Vitro M f anu acturing ‐ Canonsb

Addendum to the

Special Exposure Cohort

Petition Petition Evaluation Evaluation Report

James W. Neton, Ph.D., CHP

Associate Director for Science

National National Institute Institute for Occupational Occupational Safety and Health

Division of Compensation Analysis and Support

August 2011

Richland, WA
‐

Petition Overview

 July 14, 2010: 42 CFR Part 83.13 petition

received (SEC‐00177)

 September 9, 2010: Petition qualified for

eval ti ua on

 NIOSH divided the petitioner‐requested cla

into two periods to be separately evaluated

• January 1, 1958 through December 31, 1959

• Residual radiation period: January 1, 1960 thro

April 30, 1965 (was reserved for further researc
Petition Overview—cont.

 Evaluation for the first period presented a

Advisory Advisory Board meeting meeting held in February February 2

• Based on NIOSH’s recommendation, a class ha

designated designated covering covering January January 1, 1958 through throughDecember 31, 1959

 Addendum to the E l va uation Report comp

NIOSH’s evaluation of the second period

• January 1, 1960 through September 30, 1965
Background

 Located in Canonsburg, PA, approximately 

miles southwest southwest of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh

 Performed Manhattan Engineering District

(MED) and Atomi E c nergy Commission (AE

contract recovery of uranium from residue

scraps beginning beginning in August 1942

 Performed various process developments 

recover urani f um rom different wast t e s re

including the Tonawanda wastes stored at 

Ontario Ordnance Works
Background—cont.

 In 1955, received first of a series of source ma

licenses licenses to import milling milling by‐product product residues residues 

Canada

 In January January 1957, completed completed the shipment shipment of 1

running tons of residues that had been classif

“unrecoverable material‐measured” to Blairsv

 Two piles of imported residues resulted and

remained on the Canonsburg site

 Work to bury the two residue piles in the lago

area began in July 1965, and was completed b

September 30, 1965
Vitro Operations: 1960‐196

 Decontamination and decommissioning cond

early 1960

• Shuttering of process equipment

• Storing and removing ore residues

• Appears to have been completed by May 1960

 Indications Indications of some work activities activities after May 

• Residue piles remained onsite, protected by a chai

fence and a guard service service

• Vitro indicated to the AEC that the material was be

wet to prevent resuspension of particles during th

period
‐

Vitro Operations: 1960‐1965

 Residue piles provided source‐term for exp

• More than 4,000 dry tons of ore processing processing res

res

stored above ground

• AEC inspection inspection detected detected levels of contaminatio

contaminatio

uncontrolled areas above permissible levels

• Potential Potential for wind‐blown resuspension resuspension

 Burial of the uranium residues began Augu

1965 and was compltd e e by S t ep ember 30 

30, 
Potential Radiation Exposure

During the Class Period

 Internal sources of exposure

• Uranium and uranium progeny

—Decontamination of the buildings—Storage, transport, and burial of the residue piles

—Resuspension from the above‐ground residue piles

 External sources of exposure

• Photon/beta Photon/beta exposure exposure from the residues residues of ur

ur

and progeny
od

Personal and Area Monitoring 

 Internal monitoring data

• No bioassay bioassay data for the evaluation evaluation period• No air sample data are available for the evalua

period

 External monitoring data

• No e ternal external monitoring monitoring data for 1960‐1965• Limited area survey data are available for 1960• Surveys Surveys and soil data collected collected to prepare prepare for o

remediation
Sources of Available Informat

 ORAU Team Technical Information Bulletin

(TIBs) and Procedures

 Interviews with seven former employees

 Existing claimant files

 Documentation provided by petitioner

 NIOSH Site Research Database Data captures
Data Capture Efforts

 U.S. Atomic Energy Commission FUSRAP data during residual period ORNL records DOE Opennet (OSTI database)

 Internet search NARA Atlanta

 Various DOE locations
Interviews

 Seven interviews with former workers were

completed completed for the period January January 1958‐Apri

(petitioner requested period)

 No additional additional interviews interviews conducted conducted for the 

beyond 1960

• None of the workers located for interview we

beyond 1960; therefore, they could not proviinformation for conditions beyond shut‐dow
Previous Dose Reconstructio

NIOSH OCAS Claims Tracking System

Information available as of August 8, 2011

 Vitro Manufacturing claims submitted

to NIOSH 27

 Claims with employment during the period

evaluated (01/01/1960‐09/30/1965) 8

• Pulled for previous SEC (1942‐1957) 1• Dose Reconstructions completed 7

 Claims containing internal monitoring data 0 Claims containing external monitoring data 0
Feasibility of Dose Reconstruct

 The available monitoring records, process

descriptions descriptions, and source‐term data are

inadequate to complete dose reconstructio

with sufficient accuracy for the evaluated c

of employees during the period January 1, 

through September 30, 1965

 With the effective removal of source‐term

achieved through the burial of the residue 

NIOSH is able to model the exposure exposure scena

scena

Vitro Manufacturing from September 30, 1forward, utilizing its normal residual perio

methodologies
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Summary of Feasibility Findin

(1960‐1965)

Source of Exposure Reconstruction Feasible Reconstruction N

Internal X

‐ Natural Uranium X

‐ Uranium Progeny X

External X

‐ Gamma X

‐ Beta X

‐ Neutron N/A N/A

‐ Occupational

Medical X‐ray N/A N/A
NIOSH Recommendation

All Atomic Weapons Employees who worke

Vitro Manufacturing in Canonsburg, Pennsyfrom January 1, 1960 through September 3

1965, for a number of work days aggregatin

least 250 work days, occurring either solely 

this employment employment or in combination combination with w

days within the parameters established for 

more other classes of employees in the Spe

Exposure Cohort.
Cl F ibilit H lhE d t 

NIOSH Recommendation—con

Class Feasibility Health Endang

January 1, 1960 

to 

September 30, 1965 

No Yes