NIOSH Dose Reconstruction Project 

Meeting on the Development of the 

 Site Profile for Sandia National Laboratory 

and Rollout for Los Alamos National Laboratory Site Profile 

Final Minutes 1 of 5 11/23/2005 

Meeting Date: 

June 20, 2005, 11:30 a.m. 

Meeting with: 

New Mexico Building and Construction Trades Council 

Albuquerque, New Mexico 

The ORAU Worker Outreach Team was invited to give their presentation during the Council’s 

regular monthly meeting. 

Attendees: 

Name Organization 

Narciso Mascareñaz OPCMIA Local 254 

Fidel A. Muñoz LIUNA Local 16 

David Barber Mountain West Regional Council of Carpenters 

Perry Chase IUEC Local 131 

Mike Luna Ironworkers Local 495 

Robert Aubert IUPAT Local 823 

Chris Romero IUPAT Local 823 

Kevin H. Pohl Teamsters 

Joseph Handley Insulators & Asbestos Workers Local 76 

Danny Beavers UA Local 412 

Carl Condit IBEW Local 611 

NIOSH and ORAU Team Members: 

Sam Glover, PhD, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Office of 

Compensation Analysis and Support (OCAS) 

William “Bill” Murray, Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) 

Jack Buddenbaum, ENSR, Site Profile Team Leader 

Mark Lewis, Advanced Technologies and Laboratories International, Inc. (ATL) 

Mary Elliott, ATL 

Buck Cameron, Center to Protect Workers’ Rights (CPWR) 

Proceedings 

Buck Cameron began the meeting at approximately 11:30 a.m. by introducing himself and asked 

the ORAU team and council members to introduce themselves. He said that the team was present 

to explain the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Act (EEOICPA). Mr. 
NIOSH Dose Reconstruction Project 

Meeting on the Development of the 

 Site Profile for Sandia National Laboratory 

and Rollout for Los Alamos National Laboratory Site Profile 

Final Minutes 2 of 5 11/23/2005 

Cameron commented that Mary Elliott was present at the meeting to take notes that will be used 

in the preparation of minutes. He pointed out that a sign-in sheet was circulating and explained 

that the information would be part of a public record. 

He said that the Sandia National Laboratory Site Profile is being developed and that Jack 

Buddenbaum is the site profile team leader for that document. He indicated that Mr. 

Buddenbaum is also the site profile team leader for the Los Alamos National Laboratory Site 

Profile, which is now approved. 

Jack Buddenbaum said that the site profile team is in the process of searching for documents and 

other information that will be used to develop the Site Profile. He said that gathering information 

from workers while the site profile is in the development stage will make it a better instrument 

for dose reconstructors. 

Several Council members said that the Council is familiar with the Act. They have filed a 

petition asking for their group to be recognized as a Special Exposure Cohort (SEC). 

Mr. Cameron said that the purpose of the presentation was to discuss the types of information 

that will be important in developing the Sandia National Laboratory Site Profile. 

Sam Glover explained a brochure titled NIOSH Office of Compensation Analysis and Support, 

which describes the functions of OCAS, including dose reconstructions, filing claims, and SECs 

as well as giving contact information for NIOSH and the Department of Labor (DOL). He spoke 

briefly about the SEC, explaining that SECs are petitioned for groups that believe that there is 

not enough information for dose reconstructions to be done. When a site is granted SEC status, a 

worker in that group must have been employed at that site for at least 250 days at the Department 

of Energy (DOE) site or Atomic Weapons Employer (AWE) site and have one of 22 specified 

cancers. 

Dr. Glover said that since the site profiles are “living documents,” they can be revised as new, 

relevant information becomes available. He pointed out that several profiles have gone through 

the revision process. The Savannah River Site Profile is now in its third revision. When site 

profiles are revised, any claims that may be affected by the changes will be re-opened and 

processed again. 

Dr. Glover also explained the sheet titled What to Expect During the Dose Reconstruction 

Process, which is a flowchart that shows how a claim progresses through the dose reconstruction 

process. He turned the program over to Bill Murray for the presentation. 

Mr. Murray discussed the brochure NIOSH Fact Sheet What a Claimant Should Know about 

Radiation Dose Reconstruction. It is a more detailed description of the dose reconstruction 

process and explains the types of information that are considered when the claimant’s records are 

reviewed. 

Mr. Murray explained that the site profile is a collection of historic information about a specific 

DOE or AWE site and the work procedures, medical and safety programs, and dosimetry 

practices at that site. These documents are used in the process of dose reconstruction for claims. 

Government and contractor records are used in writing the Site Profile. Worker input is needed 
NIOSH Dose Reconstruction Project 

Meeting on the Development of the 

 Site Profile for Sandia National Laboratory 

and Rollout for Los Alamos National Laboratory Site Profile 

Final Minutes 3 of 5 11/23/2005 

to give the workers’ perspective and to ensure that the document is not biased in favor of the 

contractor or the government. He also explained that the authors of the Site Profile are not 

affiliated with the site so there will be no conflict of interest. 

He explained that EEOICPA was enacted by Congress to compensate workers who became ill as 

a result of occupational exposure to radiation or toxic chemicals in the nuclear weapons industry. 

He described the roles of NIOSH and its contractors in performing dose reconstructions for 

claims filed under Subtitle B of the Act. 

Mr. Murray said that EEOICPA claims are submitted through the Department of Labor (DOL). 

There are two types of claims: (1) Subtitle B claims for radiation-induced cancer which awards 

claimants with $150,000 and medical expenses if a dose reconstruction indicates that the 

likelihood that the cancer was caused by radiation exposure is greater than 50%; and (2) Subtitle 

E claims which are for exposure to toxic chemicals. A claimant may be eligible for both. Subtitle 

B claims also cover berylliosis and silicosis. When a Subtitle B claim is filed for a cancer related 

to radiation exposure, the DOL turns it over to NIOSH to conduct the dose reconstruction. 

However, the claim will be automatically awarded if the claimant is a member of a Special 

Exposure Cohort. 

He discussed the main components of a Site Profile: Site Processes and Activities, Occupational 

External Dose, Occupational Internal Dose, Occupational Environmental Dose, and 

Occupational Medical Dose. He described how the dose reconstruction is done using this 

information – the more information available, the more accurate the dose reconstruction. 

The Occupational External Dose section of the Site Profile details the badging practices at the 

site: 

• Did workers wear badges to measure radiation exposure? 

o Which workers were given badges? 

o Where were badges worn? 

• What types of radiation did they measure? 

• How often were badges exchanged? 

• How were lost and missing badges handled? 

• Were there any problems with badges? 

The section on Occupational Internal Dose covers monitoring practices at the site: 

• What radioactive materials were present? 

• How was radioactive contamination controlled? 

• Was air monitoring done? How often? 

• What radionuclides were monitored and where? 

• Were bioassay samples taken? How often? 

• Was whole body or chest counting done? 
NIOSH Dose Reconstruction Project 

Meeting on the Development of the 

 Site Profile for Sandia National Laboratory 

and Rollout for Los Alamos National Laboratory Site Profile 

Final Minutes 4 of 5 11/23/2005 

• Which workers were monitored? 

The Occupational Environmental Dose section covers: 

• Internal radiation dose – was the air monitored for radioactive materials at the site? 

• External radiation dose – was monitoring done in outside areas at the plant, e.g., area 

dosimeters or badges or radiation surveys? 

The section on Occupational Medical Dose describes medical x rays given as a condition of 

employment at the site: 

• Did workers get x rays? Which workers? 

• How often were x rays done? 

• What types of x rays were done? 

• What types of equipment were used? 

The Site Description section details the site layout and things that happened there: 

• What radiation sources were used? 

• What processes and activities took place? 

• What buildings/areas were used? 

• Did any major incidents/accidents occur? 

• Over what time period did the above occur? 

Comment:

Many of the area workers in the building trades spent their entire careers working at Sandia and 

Los Alamos National Laboratories. They went in and out of both facilities many times over the 

years. 

Bill Murray: 

Because there was less regulation in the early days, there is a greater chance that workers were 

exposed to radiation doses. It is important to reach these people during the information gathering 

process. Interviews can be arranged with anyone who may have information about these sites. 

Comment: 

We can try to locate former union members represented by the Building and Construction Trades 

Council who may have information for you. 

Mark Lewis: 

Maybe Karen Martinez of the DOL Resource Center in Española can help with that. 

Mr. Murray added that all additional sources of information should be explored. Employees and 

retirees may have information that wasn’t included in the government and company records; or 

they may be able to identify other sources of information. If any such information is available, it 

should be sent directly to NIOSH by mail or e-mail. 
NIOSH Dose Reconstruction Project 

Meeting on the Development of the 

 Site Profile for Sandia National Laboratory 

and Rollout for Los Alamos National Laboratory Site Profile 

Final Minutes 5 of 5 11/23/2005 

Dr. Glover said that special interviews can be arranged for anyone who may be concerned about 

talking about classified information. Arrangements can be made to meet with security-cleared 

personnel in a secure area approved by the DOE. The transcripts from these interviews are also 

reviewed by the DOE for security reasons before they are released to the site profile team. 

Comment: 

Some of the survivors who have filed claims are having trouble getting paid. 

Bill Murray: 

It is often difficult to perform dose reconstructions for claims filed by survivors. Many times the 

survivors don’t have much more than a general idea of what their relative did at work – most oldtimers didn’t talk about their work. Living co-workers can sometimes verify information. There 

is an opportunity during the dose reconstruction process for claimants to provide information 

about co-workers who can help. 

Mr. Murray said that information for the site profiles could be sent directly to NIOSH. He gave 

the mailing and e-mail addresses. He noted that to avoid confusion they should include which 

site. 

Mr. Cameron concluded at 12:15 p.m. by thanking Council members for allowing the team the 

opportunity to make the presentation during their meeting.