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Nevada Test Site

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(Site Profile/Docket Number 029)

Location: Mercury, Nevada

Special Exposure Cohort Petition Information for NTS

The Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) is a unique category of employees established by the Act (42 CFR Part 83). Claims compensated under the SEC do not have to go through the dose reconstruction process. To qualify for compensation under the SEC, a covered employee must meet specific requirements (e.g., must have at least one of 22 “specified cancers,” and have worked for a specified time period at one of the SEC sites). Classes of employees and work sites can be considered for addition to the SEC through a NIOSH petition process. More information about the Special Exposure Cohort can be found on our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Open/Active SEC Petitions

To date, there are no open/active SEC petitions from the Nevada Test Site.

Classes Added to the SEC

  • Department of Energy (DOE) employees or DOE contractor or subcontractor employees who worked at the Nevada Test Site from January 27, 1951 through December 31, 1962 for a number of work days aggregating at least 250 work days, either solely under this employment or in combination with work days within the parameters (excluding aggregate work day requirements) established for other classes of employees included in the SEC, and who were monitored or should have been monitored.

    Note: This class was established from Petition 55

  • All employees of the Department of Energy, its predecessor agencies, and its contractors and subcontractors who worked at the Nevada Test Site, from January 1, 1963 through December 31, 1992, 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 in the SEC

    Note: This class was established from Petition 84

Petitions Qualified for Evaluation

Below is a list of the petitions that qualified for evaluation. Select a petition on the list to view the table for that particular petition.

SEC Petitions Not Qualifying for Evaluation

In addition to the petitions listed above, nine petitions were received but did not qualify for evaluation because they did not meet the minimum petition requirements.

Worker Outreach Activities

Based on a recommendation from the Advisory Board to provide workers and site experts with opportunities to participate in developing the technical documents used in dose reconstruction, NIOSH established a Worker Outreach Program.

At Worker Outreach Meetings, current and former DOE and AWE employees have opportunities to obtain information about Site Profiles, Technical Basis Documents, and Technical Information Bulletins, and to provide information for consideration and possible use in dose reconstruction. This process is valuable to ensure that the technical documents used in dose reconstruction contain correct and useful information.

Below are the Worker Outreach Activities for the Nevada Test Site:

Advisory Board Work Group on Nevada Test Site

The Nevada Test Site (NTS) Site Profile Work Group was formed in the Spring of 2006. The Work Group was formed to review the NTS Site Profile document for accuracy and authenticity. In January, 2008, the Board tasked the Work Group with reviewing the petition from NTS for adding a class to the SEC. The Work Group is responsible for reviewing the NIOSH Evaluation Report (ER), the SC&A review of the ER, reviewing the SC&A Site Profile Review, and for tracking the resolution process for SC&A findings and NIOSH responses. The Work Group may recommend to the Board, changes in the site profile as appropriate. The Work Group should strive to develop a recommendation to the Board on whether a class should be added to the SEC.

Work Group Members:

  • Bradley P. Clawson (Chair)

  • James E. Lockey, M.D.

  • David Pompa

Meeting Information:

Pre-Decisional Document Policy

Please Note: As part of the procedures and processes of the Advisory Board’s Work Groups, several kinds of pre-decisional documents may be developed. These pre-decisional documents, such as white papers, matrices, working drafts, etc., are distributed among Work Group members as research and background tools to facilitate discussion and deliberation. Although discussion during a public meeting may cover pre-decisional documents, these documents often are not further revised or finalized, and thus do not reflect the final determination or evaluation of the Advisory Board and its Work Groups. Additionally, some pre-decisional documents not otherwise posted on the website may contain sensitive information, which would require an interested party to obtain such documents by filing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the CDC/ATSDR FOIA Office at FOIARequests@cdc.gov.

Technical Documents

If the energy employee’s personal radiation information is incomplete, NIOSH will use other sources to estimate the radiation dose. This may involve using technical documents called Site Profiles, Technical Basis Documents, and Technical Information Bulletins.

Site Profile

  • Introduction [70 KB (15 pages)]
    Page Change Revision July 20, 2006

    Page Change Revision Includes: Approved page change initiated to incorporate Nevada Test Site Special Exposure Cohort class description. Text was added or modified on pages 4 and 5 and the Glossary heading was removed from former page 13. A word correction was made on page 8 in Section 1.2. No sections were deleted.

  • Site Description [2 MB (99 pages)]
    Page Change Revision May 27, 2008

    Page Change Revision Includes: Approved page change revision to add information to NTS area descriptions on pages 14, 15, 17, and 25 in Sections 2.2.2, 2.2.3, 2.2.4, 2.2.6, and 2.2.25. Added references on pages 52, 53, 54, and 55. Updated references on pages 27, 32, and 51 in Sections 2.2.31, 2.3.1, and 2.4. Changes were made to Table A-2 on page 63 in Attachment A. Added acronyms on pages 7 and 8. Revised legal language on pages 10 and 11 in Section 2.1. Information was added to Attachment B on page 65 and Attachment C on pages 79 and 80. Changes were made to Table C-1 on pages 81, 82, 83, and 84. Incorporates formal internal and NIOSH review comments.

  • Occupational Medical Dose [228 KB (20 pages)]
    Revised November 26, 2012

    Revision Includes: Incorporates consistency with ORAUT-OTIB-0006, ORAUT-OTIB-0079, and new information in the Site Research Database (SRDB). Skin doses were developed and added to the document for all periods. Incorporates formal internal and NIOSH review comments. Constitutes a total rewrite of the document.

  • Occupational Environmental Dose [1.9 MB (94 pages)]
    Revised February 19, 2020

    Revision Includes: Clarified in Section 4.3.1 that site maximum values would be entered into IREP as constants. Clarified in Section 4.4.4 that 220Rn should be assumed to be present at twice the concentrations of 222Rn in Table 4-20. Added discussion in Sections 4.3.1 to provide maximum and best-estimate methods, respectively, for estimating onsite ambient external doses. In Section 4.5.2, clarified that the intake values in Tables 4-7 and 4-11 are to be considered bounding and should be applied in IREP as constants. Also for a best estimate, 10% of the intakes in Tables 4-7 and 4-11 should be assigned. The best-estimate intakes should be applied in IREP as a lognormal distribution with a GSD of 3.0. Added to Section 4.4.4 that doses for all organs should be adjusted in accordance with DCAS-TIB-011 for radon (DCAS 2018). Added instructions in Section 4.4.4 for the application of underground occupancy factors for work in the gravel gerties and tunnels. Incorporates formal internal and NIOSH review comments. Constitutes a total rewrite of the document.

  • Occupational Internal Dose [963 KB (116 pages)]
    Revised August 17, 2012

    Revision Includes: Added SEC language. Added dates to Table 5-1 for C-720 Maintenance. Clarified column titles in Tables 5-2 and 5-2a. Updated references. Deleted previous Table 5-3 (not used in dose reconstruction). Revised Table numbers. Revised in vitro measurement in Table 5-3 for 1952 – 1988 period from 5 μg/L to 0.005 mg/L. Moved reporting formats and codes to Attachment A. Added Attachment B, Internal Dosimetry Coworker Data for PGDP (formerly ORAUT-OTIB-0037 Rev 00). Added the option for dose reconstructors to use the 95th-percentile intake rate in Attachment B. Added Attachment C to provide dose reconstructors a general idea of the types of job categories, work activities, and work locations for which internal dose assignment might be necessary. Added Section 5.4.5, Assessment of Intake for Unmonitored Employees. Moved Table 5-8, A History of Significant Events, to Attachment C. Incorporates formal NIOSH review comments. Constitutes a total rewrite of the document.

  • Occupational External Dose [2.4 MB (135 pages)]
    Revised November 9, 2012

    Revision Includes: Fixes Table 6-1 for neutron dosimeters (1961–1979, 1979–1986, and 1987–2000) that included a factor of 2 (for claimant favorability) based on the discussion in Sections 6.3.4.2.1, 6.3.4.2.2, and 6.3.4.2.3. This multiplier has been removed and the language in these sections modified. Section 6.3.1.4 – Language was added to clarify REECo reporting practices for workers visiting the site and to document the correct source of information when evaluating REECo employees assigned to TTR. Clarification of the beta-to-gamma ratio to be applied before 1966 during most dose reconstructions. Language was added to Section 6.4.2.1 to direct the reader to Attachment C if a more accurate estimate of the beta to gamma ratio was required. Section 6.4.2.2 was moved to Attachment C, Section C.2, and Section 6.4.2.3 was moved to Attachment C, Section C. 3. In Section 6.5.2 the beta-to-gamma ratio to be used before 1966 was clarified. Uncertainty paragraph was deleted because for beta dose OTIB-ORAUT-0017 is the methodology used. Section 6.5.1 – Language added about unmonitored workers and when no external monitoring indicated a worker was not on NTS. Incorporates formal internal and NIOSH review comments. Constitutes a total rewrite of the document.

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Technical Information Bulletins (TIBs)

At the current time, there are no TIBs for the Nevada Test Site.

Advisory Board and NIOSH Discussion Papers on Nevada Test Site (NTS)

The Nevada Test Site (NTS) discussion papers listed below are working documents prepared by NIOSH or its contractor for use in discussions with the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health or its Working Groups or Subcommittees. Draft, preliminary, interim, and white paper documents are not final NIOSH or Advisory Board (or their technical support and review contractors) positions unless specifically marked as such. These documents represent preliminary positions taken on technical issues prepared by NIOSH or its contractor.

The discussion papers have been reviewed to identify and redact any information that is protected by the Privacy Act 5 USC §552a and have been cleared for distribution.

Program Evaluation Reports (PERs) and Program Evaluation Plans (PEPs)

NIOSH is committed to applying the best available science in dose reconstructions. In keeping with this commitment, completed cases with probabilities of causation less than 50% are reviewed as relevant new information becomes available. The results of these reviews are described in a Program Evaluation Report (PER). The PER details the effect, if any, of the new information on the completed dose reconstruction. If it appears that the new information may result in an increase in dose for a completed dose reconstruction with a probability of causation of less than 50%, NIOSH is committed to working with the Department of Labor to reopen and rework the dose reconstruction, as appropriate. A Program Evaluation Plan (PEP) describes plans for evaluating specific program details or issues.

  • PER 32: Nevada Test Site TBD Revisions [17 KB (2 pages)]

    Document Number: OCAS-PER-0032 Rev-00

    About this Document: Document to determine which previously completed claims require evaluation for the effect of revising the Nevada Test Site TBD.

    Approved: December 18, 2007

    Summary: There were 481 Nevada Test Site claims completed prior to July 30, 2007, (issue date of revision 1) with a probability of Causation below 50% that meet the criteria above. The dose reconstruction methodology of each will be reviewed to determine if a new dose reconstruction is necessary to determine if the revisions increase the dose estimate. NIOSH will review these dose reconstructions to determine if they meet any of the criteria listed in this PER. NIOSH will provide DOL with the list of 481 claims as well as a determination on each claim as to whether a new dose estimate is required. Documentation for each claim not requiring a new dose reconstruction will provide the basis for that determination.

Public Comments on Nevada Test Site Documents

How to Submit Comments
Comments on Nevada Test Site documents can be submitted to the NIOSH Docket Officer electronically by e-mail at nioshdocket@cdc.gov or printed comments can be mailed to NIOSH Docket Office, Robert A. Taft Laboratories, MS-C34, 1090 Tusculum Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45226. Please include the Site Profile/Docket Number (029) on all comments.

Comments Received

Document Archive of NTS Documents

  • Site Profile: Introduction [60 KB (12 pages)]
    Approved February 4, 2004

  • Site Profile: Description

    • Revised October 1, 2007 [2 MB (97 pages)]

      Revision Includes: Initiated as a result of the biennial document review. Constitutes a total rewrite of document. This revision includes expanded details as to activities and project timeframes at the NTS. General information about access control has been added. New attachments include an enumeration of tests by year, type, and location; a description of nuclear rocket and ramjet tests; an evaluation of exposure potential by contractor job title; and a discussion of post-test drilling technology. Incorporates formal internal and NIOSH review comments.

    • Approved February 2, 2004 [457 KB (48 pages)]

  • Site Profile: Occupational Medical Dose

    Revised June 22, 2007 [198 KB (29 pages)]

    Revision Includes: Initiated to concur with ORAUT-OTIB-0006 (ORAUT 2005), current data in other TBDs, and to include new legal wording in Section 3.1. Constitutes a total rewrite of the document. Incorporates formal internal and NIOSH review comments. Adds Attributions and Annotations section. This revision results in no change to the assigned dose and no PER is required.

    Approved June 9, 2004 [134 KB (22 pages)]

  • Site Profile: Occupational Environmental Dose

    • Revised August 24, 2012 [2 MB (88 pages)]

      Revision Includes: Extends measured ambient radiation doses in Tables 4-15 and 4-16 to 2010 in Section 4.3.1. Also in Section 4.3.1, clarification was added to ensure that ambient dose was not to be assigned for years when no data was available; in particular, prior to 1958. Instructions clarified that for unmonitored workers likely to be exposed prior to 1958, the 50% coworker dose in Table 6-11 of ORAUT-TKBS-0008-6 (the NTS External TBD) should be assigned. Incorporates formal internal and NIOSH review comments.

    • Revised April 15, 2010 [1.4 MB (79 pages)]

    • Revised May 27, 2008 [1.3 MB (77 pages)]

      Revision Includes: Approved revision initiated to apply only to post 1962 employment periods and all covered employees including those identified by job classification as a drillback operator prior to 1965. Also applies to covered employees involved with any of the 10 underground tests that resulted in unexpected release of radioactive materials. Revised Table 4.2.1.2.2.-2 (new Table 4-3) to reflect 2,000 hr/yr and 2400 m3/yr breathing rate. Deleted Tables 4.2.1.2.2-3 and 4.2.1.2.2-4. Deleted Sections 4.2.1.2.3 and 4.2.1.2.4. Added Sections 4.2.1.2.3 and 4.1.2.4 to introduce revised method for assigning environmental ambient inhalation intakes. Replaced Section 4.2.2 with ambient ingestion intake section. Revised Section 4.4 to include dose from radon and other alpha and beta emitting radionuclides and to include discussion of radon exposure in Gravel Gerties. Added Section 4.4.3. Revised Section 4.4.4, Table 4.21 to increase radon WLM for G-Tunnel prior to 1984 and to maximize radon exposures for unidentified work locations. Added discussion of radon in Gravel Gerties. Added Section 4.4.5 to provide method for assigning inhalation and ingestion intakes for underground workers. Added Section 4.5.2 to provide instructions to dose reconstructors for assigning inhalation and ingestion ambient environmental intakes for all workers at the NTS. Occupational environmental dose will increase for all claims not previously worked using ORAUT-OTIB-0018 or ORAUT-OTIB-0002. Also, cases of lung, ET1, and ET2 will need to be re-evaluated for increased radon exposures. Attachments A and B (formerly Rollins 2007, SRDB Ref ID: 37805) were added to support the changes discussed in Section A.6.0 which included enriching the near-field environment with refractory elements. The 01-C version only added refractory elements back to the depleted refractory near-field environment given by the Hicks data (i.e., multiplied the Hicks refractory values by 2). The 01-D version enriched the near-field refractory environment by multiplying the Hicks refractory values by 4. Assumption of the enriched refractory near-field environment resulted in larger fission and activation product inhalation and ingestion correction factors (Tables 4-8 and 4-12) and increased number of affected organs and the resultant doses (Tables 4-9 and 4-14). Incorporates formal internal and NIOSH review comments. Constitutes a total rewrite of the document.

    • Page Change Revision December 8, 2006 [725 KB (51 pages)]

      Page Change Revision Includes: Revision is a result of biennial review. Adds acronyms and abbreviations on pages 4 and 5. Updates required language on page 6 in the Introduction. Adds Purpose and Scope sections on page 7. Added instructions to dose reconstructors on pages 44 and 45 in Section 4.5. As a result of formal internal review, deletes Section 4.5.2 from page 45. Completes references on page 47. This revision results in no change to the assigned dose and no PER is required.

    • Approved April 20, 2004 [693 KB (54 pages)]

  • Site Profile: Occupational Internal Dose

    • Occupational Internal Dose [955 KB (113 pages)]
      Revised April 15, 2010

      Revision Includes: Incorporates definitions and directions for dose reconstruction for nonpresumptive cancers that are excluded from the 1963 through 1992 Special Exposure Cohort. Text was added or modified on pages 11 and 12 in Section 5.1.2, and pages 51, and 52 in Sections 5.3 and 5.4. Added Sections 5.1.2 and 5.3. Incorporates formal internal and NIOSH review comment.

    • Revised May 28, 2008 [962 KB (112 pages)]

      Revision Includes: Approved Revision 01 to incorporate additional information regarding bioassay procedures used and expanded MDAs. Addresses comments from the Advisory Board’s contractor, and includes guidance to the dose reconstructor in Section 5.6. Adds Attributions and Annotations Section 5.7. Incorporates formal internal and NIOSH review comments. Adds Sections 5.6.4 and 5.6.5. Updates boilerplate language in Section 5-1 and adds reference to OCAS-IG- 003. Constitutes a total rewrite of the document.

    • Page Change Revision July 20, 2006 [705 KB (82 pages)]

      Page Change Revision Includes: Approved page change initiated to incorporate definitions and directions for dose reconstruction for non-presumptive cancers that are excluded from the 1951 through 1962 Special Exposure Cohort. Text was added or modified on pages 8-10 in Section 5.1. No sections were deleted.

    • Approved September 30, 2004 [706 KB (82 pages)]

  • Site Profile: Occupational External Dose

    • Revised April 15, 2010 [2.4 MB (127 pages)]

      Revision Includes: Incorporates definitions and directions for dose reconstruction for nonpresumptive cancers that are excluded from the 1963 through 1992 Special Exposure Cohort. Changes were made to Sections 6.3.5.1 and 6.5.1 to clarify the application of a 25% dosimeter correction factor for all energy ranges prior to 1966 to account for lead shielding in some dosimeters. Table 6-1, footnote d was revised to reflect this change. Added Section 6.1.2. Incorporates formal internal and NIOSH review comments.

    • Page Change Revision May 28, 2008 [1.7 MB (125 pages)]

      Page Change Revision Includes: Approved page change revision to incorporate expanded co-worker data on pages 45 – 47, 49, and 50 in Section 6.4. Text was added to Section 6.5.1 (page 57) and Section 6.5.2 (page 58) to address hot particle issues and the use of the document Hazards to Personnel Reentering the Nevada Test Site Following Nuclear Reactor Tests. Changes to attributions and annotations numbering were made on pages 59-61, 67, 68, 92, and 95. No sections were deleted. Made additional changes to correct the wording in Section 6.5.1 on page 57 to be consistent with the information in Section 6.3.5.1 on page 36 regarding the lead covering on the dosimetry and identification of the25% as a dose correction factor between the years 1960 and 1965. Corrected the dates in Section 6.3.5.1 on page 36 to be consistent with the dates in Table 6-1. Added information for Operations BREN and HENRE and the Super Kukla reactor. As a result of NIOSH formal review the following pages were changed: 9, 12, 13, 17-19, 21, 24 – 34, 36, 37, 39 – 42, 44 – 47, 49 – 66, 68, 71 – 78, 93 – 95, 101, 102, 104, 105, and 110. These changes occurred in the Acronyms and Abbreviations Section, Sections 6.1, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, Reference Section, Glossary Section and Attachment A.

    • Revised July 30, 2007 [1.5 MB (121 pages)]

      Revision Includes: Incorporates coworker data for completion of external dose prior to universal badging in April 1957. Text was added or modified on pages 40-42 in Sections 6.3.4.1. Added DeMarre reference on page 50. Deleted the term, claimant favorable, from the Glossary on page 54. As a result of changes, corrected table references on page 46 and 48. No further changes occurred as a result of internal formal review. Incorporates NIOSH formal review comments. No sections were deleted. This revision results in an increase in assigned dose and a PER is required.

    • Page Change Revision January 11, 2007 [808 KB (60 pages)]

      Page Change Revision Includes: Incorporates coworker data for completion of external dose prior to universal badging in April 1957. Text was added or modified on pages 40-42 in Section 6.3.4.1. Added DeMare reference on page 50. Deleted the term, claimant favorable, from the Glossary on page 54. As a result of changes, corrected table references on page 46 and 48. No further changes occurred as a result of internal formal review. Incorporates NIOSH formal review comments. No sections were deleted. This revision results in an increase in assigned dose and a PER is required.

    • Page Change Revision July 21, 2006 [765 KB (57 pages)]

      Page Change Revision Includes: Approved page change revision incorporates definitions and directions for dose reconstruction for non-presumptive cancers that are excluded from the 1951 through 1962 Special Exposure Cohort. Text was added or modified on pages 8-9 in Section 6.1. Incorporates NIOSH formal review comments. No sections were deleted.

    • Approved September 21, 2004 [752 KB (55 pages)]

  • Special Exposure Cohort Petition Evaluation Report for Nevada Test Site: SEC-00084 (January 1, 1963 through September 30, 1992) [1.6 MB (93 pages)]
    Approved September 26, 2007