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

Mark A. Griffon

 Salem, New Hampshire

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

August 28, 2014

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 00218 concerning 

workers at the General Atomics facility in La Jolla, 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 Employees who worked for General Atomics 

at its facility in La Jolla, California, during the period from January 

1, 1960, through December 31, 1969, 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 La Jolla, California, during 

the time period in question worked on research and production 

activities for reactor and accelerator operations. 

• 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 

radiological exposures to uranium, thorium, tritium, and fission and 

activation products 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 July 29, 2014, Board meeting held in 

Idaho Falls, Idaho, 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