ORAU TEAM

Dose Reconstruction

Project for NIOSH

Oak Ridge Associated Universities I Dade Moeller & Associates I MJW Corporation

Page 1 of 8

DOE Review Release 04/30/2009

Document Title:

Mound Site – Introduction

Document Number: ORAUT-TKBS-0016-1 

Revision: 00 PC-1 

Effective Date: 03/13/2009

Type of Document TBD

Supersedes: Revision 00

Subject Expert(s): Jeffrey S. Vollmer

Site Expert(s): N/A 

Approval: Signature on File Approval Date: 03/04/2009

Donald N. Stewart, Document Owner

Concurrence: Signature on File Concurrence Date: 03/04/2009

John M. Byrne, Task 3 Manager

Concurrence: Signature on File Concurrence Date: 03/04/2009

Edward F. Maher, Task 5 Manager

Concurrence: Signature on File Concurrence Date: 03/11/2009

Kate Kimpan, Project Director

Approval: Signature on File Approval Date: 03/13/2009

James W. Neton, Associate Director for Science

 New Total Rewrite Revision Page Change

FOR DOCUMENTS MARKED AS A TOTAL REWRITE, REVISION, OR PAGE CHANGE, REPLACE THE PRIOR 

REVISION AND DISCARD / DESTROY ALL COPIES OF THE PRIOR REVISION.
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0016-1 Revision No. 00 PC-1 Effective Date: 03/13/2009 Page 2 of 8

PUBLICATION RECORD

EFFECTIVE 

DATE

REVISION

NUMBER DESCRIPTION

09/09/2004 00 New technical basis document for the Mound Site – Introduction. 

First approved issue. Initiated by Jeffrey S. Vollmer.

03/13/2009 00 PC-1 Approved page change initiated to remove information pertaining to 

Monsanto Chemical Company, the subject of a class of employees 

added to the Special Exposure Cohort. These changes occurred on 

pages 6 and 7. NIOSH required language was revised on page 5 in 

Section 1.0. Added references on pages 5, 6, and 7 and added the 

Reference Section on page 8. No changes occurred as a result of 

formal internal review. Incorporates formal NIOSH review 

comments. No sections were deleted. Training required: As 

determined by the Task Manager. Initiated by Donald N. Stewart.
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0016-1 Revision No. 00 Effective Date: 09/09/2004 Page 3 of 8

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION TITLE

Acronyms and Abbreviations ...............................................................................................................

PAGE

4

1.0 Introduction ..............................................................................................................................5

1.1 Purpose........................................................................................................................6

1.2 Scope...........................................................................................................................6

References ..........................................................................................................................................8
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0016-1 Revision No. 00 Effective Date: 09/09/2004 Page 4 of 8

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

AEC U.S. Atomic Energy Commission

EEOICPA Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act

IMBA Integrated Modules for Bioassay Analysis (program)

IREP Interactive RadioEpidemiological Program

NIOSH National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

ORAU Oak Ridge Associated Universities

TBD technical basis document
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0016-1 Revision No. 00 PC-1 Effective Date: 03/13/2009 Page 5 of 8

1.0

Technical basis documents and site profile documents are not official determinations made by the 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) but are rather general working 

documents that provide historic background information and guidance to assist in the preparation of 

dose reconstructions at particular sites or categories of sites. They will be revised in the event 

additional relevant information is obtained about the affected site(s). These documents may be used 

to assist NIOSH staff in the completion of the individual work required for each dose reconstruction.

INTRODUCTION

In this document the word “facility” is used as a general term for an area, building, or group of 

buildings that served a specific purpose at a site. It does not necessarily connote an “atomic weapons 

employer facility” or a “Department of Energy [DOE] facility” as defined in the Energy Employees 

Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act [EEOICPA; 42 U.S.C. § 7384l(5) and (12)]. 

EEOICPA defines a DOE facility as “any building, structure, or premise, including the grounds upon 

which such building, structure, or premise is located ... in which operations are, or have been, 

conducted by, or on behalf of, the Department of Energy (except for buildings, structures, premises, 

grounds, or operations ... pertaining to the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program)” [42 U.S.C. § 

7384l(12)]. Accordingly, except for the exclusion for the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program noted 

above, any facility that performs or performed DOE operations of any nature whatsoever is a DOE 

facility encompassed by EEOICPA.

For employees of DOE or its contractors with cancer, the DOE facility definition only determines 

eligibility for a dose reconstruction, which is a prerequisite to a compensation decision (except for 

members of the Special Exposure Cohort). The compensation decision for cancer claimants is based 

on a section of the statute entitled “Exposure in the Performance of Duty.” That provision [42 U.S.C. § 

7384n(b)] says that an individual with cancer “shall be determined to have sustained that cancer in the 

performance of duty for purposes of the compensation program if, and only if, the cancer ... was at 

least as likely as not related to employment at the facility [where the employee worked], as 

determined in accordance with the POC [probability of causation1

The statute also includes a definition of a DOE facility that excludes “buildings, structures, premises, 

grounds, or operations covered by Executive Order No. 12344, dated February 1, 1982 (42 U.S.C. 

7158 note), pertaining to the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program” [42 U.S.C. § 7384l(12)]. While this 

definition excludes Naval Nuclear Propulsion Facilities from being covered under the Act, the section 

of EEOICPA that deals with the compensation decision for covered employees with cancer [i.e., 42 

U.S.C. § 7384n(b), entitled “Exposure in the Performance of Duty”] does not contain such an 

exclusion. Therefore, the statute requires NIOSH to include all occupationally-derived radiation 

exposures at covered facilities in its dose reconstructions for employees at DOE facilities, including 

radiation exposures related to the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. As a result, all internal and 

external occupational radiation exposures are considered valid for inclusion in a dose reconstruction. 

No efforts are made to determine the eligibility of any fraction of total measured exposure for inclusion 

in dose reconstruction. NIOSH, however, does not consider the following exposures to be 

occupationally derived (NIOSH 2007a): 

] guidelines established under 

subsection (c) ...” [42 U.S.C. § 7384n(b)]. Neither the statute nor the probability of causation 

guidelines (nor the dose reconstruction regulation, 42 C.F.R. Pt. 82) define “performance of duty” for 

DOE employees with a covered cancer or restrict the “duty” to nuclear weapons work (NIOSH 2007a). 

• Background radiation, including radiation from naturally occurring radon present in 

conventional structures

• Radiation from X-rays received in the diagnosis of injuries or illnesses or for therapeutic 

reasons

 

1 The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is ultimately responsible under the EEOICPA for determining the POC. 
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0016-1 Revision No. 00 PC-1 Effective Date: 03/13/2009 Page 6 of 8

1.1 PURPOSE

This technical basis document (TBD) represents support to the ORAU Team on documentation of 

historic practices at the Mound Laboratory site in Miamisburg, Ohio. It is an evaluation of internal and 

external dosimetry data, site monitoring and other pertinent data for unmonitored and monitored 

workers for use as a supplement to individual monitoring data.

The purpose of this document is to provide a Mound Laboratory Site Profile that contains technical 

basis information to be used to evaluate the total occupational dose for EEOICPA claimants. 

1.2 SCOPE

The Mound Laboratory played an important role in the U.S. nuclear weapons program. Mound 

Laboratory activities were originally established in Dayton, Ohio, in the summer of 1943. The 

Monsanto Chemical Company operated the Dayton Laboratory at Units I, II, III, and IV. Of these, 

Units III and IV were created to produce large quantities of polonium. Operational experience at Units 

III and IV demonstrated the need for a specialized facility for polonium production and associated 

activities. This need led to the design and construction of the Mound Laboratory, initially known as 

Unit V of the Dayton Laboratory. The Mound Laboratory was initially occupied in 1948, and various 

research programs were begun; polonium production work was transferred to the new facility in 1949. 

The site’s role grew to include nuclear weapons component development and production, and such 

secondary missions as radioactive waste management and recovery, the use of radioactive materials 

for nonweapons purposes and the purification of nonradioactive isotopes for scientific and commercial 

research. This TBD contains supporting documentation to assist in the evaluation of worker dose 

from these processes at the Mound Laboratory, using the methodology in NIOSH implementation 

guides (NIOSH 2002 and 2007b). 

Consideration of potential exposures and dose reconstruction methods for Monsanto Chemical 

Company operations are outside the scope of the Mound Laboratory TBD.

Methods and concepts of measuring radiation exposure to workers have evolved since the beginning 

of Mound operations in 1948. This TBD provides supporting technical data to evaluate the total 

Mound occupational dose that can reasonably be associated with the worker’s radiation exposure. 

This dose includes occupational internal and external exposures, occupationally required diagnostic 

X-ray examinations, and onsite exposure to site environmental releases. Consistent with NIOSH

implementation guidance (NIOSH 2002 and 2007b), this document identifies how to adjust the historic 

occupational dose to account for current scientific methods and protection factors.

In addition, this TBD presents technical basis methods used to prepare the Mound worker dose 

records for input to the NIOSH Interactive RadioEpidemiological Program (IREP) and the Integrated 

Modules for Bioassay Analysis (IMBA) computer codes used to evaluate worker dose. Because 

information on measurement uncertainties is an integral component of the NIOSH approach, this 

document describes how the uncertainty is evaluated for the Mound exposure and dose records. 

This TBD describes Mound facilities and processes and historic information related to worker internal 

and external exposures. Attachments contain critical data and tables required by dose reconstructors 

to suffice as a standalone document. 

This document also supplies supporting technical data used in the evaluation of the occupational dose 

that may be reasonably associated with a Mound Laboratory workers claim. The source of exposure 

may have resulted from external and internal radiation sources, required medical x-rays and to onsite 

releases and ambient exposure. Doses that may have occurred to unmonitored workers or that may 

have been missed by monitoring are included in this evaluation. Over time, improvements to 
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0016-1 Revision No. 00 PC-1 Effective Date: 03/13/2009 Page 7 of 8

monitoring devices and techniques as well as new protection standards have been developed. This 

document also captures these historical changes.

The doses are evaluated using the NIOSH Integrated Modules for Bioassay Analysis (IMBA) and the 

Interactive RadioEpidemiological Program (IREP) computer codes. As part of these evaluations 

uncertainties associated with the assessment are an integral part of the NIOSH process. Therefore 

uncertainty analysis of Mound Laboratory exposure is also an essential part of these documents. This 

site profile is divided into five major sections, Site Description, Occupational Medical Dose, 

Occupational Environmental Dose, Occupational Internal Dose and Occupational External Dose. 

Each section has associated Attachments with relevant data that can be used by the dose 

reconstructor to evaluate claims.

The Site Description describes facilities and processes and potential radiation sources utilized during 

the history of the Mound Laboratory and are presented in section 2. The tables showing radionuclides 

of concern and operational histories of the different facilities and sites are presented in this section. 

This document provides processes, radioisotope forms and other information that may be useful in the 

completion of dose reconstructions. The dose reconstructor would use this data when monitoring 

data or other methods of evaluating dose are inadequate (ORAUT 2006a). 

Section 3 presents information crucial in evaluating Occupational Medical Doses. This includes 

radiation doses due to medical x-rays that were required for pre-employment, for annual 

examinations, and for other prescribed examinations. Any changes to techniques or equipment 

employed at Mound Laboratory are also presented in this section. This section presents the pertinent 

details to help assist dose reconstructors in determining doses resulting from Occupational Medical 

sources at Mound Laboratory (ORAUT 2006b. 

Section 4 is the Occupational Environmental Dose section. This information can be used to 

reconstruct radiation doses to unmonitored workers. The releases of radionuclides from buildings at 

Mound Laboratory are related to the methods used to calculate doses to unmonitored workers. 

Potential internal exposures are presented that might have resulted from air dispersion of 

radionuclides from the buildings, ground level releases during construction or deconstruction activities 

and resuspension of radioactive contaminated soil. External radiation sources, from various site 

facilities, are evaluated for their contribution to this environmental dose. Methodology and equipment 

for estimating these doses over the years have changed and these changes are taken into account in 

evaluating doses to unmonitored workers. Section 4 presents the details needed in calculating doses 

to unmonitored workers at Mound Laboratory (ORAUT 2004a). 

Occupational Internal Doses are presented in Section 5. The most significant radionuclides are 

presented in this section. This section also describes historical changes in monitoring methods and 

equipment. These changes are presented to aid the dose reconstructors in evaluating internal 

dosimetry records. Tables showing MDA and other pertinent monitoring details are presented for both 

in vitro and any in vivo bioassay techniques that may have been utilized. This section presents 

information that is needed in assisting the dose reconstructor in calculating doses to monitored 

workers (ORAUT 2004b). 

Section 6 outlines the details of the Occupation External Dose that will aid the dose reconstructor in 

evaluating external exposure to monitored workers at Mound Laboratory. Historical techniques and 

practices are presented and discussed in this section as well as radiation protection standards and 

practices that may have affected the dosimetry program. Tables are included that give historical 

exchange frequencies, techniques, exposure levels and other details that will aid the dose 

reconstructor in evaluating external exposure. The pertinent information that can be utilized by dose 

reconstructors in evaluating External Dose is in this section (ORAUT 2004c). 
Document No. ORAUT-TKBS-0016-1 Revision No. 00 PC-1 Effective Date: 03/13/2009 Page 8 of 8

REFERENCES

NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), 2002, Internal Dose Reconstruction 

Implementation Guidelines, OCAS-IG-002, Rev. 0, Office of Compensation Analysis and 

Support, Cincinnati, Ohio, August 1. 

NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), 2007a, Radiation Exposures Covered 

for Dose Reconstructions Under Part B of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness 

Compensation Program Act, OCAS-IG-003, Rev. 0, Office of Compensation Analysis and 

Support, Cincinnati, Ohio, November. [SRDB Ref ID: 35987]

NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health), 2007b, External Dose Reconstruction 

Implementation Guideline, OCAS-IG-001, Rev. 3, Office of Compensation Analysis and 

Support, Cincinnati, Ohio, November 21. 

ORAUT (Oak Ridge Associated Universities Team), 2004a, Technical Basis Document for the Mound 

Site - Occupational Environmental Dose, ORAUT-TKBS-0016-4 Rev 00, Oak Ridge, 

Tennessee, October 6.

ORAUT (Oak Ridge Associated Universities Team), 2004b, Technical Basis Document for the Mound 

Site - Occupational Internal Dosimetry, ORAUT-TKBS-0016-5 Rev 00, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 

September 9. 

ORAUT (Oak Ridge Associated Universities Team), 2004c, Technical Basis Document for the Mound 

Site - Occupational External Dosimetry, ORAUT-TKBS-0016-6 Rev 00, Oak Ridge, 

Tennessee, August 11.

ORAUT (Oak Ridge Associated Universities Team), 2006a, Technical Basis Document for the 

Mound Site - Site Description, ORAUT-TKBS-0016-2 Rev. 00 PC-1. Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 

July 7. 

ORAUT (Oak Ridge Associated Universities Team), 2006b, Technical Basis Document for the Mound 

Site - Occupational Medical Dose, ORAUT-TKBS-0016-3 Rev 01 PC-2, Oak Ridge, 

Tennessee, March 31.