WHY HAS DOE INITIATED THIS PROJECT?

Over the past 50 years, thousands of individuals have worked at DOE sites. Depending on the type of work performed, many tasks involved potential exposure to a wide variety of physical, chemical and radioactive hazards which may have put the workers health at risk. Section 3162 of the Defense Authorization Act of 1993, which is a law passed by the Congress, directed the DOE to evaluate the health of former DOE defense nuclear facility workers and their workplace hazards. In response, DOE initiated a program that not only evaluates former workers’ exposures and potential health risks, but also offers medical screening programs for those workers found to be at significant risk for health problems due to past DOE workplace exposures.

HOW WILL THIS PROJECT BENEFIT ME?

The information we collect from you and Hanford site records will aid us in linking individual former workers to potential past exposures. These individual exposure and potential health risk profiles will help you decide if there is cause for concern and what steps you may want to take to better protect and improve your health. Based on your exposure history, if medical monitoring is warranted, the screenings will help identify the nature of your health risks and may minimize illnesses related to past DOE employment.

HOW IS THIS PROJECT DESIGNED?

DOE designed this project to have two phases:

Phase I was a needs assessment. The primary focus during this phase of the project involved characterizing the nature and extent of workplace health hazards which may have put former workers long-term health at risk; identifying job categories and tasks with significant exposures to work hazards; locating as many former Hanford workers as possible and establishing contact with these workers to determine their interest, concerns, and work history.

The information collected during Phase I has helped the DOE determine the necessity for medical monitoring for the Hanford workforce. This phase began in October 1996.

To date, DOE has accepted workers with significant noise, asbestos and beryllium exposure for medical monitoring. Additional exposures such as radiation, solvents, welding fumes and dusts are still under evaluation for non-construction workers.

Phase II is based on the results of Phase I and includes the implementation of medical monitoring programs for targeted groups of former workers found to be at significant risk for adverse health effects based on DOE workplace exposure history and potential risks. In addition, former Hanford workers will continue to be identified and located to assess program interest and work history. In November 1997 DOE concluded its review of our Phase I results and has determined the need for us to continue with Phase II activities. This phase will last approximately four years.

WHAT WERE THE RESULTS FROM PHASE I OF THIS PROJECT?

Based on the information we collected from DOE site records and former workers themselves, we began the difficult process to identify workplace exposures that may have put the former workers health at significant risk for occupational disease. To date, we have identified three ‘targeted’ groups of former Hanford workers and have justified a medical surveillance need for workers likely to have been significantly exposed to noise, beryllium and asbestos. DOE has authorized the University of Washington to implement medical screening programs for these targeted groups.

WHO IS CONDUCTING THIS PROJECT AT THE HANFORD SITE?

We are a group of medical doctors, health care professionals and scientists at the University of Washington who direct the project. We are assisted by local medical providers from the Tri-Cities area. We are one of two teams who were selected by the DOE to look at selected groups of former workers at the Hanford facility.

HOW DO I GET MY MEDICAL RECORDS?

To request your medical records, from exams done through our program, call Harborview Medical Center at 206-744-9000.

HOW CAN EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS, NOISE, OR BERYLLIUM AFFECT MY HEALTH?

These materials can affect human health in many ways. Click to see some detailed information. There are downloadable pamphlets available for each item (pdf versions).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

Former production or non-construction workers contact:

University of Washington Former Hanford Workers’ Medical Monitoring Program
Box 359739
325 Ninth Avenue
Seattle, Washington 98104

(888) 277-6886
Fax (206) 731-8247

email - fmrwrkr@u.washington.edu
Please remember that we cannot guarantee the
confidentiality of any information sent by e-mail.

Former construction workers contact:

Hanford Building Trades Medical Screening Program
1-800-866-9663
PO Box 900960, Seattle, WA 98109