Hanford

Special Exposure Cohort

Petition Evaluation Report

Samuel Glover, PhD

Research Health Scientist

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support

June 2012

Santa Fe, NM
Petition Overview

 83.14 petition received on May 3, 201

 Proposed class definition:

• All employees of the Department of Ene

its predecessor agencies, and their cont

and subcontractors who worked at the

Hanford Engineer Works in Richland,

Washington, from July 1, 1972 through

December 31, 1983
Petition Overview—cont.

 Three existing SEC classes previously

established at Hanford:

1. October 1, 1943 through August 31, 194

selected areas of Hanford (Petition 57)

2. September 1, 1946 through December 3

for selected areas of Hanford (Petition 5

3. October 1, 1943 through June 30, 1972, 

areas of Hanford (this class subsumed p

two classes; Petition 152)
Petition Overview—cont.

 Petition 57 requested the SEC class be

continued through 1990

• Petition 201 (this report) represents the

research NIOSH conducted as part of the 

1972 review

• The remaining time period (1984 thru 1

remains a subject of continuing investig
Petition Overview—cont.

 Petition 155 also remains before the Adviso

Board

• The petitioner’s specific evidence of accusation

U.S. EPA of purposeful wrong doing by US Testiresulted in NIOSH determining that issues rega

quality of bioassay data required further investas a separate issue from the continuing Board

evaluation of Petition 57 (1987‐1989)

• The intent of NIOSH’s separate evaluation of Pe

155 was to ensure that issues identified with UTesting’s non‐bioassay analytical programs did 

adversely affect the company’s bioassay analysoperations in Richland, WA

• SC&A is currently preparing a report regarding t

review of Petition 155
Update of Activities

 The Advisory Board had previously identifie

focus areas (Am/Th/U) for Petition 152

 NIOSH prepared a number of draft reports f

various nuclides which were used to develo

Petition 152 and update the TBD

 NIOSH focused on activities in the post‐June 

timeframe, concentrating on neptunium (Np

uranium (HEU, 233U), and thorium (Th)

• Results of these investigations led to class propo

NIOSH in the evaluation report for Petition 201

• Data gained from additional data captures will b

update the TBD
Update of Activities—cont.

 Sources of Available Information

• ORAU Team Technical Basis Documents (TBDs)• ORAU Team Technical Information Bulletins (T

Procedures

• 19 additional interviews with former employe• Existing claimant files

• NIOSH Site Research Database (over 32000 Ha

related documents)

• 10 additional data captures at Hanford related 

201
Update of Activities—cont.

 Research at Hanford has been challenging

• Changes in contractors and missions often chang

entire research strategy and documentation avaeven personnel related to processes

• Theses challenges have led to focused efforts inv

the review of large numbers of classified and un

documents

• NIOSH and the Advisory Board, with the suppor

Richland, have worked to review this complex fa

with a view to timeliness and accuracy
Neptunium

 At the conclusion of Petition 152, NIOSH’s resea

that point indicated that the programs related t

neptunium had ceased. Activities before July 1

as described in Petition 152 included:

• Area 200 from May 1, 1948 through June 30, 1972: A

neptunium‐237 operations began with the crude sep

neptunium from metal wastes, first reported in May 

Production of neptunium nitrate in the 200 Area cea

the shutdown of PUREX in June 1972.

• Area 300 from January 1, 1966 through December 31

Neptunium work in the 300 Area began with target‐efabrication beginning in 1966. Neptunium/plutonium

separations continued into 1970.
Neptunium—cont.

 Continued research at Hanford led NIOSH to fol

series of activities that were located in the 200 

areas involving neptunium operations that wer

addressed by Petition 152 (activities conducted 

June 1972)

 Partial material inventories show that neptuniu

used after June 1972 by a variety of departmen

Hanford (e.g. Metallurgical Development, Chem

Technology, and Fuels Design and Development
Neptunium—cont.

 A number of buildings were identified as having

continued neptunium operations after 1972 inc

(partial listing):

• Defense related metallurgical work at 231Z• Fuels Design and Development in 308

• Research in 325 and 329

• Entries into the Q cell and J cells of Purex
Neptunium—cont.

 Monitoring

• No bioassay prior to 1972

• Only four in vitro bioassay measurements in the 

201 time‐period

• All were collected the same day in September 19

• A single wound count for 237Np was identified i

Hanford REX database (for a wound)
Thorium

 At the conclusion of Petition 152, NIOSH’s resea

that point indicated that the programs related t

thorium had ceased

• Area 100 from January 1, 1965 through December 31

Fuel element failures associated with the irradiation thorium fuel occurred during the 1965‐1970 campaig

produce uranium‐233

• Area 200 from January 1, 1965 through December 31

Major thorium operations in Area 200 began with a t

THOREX process in 1965, and continued through the 

major campaign to fabricate, irradiate, and process p

thorium‐oxide targets in 1970
Thorium—cont.

• Area 300 from October 1, 1945 through December 3

Site thorium operations began with trial canning in O

1945 and continued through the final major campaig

fabricate, irradiate, and process pelletized thorium‐o

targets in 1970

 Continued research at Hanford led NIOSH to fol

series of activities that were located in the 200 

areas involving thorium operations that were naddressed by Petition 152 (activities conducted 

June 1972)
Thorium—cont.

 Activities included

• Preparation and shipping of 350 tons of thorium to F

(this material was left over from the THOREX campai

were slightly contaminated with 233U)

—Conducted at 203‐A, 241‐WR and204‐S facilities

—Shipments occurred during the period 1977 through 1

shipments total)

—Facilities required cleanup after material removal

• Other included processes which generated

plutonium/uranium/thorium scrap which was sent to 

• 300 Area work included reactor fuels research• The Thorium Oxide Fuel Development Laboratory wa

completed in mid‐1979 (located in the 306‐W buildin
Thorium—cont.

 Monitoring

• Very little data is available and can not be tied to op

the site.

• There are only 11 in vitro bioassay (urinalysis) result

elemental thorium or Th‐232 in the REX database in 

1972 through December 1983 period. There is one re1979, seven in 1980, and three in 1981 (the years ref

sample collection dates).

• The REX database contains 16 in vivo bioassay result

232 during the period under evaluation: one in 1972

1973, two in 1977, seven in 1979, and five in 1983. Tcounts from 1972 through 1977 were whole body co

the others were chest counts.
Uranium

 At the conclusion of SEC‐00152, NIOSH’s res

that point indicated that very little HEU and 

work was done after June 30, 1972

 Continued research at Hanford led NIOSH to 

a series of activities that were located in the 

and 300 areas involving HEU and 233U condu

after June 30, 1972
Uranium—cont.

 These activities included

• Research by the Nuclear Experiments Group• Defense‐related metallurgical research at the 23

Plutonium Finishing Plant (234‐5Z) and likely oth

facilities

• Research located in the 300 area including at the 

303‐C, 305, 313, 314, 324, 326, 327, and 333 buil

• Criticality studies and associated fabrication of H

criticality studies in the 306 building
Uranium—cont.

 Monitoring

• Hanford monitored workers for natural uranium 

using total uranium (fluorimetric) and lung coun

methods during this time period

• At the end of 1983 Hanford implemented and be

utilize methods for the determination of isotopi

in urine (alpha spectrometry)

• NIOSH has determined that it is unable to use na

uranium monitoring from this period to cover th

of work and research being conducted at Hanfor

the proposed time period.
Conclusion from Research

 NIOSH has evaluated the available inform

and determined that it does not have acc

sufficient personnel monitoring, workpla

monitoring, or source‐term data to suffic

estimate potential internal exposures to H233, thorium, or neptunium during the pe

from July 1, 1972 through December 31, 1
Hanford SEC Petition 201

 Why the class?

• Workers were potentially exposed to thorium, neptu

highly enriched uranium and 233U who were not mon

does a suitable dose reconstruction method exist.

• Several infeasibilities exist during the timeframe in q

and are presented in the form which provides broad 

to the infeasibility (thorium, neptunium, highly enric

uranium, and 233U).

• Decision was based on lack of adequate biological m

data, sufficient air monitoring information, and/or su

process and radiological source‐term data to reconst

with sufficient accuracy.
Hanford SEC Petition 201—con

 Why everyone?

• Based on dose reconstruction experience and re

NIOSH further determined that there is not suffi

information available to enable NIOSH to accuraassess whether an energy employee, or class of

employees, did, or did not, potentially enter spe

areas of Hanford during the time periods associa

Petition 201.
Hanford SEC Petition 201—con

 What about employees not included in the S

• NIOSH intends to use any internal and external

monitoring data, and medical doses that may beavailable for an individual claim (and that can be

interpreted using existing dose reconstruction p

or procedures). Therefore, dose reconstructions 

individuals employed at the Hanford site during 

period from July 1, 1972 through December 31, 

who do not qualify for inclusion in the Special Ex

Cohort, may be performed using these data as

appropriate.
Health Endangerment

 The evidence reviewed in this evaluation

indicates that some workers in the class m

have accumulated chronic radiation expos

through intakes of radionuclides and direc

exposure to radioactive materials.

 Consequently, NIOSH is specifying that hea

may have been endangered for those work

covered by this evaluation who were empl

for a number of work days aggregating at l

250 work days within the parameters

established for this class or in combination 

work days within the parameters establish

one or more other classes of employees in 

SEC.
Proposed Class

All employees of the Department of Energ

predecessor agencies, and its contractors a

subcontractors who worked at the Hanford 

in Richland, Washington, from July 1, 1972

through December 31, 1983, for a number 

work days aggregating at least 250 work d

occurring either solely under this employm

in combination with work days within the

parameters established for one or more ot

classes of employees included in the Speci

Exposure Cohort.
Potential Impact of SEC

(Current Cases)

 Total number of Hanford and PNNL cases:  Number withdrawn (SEC): 

 Total number with a DR (at DOL):  Total number claims with employment in

proposed class:

• Number of claims with presumptive cancer during th

proposed SEC: 

• Number of claims with non‐presumptive cancer

during the proposed SEC: 

• Number of claims at NIOSH with a presumptive canc
Recommendation

 For the period July 1, 1972 through Decem

1983, NIOSH finds that radiation dose estim

cannot be reconstructed for compensation

purposes

Class Feasibility Health Enda

July 1, 1972

–

December 31, 1983 No Yes