry records were not being appropriately 

assigned to potential members of the SEC class. In response to this issue, the U.S. Department of 

Energy (DOE) began an extensive coding effort in 2016 to transfer the temporary badges into the 

appropriate electronic database. Once those badges had been appropriately migrated to the 

electronic format, all appropriate external dosimetry should be available for individual SEC 

adjudication under the requirements of the proposed definition (shown above). 

As the necessary DOE coding effort began in 2016, the Work Group expressed concern that 

inherent difficulties in the coding effort, such as incorrect transcription, variation in the legibility 

and quality of handwritten records, and other human error, may inadvertently result in the 

exclusion of a qualified claimant from the proposed SEC class. The decision as to the acceptable 

level of effectiveness and completeness of this database is of singular importance to the Work 

Group and Board’s ultimate recommendation on the SEC class. To evaluate the stated concerns, 
Memo – CPP V&V 1963–1970 Interim Status 2 SC&A – July 26, 2017

NOTICE: This document has been reviewed to identify and redact any information that is protected by the 

Privacy Act 5 USC §552a and has been cleared for distribution. 

SC&A proposed a method in which the dosimetry files for a set of claims with known temporary 

badges at CPP would be requested from DOE after the coding had been completed. The 

verification and validation (V&V) methodology proposal is documented in SC&A memoranda 

of September 29, 2016 (SC&A 2016a), and August 3, 2017 (SC&A 2017), and was discussed 

during the May and August 2017 Work Group meetings. At the August 2017 meeting, the Work 

Group determined that the proposed V&V method should proceed in stages, with the first group 

of 30 claimant dosimetry file requests to be completed prior to a second group of 30 claimant 

dosimetry requests. This would allow for more efficient analysis of the claim files as DOE 

completed the records requests. This memo presents a status update and interim results for a

portion of the first 30 claim files that have been received to date. 

Status of DOE Dosimetry File Requests for First 30 Claims

The first set of requests to DOE were made by NIOSH in August 2017 and were promptly 

responded to later that fall. However, NIOSH discovered that these early requests to DOE were 

incomplete and did not include the full dosimetry files for the first 30 claims as intended. 

Therefore, NIOSH re-requested the full dosimetry files from DOE in March and May 2018 in 

batches of 10 claims each.

1

1 Requests for the last 10 claims in Group 1 have not yet been made as of the writing of this memo.

 To date, DOE has provided updated responses for 18 of the 30 

claimants in the first group proposed for V&V evaluation. Table 1 provides the history and status 

for each of the Group 1 claimants as shown in the NIOSH OCAS Claims Tracking System 

(NOCTS).

Table 1. Status of 30 Claimant Dosimetry File Requests as Shown in NOCTS

Case 

ID*

Date of Original 

NIOSH Request

Date of Original 

DOE Response

Date of Revised 

NIOSH Request

Date of Revised 

DOE Response

Request 

Complete?

A 8/22/2017 10/20/2017 3/5/2018 5/4/2018 Yes

B 8/22/2017 10/20/2017 3/5/2018 5/4/2018 Yes

C 8/22/2017 10/13/2017 3/5/2018 5/4/2018 Yes

D 8/22/2017 10/18/2017 3/5/2018 5/4/2018 Yes

E Not Requested N/A 3/5/2018 5/3/2018 Yes

F 8/22/2017 10/19/2017 3/5/2018 5/4/2018 Yes

G 8/22/2017 10/11/2017 3/5/2018 5/4/2018 Yes

H Not Requested N/A 3/5/2018 5/7/2018 Yes

I 8/22/2017 10/23/2017 3/5/2018 5/3/2018 Yes

J Not Requested N/A 3/5/2018 5/4/2018 Yes

K 8/22/2017 10/25/2017 5/15/2018 6/7/2018 Yes

L 8/22/2017 10/12/2017 5/15/2018 6/4/2018 Yes

M 8/22/2017 10/13/2017 5/15/2018 6/4/2018 Yes

N Not Requested N/A 5/15/2018 Pending No

O 8/22/2017 10/20/2017 5/15/2018 7/5/2018 Yes

P 8/22/2017 10/23/2017 5/15/2018 6/28/2018 Yes

Q Not Requested N/A 5/15/2018 6/29/2018 Yes

R 8/22/2017 10/12/2017 5/15/2018 Pending No

S 8/22/2017 10/20/2017 5/15/2018 7/5/2018 Yes

 
Memo – CPP V&V 1963–1970 Interim Status 3 SC&A – July 26, 2017

NOTICE: This document has been reviewed to identify and redact any information that is protected by the 

Privacy Act 5 USC §552a and has been cleared for distribution. 

Case 

ID*

Date of Original 

NIOSH Request

Date of Original 

DOE Response

Date of Revised 

NIOSH Request

Date of Revised 

DOE Response

Request 

Complete?

T 8/22/2017 10/18/2017 5/15/2018 7/5/2018 Yes

U 8/22/2017 10/18/2017 Not Yet Requested N/A No

V 8/22/2017 10/18/2017 Not Yet Requested N/A No

W 8/22/2017 10/20/2017 Not Yet Requested N/A No

X 8/22/2017 10/12/2017 Not Yet Requested N/A No

Y Not Requested N/A Not Yet Requested N/A No

Z Not Requested N/A Not Yet Requested N/A No

AA 8/22/2017 10/18/2017 Not Yet Requested N/A No

AB 8/22/2017 10/18/2017 Not Yet Requested N/A No

AC 8/22/2017 10/20/2017 Not Yet Requested N/A No

AD 8/22/2017 10/18/2017 Not Yet Requested N/A No

*Case ID is an arbitrary designation that does not have any direct connection to the claimant. Attachment A provides 

the actual NOCTS claim numbers associated with each Case ID designation for reference.

Evaluation of 18 Updated Claimant Dosimetry Files Received to Date

Table 2 compares the temporary badges identified by SC&A and the updated dosimetry files 

recently transmitted to NIOSH from DOE. It is important to note that the majority of temporary 

badge reports do not contain other identifying information besides last name, first and middle 

initials, and the employer at the time of the badging.2

2 S# was usually included only in cases where a positive dose was accrued during the temporary badging period.

 Therefore, the only temporary badges 

considered in columns 2 and 3 of Table 2 had to have exact matches for these four identifiers 

(alternately, three identifiers if the middle initial was not provided). In addition, an exception 

was made for Case F, in which the exclusion of “ ” was evaluated for the reasons stated in 

association with that case.

A total of 420 temporary badges were identified by SC&A for evaluation among the 18 claims 

with currently updated DOE response files. Of those 420 temporary badges, 332 (79%) were 

successfully identified and included in the updated monitoring records. In one case (Case K), 

none of the 31 temporary badges identified by SC&A were included in the updated DOE 

response file. 

During the course of its original review of temporary badges, SC&A identified several examples 

where it appeared slight variations or misspellings of the energy employee’s (EE’s) name were 

observed. While these variations were not included in the totals discussed in the previous 

paragraph and displayed in columns 2 and 3 of Table 2, they are discussed as appropriate in the 

“Case Notes and Comments” column. SC&A observed a total of 32 temporary badges with 

potential variations on the claimant’s name, only 3 of which (~10%) were included in the 

corresponding updated DOE response file.

 
Memo – CPP V&V 1963–1970 Interim Status 4 SC&A – July 26, 2017

NOTICE: This document has been reviewed to identify and redact any information that is protected by the Privacy Act 5 USC §552a and has been cleared for distribution.

Table 2. Overview of V&V Comparison for 18 Claimants with Updated Dosimetry Files Transmitted from DOE

Case 

ID* 

Total Number of 

Temporary 

Badges Checked

from SC&A List

Total Number of 

SC&A Badges 

Found in Updated 

DOE Response

(% of Total)

Case Notes and Comments

K 31 0 (0.0%)

• 31 temporary badges ranged from 

, during which the EE’s Location File Card and extensive regular dosimetry indicates work 

at the and . 

• Computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) with the EE does not mention CPP but does mention 

the EE was part of the for the years of employment.

• A Whole Body Count questionnaire does not indicate any work areas besides ; however, the 

available monitoring records do contain temporary badges associated with 

and the prior to the date on the questionnaire.

• The only information provided on the temporary badges identified was the name “ ” and 

the . 

• No name variations were identified in the set of temporary badges reviewed by SC&A.

F 48 6 (12.5%)

• Updated DOE response only contains records for “ ” and none identified as “ .” The 

site Location File Card as well as U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) initial case files both list the 

claimant as “ ”

• Location File Card only lists as a work location

• Potential name variations identified in the SC&A reviewed temporary badges: (however, 

 and appear to be written over top of one another), and None of the 

temporary badges associated with these name variations were included in the updated DOE file.

• Updated DOE response does contain the following variations in other records: 

 (note: neither the name “ ” nor a of any kind 

appears in the DOL case files or CATI interview with the survivor).
Memo – CPP V&V 1963–1970 Interim Status 5 SC&A – July 26, 2017

NOTICE: This document has been reviewed to identify and redact any information that is protected by the Privacy Act 5 USC §552a and has been cleared for distribution. 

Case 

ID* 

Total Number of 

Temporary 

Badges Checked

from SC&A List

Total Number of 

SC&A Badges 

Found in Updated 

DOE Response

(% of Total)

Case Notes and Comments

E 41 32 (78.0%)

• Location File Card does not cover the period of interest.

• Both “ ” and “ ” appear in the dosimetry file and temporary badges (there 

was no connection between the missing temporary badges and the exclusion of the )

• Potential name variations identified in SC&A reviewed temporary badges:

. None of the temporary badges associated with these name 

variations were included in the updated DOE file.

• Updated DOE response does contain the following variations in other records:

.

M 17 16 (94.1%)

• Location file card indicates that was the primary work location.

• Missing temporary badge lists as the employer, which is verified in the DOL 

initial case file as the EE’s employer during the period when the badge was issued.

• Potential name variation identified in SC&A reviewed temporary badges: . This record 

was not included in the updated DOE response file.

• Updated DOE response does contain the following variations in other records: 

.

O 35 33 (94.3%)

• Name: 

• Location file card only lists as a work area but only provides the “ ” of . 

• No name variations were identified in the set of temporary badges reviewed by SC&A.

B 25 23 (95.8%)

• Location File Card indicates various temporary/visitor badging periods at 

 during the SEC period of interest.

• Potential name variations identified in SC&A reviewed temporary badges:

. Only the last variation (“ ”) was 

included in the updated DOE response; however, it was also a positive result so the S# was included 

on the temporary badge report.

• Updated DOE response does contain the following variations in other records: 

.
Memo – CPP V&V 1963–1970 Interim Status 6 SC&A – July 26, 2017

NOTICE: This document has been reviewed to identify and redact any information that is protected by the Privacy Act 5 USC §552a and has been cleared for distribution. 

Case 

ID* 

Total Number of 

Temporary 

Badges Checked

from SC&A List

Total Number of 

SC&A Badges 

Found in Updated 

DOE Response

(% of Total)

Case Notes and Comments

H 68 66 (97.1%)

• Prior to the Updated DOE response, the EE did not have any external dosimetry during the SEC 

period.

• Potential name variations identified in SC&A reviewed temporary badges:

. None of the temporary badges associated with these name variations were included in the 

updated DOE response.

• Updated DOE response does contain the following variations in other records: 

.

A 4 4 (100.0%) • No name variations were identified in the set of temporary badges reviewed by SC&A.

C 4 4 (100.0%)

• No name variations were identified in the set of temporary badges reviewed by SC&A.

D 30 30 (100.0%)

• No name variations were identified in the set of temporary badges reviewed by SC&A.

G 24 24 (100.0%) • Potential name variation identified in SC&A reviewed temporary badges: . This record 

was not included in the updated DOE response file.

• Updated DOE response does contain the following variations in other records: 

.

I 7 7 (100.0%) • No name variations were identified in the set of temporary badges reviewed by SC&A.

J 1 1 (100.0%)

• No name variations were identified in the set of temporary badges reviewed by SC&A.

• Interestingly, this claim was part of earlier evaluations by SC&A and NIOSH in which no previous 

external dosimetry could be found but the claim record at the time contained an in vivo record 

labelled (see NIOSH 2016, SC&A 2016b, and ABRWH 2016, pp. 46–52).
Memo – CPP V&V 1963–1970 Interim Status 7 SC&A – July 26, 2017

NOTICE: This document has been reviewed to identify and redact any information that is protected by the Privacy Act 5 USC §552a and has been cleared for distribution. 

Case 

ID* 

Total Number of 

Temporary 

Badges Checked

from SC&A List

Total Number of 

SC&A Badges 

Found in Updated 

DOE Response

(% of Total)

Case Notes and Comments

L 32 32 (100.0%)

• Potential name variations identified in SC&A reviewed temporary badges: 

. All name variations are associated with 

, only the last variation (“ ”) was included in the updated DOE response. 

• Updated DOE response does contain the following variations in other records:

P 20 20 (100.0%)

• Potential name variations identified in SC&A reviewed temporary badges: 

. The temporary badges identified with these name variations were not included in the 

DOE response; however, an additional temporary for “ ” did appear in the records.

• Updated DOE response does contain the following variations in other records: 

.

Q 25 25 (100.0%)

• Potential name variations identified in SC&A reviewed temporary badges: 

. Only the temporary badge with 

the last name variation ( ) appeared in the updated DOE response. 

• Updated DOE response does contain the following variations in other records: 

S 1 1 (100.0%) • No name variations were identified in the set of temporary badges reviewed by SC&A.

T 7 7 (100.0%) • No name variations were identified in the set of temporary badges reviewed by SC&A.

*Case ID is an arbitrary designation that does not have any direct connection to the claimant. Attachment A provides the actual NOCTS claim numbers associated with 

each Case ID designation for reference.
Memo – CPP V&V 1963–1970 Interim Status 8 SC&A – July 26, 2017

NOTICE: This document has been reviewed to identify and redact any information that is protected by the 

Privacy Act 5 USC §552a and has been cleared for distribution.

References

ABRWH 2016. Transcript: Meeting of the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health 

Argonne National Laboratory-West/Idaho National Laboratory Work Group, Hebron, KY. 

August 2, 2016. 

NIOSH 2016. Evaluation of 32 Additional INL Claims for SEC00219 Proposed Class Definition, 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH. July 20, 2016. 

NIOSH 2017. SEC Petition Evaluation Report – Petition SEC-00219 – Idaho National 

Laboratory, Revision 2, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH. 

February 22, 2017. 

SC&A 2016a. Memorandum: Verification and Validation (V&V) Plan for Temporary Badges at 

CPP (1963–1970), SC&A, Inc., Vienna, VA. September 29, 2016. 

SC&A 2016b. Evaluation of Claims with Supplemental Dosimetry Requests, SC&A, Inc., SCA2016-SEC-0074F, Revision 0, Vienna, VA. January 12, 2016. 

SC&A 2017. Memorandum: Update on Validation and Verification of INL CPP Temporary 

Badge Database – Expansion of Claimant Pool (1963–1970), SC&A, Inc., Arlington, VA. 

August 3, 2017. 
Memo – CPP V&V 1963–1970 Interim Status 9 SC&A – July 26, 2017

NOTICE: This document has been reviewed to identify and redact any information that is protected by the 

Privacy Act 5 USC §552a and has been cleared for distribution. 

Attachment A: [Redacted in Full]

[Attachment A is withheld in its entirety to prevent the disclosure of Privacy Act-protected 

information.]