Enc.

ADVISORY BOARD ON RADIATION AND WORKER HEALTH

1150 Tusculum Ave

Cincinnati, Ohio 45226

(513) 533-6825

CHAIRMAN

James M. Melius, M.D., Dr. PH.

 Albany, New York

MEMBERS

Henry Anderson, M.D.

 Madison, Wisconsin

Josie Beach

 Kennewick, Washington 

Bradley P. Clawson

 Rexburg, Idaho

R. William Field, Ph.D. 

 Iowa City, Iowa

David Kotelchuck, Ph.D.

 New York, New York

Richard Lemen, Ph.D.

 Canton, Georgia

James E. Lockey, M.D.

 Cincinnati, Ohio

Wanda I. Munn

 Richland, Washington

John W. Poston, Sr., Ph.D.

 College Station, Texas

David B. Richardson, Ph.D.

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Genevieve S. Roessler, Ph.D.

 Elysian, Minnesota

Phillip Schofield

 Bosque Farm, New Mexico

Loretta R. Valerio

 Santa Fe, New Mexico

Paul L. Ziemer, Ph.D.

 Lafayette, Indiana

STAFF

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Theodore M. Katz, MPA

 Atlanta, Georgia

COMMITTEE MANAGEMENT 

Zaida Burgos

 Atlanta, Georgia

April 22, 2015

The Honorable Sylvia M. Burwell

Secretary 

Department of Health and Human Services

200 Independence Avenue, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20201

Dear Madam Secretary:

The Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health (The Board) 

has evaluated Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) Petition 00216 

concerning workers at the Dow Chemical Company facility in 

Pittsburg, California, under the statutory requirements established 

by the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation 

Program Act of 2000 and incorporated into 42 CFR Sec. 83.13. 

The Board respectfully recommends that SEC status be accorded 

to:

“All Atomic Weapons Employer employees who worked 

for Dow Chemical Company in Pittsburg, California, from 

October 1, 1947, through June 30, 1957, for a number of 

work days aggregating at least 250 work days, occurring 

either solely under this employment, or in combination 

with work days within the parameters established for one 

or more other classes of employees included in the 

Special Exposure Cohort." 

This recommendation is based on the following factors: 

• Individuals employed at this facility in Pittsburg, California, 

during the time period in question worked on research for the 

production of materials to be used for nuclear weapons. 

• The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 

(NIOSH) review of available monitoring data, as well as 

available process and source term information for this facility 

found that NIOSH lacked the sufficient information necessary 

to complete individual dose reconstructions with sufficient 

accuracy for internal and external radiological exposures to 

uranium to which these workers may have been subjected 

during the time period in question. The Board concurs with 

this determination. 

• NIOSH determined that health may have been endangered 

for employees at this facility during the time period in 

question. The Board also concurs with this determination.
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Based on these considerations and the discussion at the March 25 and 26, 2015, 

Board meeting held in Richland, Washington, the Board recommends that this class be 

added to the SEC. 

Enclosed is the documentation from the Board meeting(s) where this SEC class was 

discussed. The documentation includes copies of the petition, the NIOSH review 

thereof, and related materials. If any of these items are unavailable at this time, they 

will follow shortly.

Sincerely,

[Signature on File]

James M. Melius, M.D., Dr. PH.

Chairman, ABRWH

Enclosure