National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Special Exposure Cohort Petition Status Updates

Charles Nelson, MS

DCAS SEC Team Lead

Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health, 153rd Meeting

Augusta, GA| August 16, 2023
Purpose

 Update to the petitioners, general public, and the Advisory 

Board on Radiation and Worker Health (Advisory Board)

 Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) summary of petitions

– in qualification

– under evaluation

– currently under Advisory Board review

– potential SEC petitions (83.14)
Summary

 Petitions NIOSH received to date – 261

a

– In qualification process – 0

– Qualified for evaluation – 153

– New Evaluations in progress – 0

– Evaluations completed by NIOSH – 153

 Evaluations currently with Advisory Board – 10

 Petitions not qualifying for evaluation – 108

a

Includes 5 petitions received prior to the issuance of the SEC regulation.
SEC Petitions under Evaluation

 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 1990-1995 (SEC0221)

– ER Addendum to address remaining years for all 

employees 1990-1995

 Hanford (SEC-0057) – All SEC issues are closed except those 

related to current ongoing co-exposure modeling efforts
Under Advisory Board Review (1/6)

 Savannah River Site (SEC-0103) – NIOSH is working to resolve 

issues raised by Sanford Cohen & Associates (SC&A) and the 

Work Group

– There is an update from the SRS WG later this afternoon
Under Advisory Board Review (2/6)

 Los Alamos National Laboratory (SEC-0109) – NIOSH working 

to resolve issues raised by SC&A and the Work Group

– A data capture/tour took place on May 5, 2023 

• Finished the review of identified boxes

• Tour of LANSCE facility
Under Advisory Board Review (3/6)

 Idaho National Lab (SEC-0219) - NIOSH is working to resolve 

issues raised by SC&A and the work group

– A data capture trip to INL was performed the week of 

06/26/2023

– The participants including INL WG members went on a 

tour of some of the key facilities at the site

– A follow-up trip to INL to scan and selected documents is 

planned for August 27, 2023
Under Advisory Board Review (4/6)

 Argonne National Laboratory West (SEC-0224) - NIOSH is 

working to resolve issues raised by SC&A and the work group

– ORAUT-RPRT-0089 and ORAUT-RPRT-0097 are under 

review by the Work Group

 Area IV Santa Susanna (SEC-0235) - NIOSH is working to 

provide clarification on a remaining issues 

– The DOE record center is restricting visitor access

– The records center has been digitizing records and sending 

them to DCAS for review
Under Advisory Board Review (5/6)

 Metals and Controls (SEC-0236) – With the M&C Work Group 

– There is a M&C WG update scheduled for today

 De Soto Avenue Facility (SEC-0246) - NIOSH is working to 

provide clarification on a remaining issues 

– The DOE record center is restricting visitor access

– The records center has been digitizing records and sending 

them to DCAS for review
Under Advisory Board Review (6/6)

 Y-12 Plant (SEC-0250) - Addendum to the ER was presented in 

the August 2021 Advisory Board meeting

– SC&A was assigned to perform a review of the ER

 Pinellas Plant (SEC-0256) - NIOSH presented the ER at the 

December 2021 Advisory Board meeting

– SC&A was assigned to perform a review of the ER
Sites With Evaluation Period Awaiting Action (1/3)

Site (SEC Number) Date

Hanford (SEC-0057) 1984-1990 

(Prime 

Contractors)

Savannah River Site (SEC-0103) 1972-2007 

(Prime 

Contractors)

Savannah River Site (SEC-0103) 1991-2007 

(Subcontractors) 
Sites With Evaluation Period Awaiting Action (2/3)

Site (SEC Number) Date

Los Alamos National Laboratory (SEC-0109) 1996-2005

Idaho National Laboratory (SEC-0219) 1949-1970

Argonne National Laboratory - West (SEC0224)1958-1979

Area IV Santa Susanna (SEC-0235) 1991-1993
Sites With Evaluation Period Awaiting Action (3/3)

Site (SEC Number) Date

Metals and Controls (SEC-0236) 1968-1997 

(Residual 

Period) 

De Soto Avenue Facility (SEC-0246) 1965-1995

Y-12 (SEC-0250) 1979-1994

Pinellas (SEC-0256) 1957-1990
Potential SEC Petition 

 West Valley Demonstration Project

– NIOSH evaluating a potential SEC for the Atomic Weapons 

Employer (AWE) period 1966-1968
Questions?
For more information, contact CDC

1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636)

TTY: 1-888-232-6348

www.cdc.gov

The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.