Enc. 

ADVISORY BOARD ON RADIATION AND WORKER HEALTH

4676 Columbia Parkway, MS: C-46

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

Michael H. Gibson

 Franklin, Ohio

Mark A. Griffon

 Salem, New Hampshire

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

Paul L. Ziemer, Ph.D.

 Lafayette, Indiana

STAFF

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Theodore M. Katz, MPA

 Atlanta, Georgia

COMMITTEE MANAGEMENT 

Zaida Burgos

 Atlanta, Georgia

April 9, 2012

The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius

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 00188 concerning workers at the 

Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico under the statutory 

requirements established by the Energy Employees Occupational Illness 

Compensation Program Act of 2000 (EEOICPA) and incorporated into 42 CFR 

Sec. 83.13.

The Board respectfully recommends that SEC status be accorded to:

“All employees of the Department of Energy, its predecessor agencies, 

and their contractors and subcontractors who worked in any area at 

Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from 

January 1, 1963 through December 31, 1994, 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 Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, 

New Mexico during the time period in question worked on research and 

technical tasks related to the production of 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 (including internal monitoring program 

documentation) necessary to complete individual dose reconstructions 

with sufficient accuracy for internal radiological exposures to a number 

of radionuclides which employees at this facility may have been 

subjected during the time period in question. The Board concurs with 

this determination.
The Secretary April 9, 2012 

 NIOSH determined that health may have been endangered for employees at the 

Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico during the time period in 

question. The Board also concurs with this determination.

Based on these considerations and the discussion at the February 28-29, 2012, Board meeting 

held in Oakland, California, 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