Enc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAIRMAN 

Vacant 

MEMBERS 

Henry Anderson, M.D.

Madison, Wisconsin 

Josie Beach 

Richland, Washington 

Bradley P. Clawson

Rexburg, Idaho 

R. William Field, Ph.D. 

Iowa City, Iowa 

David Kotelchuck, Ph.D. 

New York, New York 

James E. Lockey, M.D.

Cincinnati, Ohio 

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 

ADVISORY BOARD ON RADIATION AND WORKER HEALTH 

1150 Tusculum Ave 

Cincinnati, Ohio 45226 

(513) 533-6825 

September 20, 2018 

The Honorable Alex M. Azar II 

Secretary 

Department of Health and Human Services 

200 Independence Avenue, S.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20201 

Dear Mr. Secretary: 

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

evaluated SEC Petition 00188 concerning workers at the Sandia National 

Laboratories 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 its contractors or subcontractors who worked in any 

area at the Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New 

Mexico, during the period from January 1, 1995, through December 

31, 1996, 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 working at Sandia National Laboratories during the 

time period in question worked on nuclear weapons production 

and related operations. 

• The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 

evaluation of available monitoring data concluded that NIOSH 

lacked adequate information necessary to complete individual 

dose reconstructions with sufficient accuracy for internal 

radiological exposure to plutonium, tritium, and other radionuclides 

during the period in question. Specifically, NIOSH found the 

available monitoring records for the internal dosimetry program 

during this time period were inadequate to support reconstruction 

of internal radiation doses of these employees. The Board concurs 

with this conclusion. 

• NIOSH determined that health may have been endangered for the 

workers exposed to radiation at the Sandia National Laboratories 

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

this determination. 
 

 

 

 

Based on these considerations and the discussions held at the August 22 and 23, 2018, Board 

meeting in Providence, Rhode Island, 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] 

Henry Anderson, M.D. 

Chair, Sandia National Laboratories Work Group 

on behalf of the 

Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health 

Enclosure 

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