Seeking Members for the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health

WHAT

Federal Register Notice: Seeking Members for the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health

The Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health (ABRWH), administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), is now accepting nominations for members representing scientific, medical, and worker perspectives.

NOMINATION PROCESS

Deadline: November 16, 2022

Nominations for individuals must be postmarked, if sending by mail; submitted electronically; or received, if hand delivered by this date. Nominees will be appointed based on their demonstrated qualifications, professional experience, and knowledge of issues the ABRWH may be asked to consider. Federal employees will not be considered for membership.

For more information on how to submit a nomination and necessary paperwork, please visit the Federal Registrar.

BACKGROUND

The Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health was established under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000, which addresses claims made by workers whose illnesses may be as a result of exposure to radiation and radioactive materials on their worksites. The Advisory Board advises the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services on a variety of policy and technical functions required to implement and effectively manage the new compensation program. In December 2000, the President delegated responsibility for funding, staffing, and operating the Advisory Board to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which subsequently delegated this authority to the CDC; NIOSH now implements this responsibility for CDC.

The Advisory Board includes a balance of perspectives from scientists, physicians, and workers. Key functions of the Advisory Board include providing advice on: the development of final rules, like methods of dose reconstruction- estimating workers’ past exposure to radiation – and probability of causation guidelines; the scientific validity and quality of dose reconstruction efforts performed by NIOSH; and petitions to add those classes of workers who do not need to go through a dose reconstruction process to the Special Exposure Cohort.