DOE Review 05/24/2017 

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Document Number: Battelle-TBD-6000

Appendix D

Effective Date: 05/18/2017

Revision No. 01 

Site Profiles for Atomic Weapons Employers that Worked Uranium 

Metals - Appendix D

Bliss and Laughlin Steel 

Page 1 of 9 

Document Owner: David Allen

Subject Expert: Sam Glover

Approval: Signature on file Date: _ 05/18/2017_ 

 J.W. Neton, Associate Director for Science

Supersedes: 

Appendix D

Revision 00

RECORD OF ISSUE/REVISIONS

ISSUE EFFECTIVE REV. NO. DESCRIPTION

AUTHORIZATION DATE

DATE

09/04/2012

03/23/2017

09/04/2012

05/02/2017

0 

01-A 

Initial issue of appendix to Battelle-TBD-6000 

describing the use of the TBD for claims at 

Bliss and Laughlin Steel

Fix errors in revision 00 and incorporate 

revision 01 of TBD-6000. 

05/05/2017 05/18/2017 01-B Incorporated internal comments.

 

 

 

D.1 Introduction

This document serves as an appendix to Battelle-TBD-6000, Site Profiles for Atomic 

Weapons Employers that Worked Uranium Metals. This appendix describes the results 

of document research specific to this site. Where specific information is lacking, 

research into similar facilities described in the body of this Site Profile is used. 

D.2 Site Description

Under contract to the National Lead Company of Ohio (Fernald), Bliss and Laughlin 

Steel machined uranium rods for the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). The former 

Bliss and Laughlin Steel Company site was located at 110 Hopkins Street in Buffalo, 

New York. Bliss and Laughlin operated the site from 1929 to 1972. The facility 

consisted of a single building with a floor area of approximately 129,600 square feet. 

During April of 1951 and September and October of 1952 the Bliss and Laughlin Steel 

Company machined and straightened uranium rods for the AEC to improve the rod 

diameter tolerance. Machining operations were performed at a location in the building 

designated as the “Special Finishing Area” which occupied approximately 3,230 square 

feet of floor space and was open (without inside walls or partitions) (ORAUT 1992). The 

floor in that area was characterized as rough surface concrete with several shallow utility 

trenches providing water, electricity, lubricant, and pneumatic plant services. 

D.2.1 Operations - 1951 
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On April 24, 1951 twenty 1-5/8” diameter rough-rolled rods were shipped from Lake 

Ontario Ordnance Works to Bliss and Laughlin and machined to a slightly smaller 

diameter. That same day the machined rods along with metal turnings were shipped back 

to Lake Ontario Ordnance Works (LOOW) where they would subsequently be shipped to 

Bethlehem Steel for further rolling (AEC 1951, Malone 1951). An October 1951 AEC 

memo indicated that at that time, LOOW had 4 drums of uranium oxide from the Bliss 

and Laughlin work (Malone 1951a). 

D.2.2 Operations - 1952 

In September and October 1952 machining operations were conducted on one Friday and 

four Saturdays (NLO 1952, Hershman 1952). Weekend schedules were used to avoid 

significantly impacting normal operations, and possibly, to enhance security and 

radiological safety. 

Rods were shipped from Lake Ontario Ordnance Works to Bliss and Laughlin Steel for 

machining and straightening. The finished rods were shipped to NLO at Fernald, Ohio 

and 53 drums of turnings were sent via AEC trucks to Lake Ontario Ordnance Works for 

packaging (AEC 1992). 

AEC personnel arranged for the transportation of all raw materials, wastes, and products 

to and from the site. Bliss and Laughlin personnel were not involved with these aspects 

of the operation. 

D.3 Occupational Medical Dose

No information regarding occupational medical dose was found in any of the site 

research. Information to be used in dose reconstructions, for which no specific 

information is available, is provided in ORAUT-OTIB-0006, the dose reconstruction 

project technical information bulletin covering diagnostic X-ray procedures. 

D.4 Occupation Internal Dose 

Air sample data was collected during the 1952 rod-turning operations at Bliss and 

Laughlin. Air samples were taken on September 26th, September 27th, October 4th, and 

October 11th (NLO 1952). Samples included general area (GA), process (P), and 

breathing zone (BZ) data. 

Two notations in the data in written reports forced some BZ and GA data to be excluded. 

On the air sample data sheets a fan is noted as being used for some samples and is also 

discussed in a memo from NLO. These data were not included in the evaluation of air 

sampling to determine internal dose. Additionally, some samples were noted as being 

obtained when AEC operations were not being conducted. These samples were also 

excluded. 

An analysis of 20 total samples (13 BZs and 7 GAs) was conducted. The analysis 

showed that the measured air concentrations could be represented by a lognormal 

distribution with a geometric mean of 2,602 dpm/m3 with a geometric standard deviation 

(GSD) of 2.04. This was compared to the default air concentration value of 5,480 
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dpm/m3 contained in Table 7.5 of Battelle-TBD-6000 for an operator machining uranium. 

Because of the limited number of air samples, the air concentration value from BattelleTBD-6000 was determined to be more claimant-favorable and was utilized to determine 

inhalation and ingestion quantities during years of AEC operations at Bliss and Laughlin. 

Since the 1951 work generated only 4 drums of waste compared to 53 drums from the 5 

days of work in 1952, it was assumed the Battelle-TBD-6000 values were also claimantfavorable for the 1951 work. 

Inhalation quantities for operational days in 1951 and 1952 were determined by using the 

air concentration value of 5,480 dpm/m3 and multiplying by the number of AEC 

operational days per year and assuming an 8.8 hour work day. 

Inhalation quantities for non-operational days in 1951 and 1952 were determined by first 

determining the surface contamination value remaining after the operations. This value 

was determined by assuming the 5480 dpm/m3 airborne concentration deposited at a rate 

of 7.50E-4 m/s for the duration of the operation. This contamination level was then 

depleted at a rate of 0.01888% per day starting on the day following the operation. 

Additional contamination was assumed to settle each day of operation and therefore 

contribute to the total. The contamination values therefore increase during operations to 

the highest level following the last day of operations and decreased after. The days of 

operations were considered to be 4/24/1951, 9/26/1952, 9/27/1952, 10/4/1952, 

10/11/1952 and 10/18/1952. 

The 0.01888% depletion rate was calculated as the rate necessary to cause the 

contamination level to decrease from the estimated value on the last day of uranium work

to a value of 43000 dpm/m2

 on March 14, 1992. The 1992 value represents the highest 

removable contamination measurement at Bliss and Laughlin on that day as part of a 

Formerly Utilized Site Remediation Action Program (FUSRAP) survey (ORAUT 1992). 

The second highest sample was recorded as 120 dpm/100 cm2

 (12000 dpm/m2) while 

most were recorded as <12 dpm/100 cm2

. All samples outside the special finishing area 

were recorded as <12 dpm/100 cm2

. 

The total inhalation values for operational and non-operational days for each year were 

summed and then divided by the number of calendar days in the performance period to 

produce an inhalation rate for each year. Ingestion doses were calculated using the 

calculated surface contamination values and an ingestion coefficient of 1.1E-4 m2

/hr 

(NUREG/CR 5512). DCAS-TIB-0009 was not used to estimate ingestion because it is 

based on continuous operations causing contamination levels to reach a maximum value 

while Bliss and Laughlin operations with uranium were only for a limited number of 

days.

All workers at Bliss and Laughlin are assumed to have worked daily in the Special 

Finishing Area during the AEC operational time period. Table D.1 contains inhalation 

and ingestion intakes in dpm per calendar day which are applied as a lognormal 

distribution with a GSD of 5. Solubility types M and S should be considered to 

maximize the radiation dose. The ingestion f1 value used should be the same as that 

used for inhalation. 
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Appendix D

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D.5 Occupation External Dose

No external dosimetry data are available for the AWE operations conducted at Bliss and 

Laughlin in 1951 and 1952. Therefore, external dose rates from Battelle-TBD-6000, 

contamination surveys conducted at Bliss and Laughlin, and conservative estimates on 

the amount of material that may have been at Bliss and Laughlin were used to estimate 

external dose received during the AEC operations. 

D.5.1 Dose from Contaminated Surfaces and Air Submersion

External dose from residual contamination may have been received from exposures to 

contaminated surfaces. Dose from this source was determined by using the default air 

concentration value of 5,480 dpm/m3 to determine the initial loading of the surfaces 

following each AEC production campaign. A deposition velocity of 7.5E-04 meters per 

second and the number of hours of exposure per work day were applied to produce 

surface contamination values in dpm/m2

. An 8.8 hour work day is assumed. A 

contamination depletion rate of 1.888E-04 per day was applied to the surface 

contamination values beginning the day after operations. The contamination value was 

then multiplied by dose conversion factors from Table 3.10 of Battelle-TBD-6000 to 

calculate the dose rate.

D.5.2 Dose from Uranium Metal

The external whole body dose from exposures to the uranium metal used in the uranium 

machining operations at Bliss and Laughlin were determined by using the dose values in 

Tables 6.2 and 6.3 Battelle-TBD-6000 for an Operator working with or near bare metal 

for 44 hours per week. For each uranium operations work day, two additional drum 

handling days are also assumed at the same dose rates and hours of contact as the bare 

metal exposures. 

All workers at Bliss and Laughlin are assumed to have worked daily in the Special 

Finishing Area during the AEC operational time period. Table D.2 contains external 

dose values in mrem per year which are applied as a lognormal distribution with a GSD 

of 5. Penetrating radiation was assigned as photons 100% in the 30-250 keV energy 

range. Non-penetrating radiation was assigned as 100% electrons with energies >15 keV. 

D.6 Residual Contamination

After the contract period, employees were potentially exposed to residual contamination 

left over from the AEC related operations. The residual contamination time period at 

Bliss and Laughlin was from 1953 through 1999. However, the end date is based on 

FUSRAP cleanup verification that occurred in March of 1999. Therefore, this estimate 

assume no exposures occurred after March of 1999.

D.6.1 Internal Dose

Residual radioactivity was determined to be present at Bliss and Laughlin and 

documented in a 1992 Formerly Utilized Site Remediation Action Program (FUSRAP)

report (ORAUT 1992). The surface activity measurements in the Special Finishing Area 
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showed the highest level of removable alpha activity to be 430 dpm/100 cm2 (43000 

dpm/m2

). 

 As described earlier, the 430 dpm/100 cm2 value was used along with the calculated 

surface contamination value at the end of operations to determine the contamination 

value for each year of the residual contamination period. The contamination value was 

then used to determine an airborne concentration using a resuspension factor of 1E-6 m-1

(ORAUT 2012). Ingestion doses were calculated using the calculated surface 

contamination values and an ingestion coefficient of 1.1E-4 m2/hr (NUREG/CR 5512).

All workers at Bliss and Laughlin are assumed to have worked daily in the Special 

Finishing Area during the residual contamination time period. Table D.1 contains 

inhalation and ingestion intakes in dpm per calendar day which are applied as a 

lognormal distribution with a GSD of 5. Solubility types M and S should be considered

to maximize the radiation dose. The ingestion f1 value used should be the same as 

that used for inhalation. 

D.6.2 External Dose

External dose from residual contamination may have been received from exposures to 

contaminated surfaces. Dose from this source was calculated using contamination values 

and surface contamination to dose conversion factors from Battelle-TBD-6000. Residual 

period doses are described as photon and beta dose in Table D.3. Annual doses through 

1959 are shown. After 1959 doses are averaged and only the average annual dose is 

shown for each decade. For 1999, the listed annual dose should divided by four since site 

decontamination ended 3 months into the year. 

All workers at Bliss and Laughlin are assumed to have worked daily in the Special 

Finishing Area during the residual contamination time period. Table D.3 contains 

external dose values in mrem per year which are applied as a lognormal distribution with 

a GSD of 5. Penetrating radiation is assigned as photons 71.8% in the <30 keV energy 

range, 17.8% in the 30-250 keV energy range, and 10.4% in the >250 keV energy range. 

D.7 References

AEC (Atomic Energy Commission), 1951, Memo “Uranium Fabrication Test” to W. 

Kirkman, Director Security Division, Risenbud, Director of Health and Safety, and R. J. 

Smith, Jr., Chief, Operations Branch, Production Division, New York, April 24, 1951. 

(SRDB ID 7016). 

Battelle, 2011, Battelle-TBD-6000, Site Profiles for Atomic Weapons Employers that 

Worked Uranium Metals, Rev 1, June 17, 2011.

DOE web site, Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security, EEOICPA web site. 

http://www.ehss.energy.gov/search/facility/findfacility.aspx
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Document Number: Battelle-TBD-6000

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Hershman 1952, Memo “Weekly Progress Report October 20-24” From J. J. Hershman, 

Chief Tonawanda Sub-Office to R. J. Smith, Jr., Asst. Director, Production Division, 

NYOO, October 24, 1952. (SRDB ID 61969, pg. 14). 

Koenig, 1951, Memo “Shipment of Uranium Oxide” from J. Koenig, Chief Operations 

Branch, St. Louis Area, St. Louis, MO, to P.W. Malone, Chief, Tonawanda Sub-Office, 

Model City , New York, October 1, 1951. (SRDB ID 59173). 

Malone 1951, Memo “Monthly Progress Report for April”, From F. W. Malone to R. 

Smith, Chief Operations Branch, Production Division, New York, April 24, 1951. 

(SRDB ID 37535). 

Malone 1951a, Memo “Shipment of uranium Oxide”, From F. W. Malone to J. Koenig, 

Chief Operations Branch, St. Louis Area, October 1, 1951. (SRDB 59173). 

NIOSH, 2004, Estimation of Ingestion Intakes, Technical Information Bulletin, OCAS 

TIB-009, Rev 0, April 13, 2004. 

NIOSH, 2009, SEC Petition Evaluation Report, Petition SEC-00131, National Institute 

for Occupational Safety and Health, June 30, 2009. 

NIOSH, 2010, Radiation Exposures Covered for Dose Reconstructions Under Part B of 

the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act, Rev 0, DCASIG-003, Division of Compensation Analysis and Support, Cincinnati, Ohio. 

NLO (National Lead Company of Ohio), 1952, Air Sample Data Sheets for Bliss and 

Laughlin for September 26, 1952, September 27, 1952, October 4, 1952, and October 11, 

1952. (SRDB ID 3794). 

NUREG/CR 5512, Vol. 1, Residual Radioactive contamination From Decommissioning, 

Prepared for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, October 1992. 

ORAUT, 1992, Radiological Survey of the Former Bliss and Laughlin Steel Company 

Facility, Buffalo, New York , J.D. Berger, Environmental Survey and Site Assessment 

Program, Energy/Environmental Systems Division, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and 

Education, June 1992. (SRDB ID 6980).

ORAUT, 2011, Technical Information Bulletin: Dose Reconstruction from 

Occupationally Related Diagnostic X-Ray Procedures, ORAUT-OTIB-0006, Rev 04, 

June 20, 2011. 

ORAUT, 2012, Dose Reconstruction During Residual Radioactivity Periods at Atomic 

Weapons Employer Facilities, ORAUT-OTIB-0070, Rev 01, March 5, 2012. 
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Table D.1 Internal Dose Pathways – Inhalation of Airborne Radionuclides

Assumptions: 

Derivation of values described in Sections D.4 and D.6.1,

Operations Period: Inhalation and ingestion values were based on an 8.8 hour work day and were normalized for the number of operational days per year.

Residual Period: Inhalation and ingestion values were calculated assuming an 8.8 hour workday through 1955 and an 8 hour work day from 1956 through 1998. 

All employees worked in the Special Finishing Area.

Values represent the geometric mean of a lognormal distribution. 

Time Period Operation 

Phase

Nuclide Inhalation 

(dpm/calendar day)

Ingestion 

(dpm/calendar day)

GSD TBD Reference or Research Justification

04/24/1951 –

12/31/1951

Operations U-234 2.315E+02 8.434E+01 5 TBD-6000 Table 7.5 for Operator

1952 Operations U-234 7.947E+02 1.834E+02 5 TBD-6000 Table 7.5 for Operator

1953 Residual U-234 5.284E+00 4.844E+02 5 Residual from operations: assume deposition and resuspension

1954 Residual U-234 4.931E+00 4.520E+02 5 Residual from operations: assume deposition and resuspension

1955 Residual U-234 4.602E+00 4.218E+02 5 Residual from operations: assume deposition and resuspension

1956 Residual U-234 3.904E+00 3.579E+02 5 Residual from operations: assume deposition and resuspension

1957 Residual U-234 3.644E+00 3.340E+02 5 Residual from operations: assume deposition and resuspension

1958 Residual U-234 3.400E+00 3.117E+02 5 Residual from operations: assume deposition and resuspension

1959 Residual U-234 3.173E+00 2.909E+02 5 Residual from operations: assume deposition and resuspension

1960 - 1969 Residual U-234 2.215E+00 2.030E+02 5 Residual from operations: assume deposition and resuspension

1970 - 1979 Residual U-234 1.112E+00 1.019E+02 5 Residual from operations: assume deposition and resuspension

1980 - 1989 Residual U-234 5.579E-01 5.114E+01 5 Residual from operations: assume deposition and resuspension

1990 - 1999 Residual U-234 2.888E-01 2.647E+01 5 Residual from operations: assume deposition and resuspension

*Exposure rates for 1960 – 1999 can be overestimated by using the 1959 data for all later years. 
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Table D.2 External Dose Pathways – Operational Period 

Assumptions:

Derivation of values described in Section D.5. 

Dose values were based on an 8.8 hour work day and were normalized for the number of operational days per year.

All employees worked in the Special Finishing Area.

Values represent the geometric mean of a lognormal distribution. 

Annual Values (mrem)

Year Contaminated 

Surfaces

Penetrating

Contaminated 

Surfaces NonPenetrating

Whole Body

Penetrating

Non-Penetrating 

(hands and 

forearms)

Non-Penetrating 

(other skin)

GSD TBD Reference or Research Justification

1951 7.582E-02 7.352E+00 2.746E+01 3.036E+03 2.748E+02 5 TBD-6000 Section 3.2, Tables 6.2 and 6.3

1952 2.397E-01 2.324E+01 1.373E+02 1.518E+04 1.374E+03 5 TBD-6000 Section 3.2, Tables 6.2 and 6.3
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Table D.3 External Dose Pathways – Residual Contamination Period

Assumptions:

Derivation of values described in Sections D.6.2.

Dose values were calculated assuming an 8.8 hour workday through 1955 and an 8 hour work day from 1956 through 1999. 

Values represent the geometric mean of a lognormal distribution. 

a - FUSRAP cleanup ended in March of 1999 so the doses in the table above should be divided by four to estimate 1999 doses

Annual Values (mrem/year)

Year(s) Photon Dose Beta Dose GSD TBD Reference or Research Justification

1953 6.332E-01 6.139E+01 5 Residual from operations; contaminated floors/surfaces, TBD-6000 

Section 3.4, Table 3.10.

1954 5.910E-01 5.730E+01 5 Residual from operations; contaminated floors/surfaces, TBD-6000 

Section 3.4, Table 3.10.

1955 5.515E-01 5.347E+01 5 Residual from operations; contaminated floors/surfaces, TBD-6000 

Section 3.4, Table 3.10.

1956 4.679E-01 4.536E+01 5 Residual from operations; contaminated floors/surfaces, TBD-6000 

Section 3.4, Table 3.10.

1957 4.366E-01 4.233E+01 5 Residual from operations; contaminated floors/surfaces, TBD-6000 

Section 3.4, Table 3.10.

1958 4.075E-01 3.951E+01 5 Residual from operations; contaminated floors/surfaces, TBD-6000 

Section 3.4, Table 3.10.

1959 3.803E-01 3.687E+01 5 Residual from operations; contaminated floors/surfaces, TBD-6000 

Section 3.4, Table 3.10.

1960 - 1969 2.654E-01 2.573E+01 5 Residual from operations; contaminated floors/surfaces, TBD-6000 

Section 3.4, Table 3.10.

1970 - 1979 1.332E-01 1.292E+01 5 Residual from operations; contaminated floors/surfaces, TBD-6000 

Section 3.4, Table 3.10.

1980 - 1989 6.686E-02 6.482E+00 5 Residual from operations; contaminated floors/surfaces, TBD-6000 

Section 3.4, Table 3.10.

1990 – 1999a 3.461E-02 3.355E+00 5 Residual from operations; contaminated floors/surfaces, TBD-6000 

Section 3.4, Table 3.10.