Work History Phone Call

NIOSH is responsible for estimating the occupational radiation doses received by energy employees with cancer applying for compensation under EEOICPA. As part of this process, we offer each claimant the chance to speak with us about their work history.

The questions that we ask will provide claimants with the chance to let us know any additional information about their work history that might not be found in the exposure monitoring information we receive from the Department of Energy (DOE) or Atomic Weapons Employer (AWE). While we encourage all claimants to talk with us about their work history, participation is voluntary.

In addition, we do recognize that we will not always have the opportunity to speak with the actual energy employee. For that reason we will have more detailed questions to ask energy employees and we will have more general questions to ask survivors of an energy employee.

When we reach the point in our process where we are ready to speak with a claimant about the work history, we will send a letter with information on how to arrange a date and time for the phone call. This letter will also have a copy of the types of questions and information we would like to discuss.

General Information

• We will be offering the opportunity for each claimant (energy employee or survivor) to participate in a phone call with us to discuss the energy employee’s work history.
• Claimants are not expected to answer or know all of the information in the questions. These questions cover a broad range of information. Also, we do not want or expect claimants to search for any of this information.
• We will provide each claimant with a copy of the questions we would like to discuss so that you know what to expect during the call. While looking over the questions, claimants can jot down any thoughts they may have. We do not expect the claimants to fill out the questions and return them to us. We will take the information from the claimants over the phone.
• When we are ready to start the dose reconstruction, we will look over the information given to us during the phone call. Please keep in mind that the technical documents we use in completing dose reconstructions may already include some or all of the information claimants might have given us during the call. If the claimant gives us additional information that is not covered in our technical documents, it will be used to complete their dose reconstruction.
• This call should take no more than an hour, although we may have to call you back for additional information. If we need to divide this call into a couple of shorter calls, we can do that as well.
• While we encourage all claimants to participate in the phone call, participation is voluntary. Even though some claimants may not be able to answer all of the questions or have limited answers to the questions, any information provided during the phone call may be useful in the dose reconstruction process.
• The information provided during the phone call will be treated in a confidential manner, unless otherwise compelled by law. The information provided will be shared with NIOSH staff working on the dose reconstruction and with staff of the Department of Labor (DOL) involved in making the compensation decision for the claim.

List of Information to be Covered in the Dose Reconstruction Phone Call

• General Employment History
  • List jobs held with DOE, DOE contractors, or AWEs (include job title, start date, end date, and supervisor’s name)
• Detailed Work History For EACH of the jobs listed above, please provide information on the following:
  • Number of hours worked per week
  • Number of hours per week the job involved potential exposure to radiation and/or radioactive materials
  • Buildings/locations in which you worked (include the type of duty performed at each location)
  • Types of radioactive material(s) present or processed, and what form(s) (solid, liquid, gas)
  • Amount of radioactive materials present or processed (ounces, pounds, kilograms, drums, etc.) over what time period
  • Types of production processes involving radioactive materials in the areas you worked
  • Types of radiation-generating equipment that were present or used (include description of specific task performed and include information on types of radioactive materials and in what quantities they were used)
  • Exposure/contamination control measures used (hoods, gloves, respirators, etc.)
  • Whether or not the work was done under a radiation work permitting system (if yes, state the time frame this occurred)
• Radiation Monitoring Information
  • State whether you or co-workers (working in the same area as you) routinely wore radiation dosimetry badges
  • Badge information: how often worn, how often exchanged, and where it was worn
  • State whether or not you participated in a biological radiation monitoring program (nasal smears, urine samples, fecal samples, whole body counts)
  • State whether you have copies of your dosimeter badge or biological monitoring records
  • State whether you routinely surveyed yourself (frisked) for external contamination (if yes, indicate if it was before or after showering)
  • State whether there was general area air monitoring for radiation performed in the work environment (if yes, indicate when this occurred)
  • State whether there were any radiation surveys taken to characterize potential for external exposure (if yes, indicate when these occurred)
  • For claimants who worked with radium and/or thorium (Fernald, Mallinckrodt, or FUSRAP claimants in particular), state whether there was radon monitoring in any of the buildings or areas you worked
  • State whether you were ever restricted from the workplace or certain job duties because you had reached a radiation dose limit
• Radiation Incidents
  • State whether you were ever involved in an incident involving radiation exposure or contamination
  • If yes, indicate:
    • what happened
    • when it happened
    • which radioactive materials were involved
    • what form was the radioactive material in, what quantity or radioactive material was present
    • which radiation-generating equipment was involved
    • where it took place
    • who was involved
    • what actions were taken to remedy the exposure contamination
    • your location and activities during the incident, precautions taken to protect you
    • types of personal protective equipment used
    • length of time exposed during the incident
    • chelation therapy or other medical treatments, type of biological monitoring after the incident
    • indicate whether you have records of the monitoring
• Required Medical Screening X-Rays
  • State whether you were ever required to have medical x-rays for this job, as a condition of employment
  • State whether you have records of these x-rays
• Other Relevant Information
  • State whether we have missed asking you about any conditions, situations, or practices that occurred during this job which you think may be useful to us in estimating your radiation doses (if yes, describe what has been missed with as much detail as possible, in terms of what occurred, where, when, for how long, and who was involved)
  • State whether you are aware of any records related to the information you have provided that may help us estimate your doses (if yes, indicate the source and/or type of information)
• Identifying co-workers and Other Witnesses
  • Identify any co-workers or other witnesses, such as radiation safety specialists from the site where you worked, who can confirm or expand upon the information you have provided