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Technical Documents Used in Dose Reconstruction
NIOSH uses technical documents called Site Profiles, Technical Basis Documents, and Technical Information Bulletins as guides and summaries of sites to help our Health Physicists complete dose reconstructions.
These documents supplement or fill in the gaps of information where an energy employee’s personal monitoring information is lacking or incomplete. Technical documents provide a way to put together a large amount of site data. They provide instructions on how to prepare dose reconstructions consistently.
Technical documents are “living documents” and are approved for use in dose reconstruction, not finalized. If the technical document is changed or updated,
previous non-compensable dose reconstructions will be reviewed to see if the change or update affects the outcome
Types of Technical Documents
Site Profiles
A Site Profile contains information about a facility’s general activities and radiation protection practices. It may help NIOSH complete dose reconstructions when there is a need to further understand or add to the personal exposure information for a case. A Site Profile includes the physical appearance and layout of the work site, the work processes used there, the types of materials used, potential sources of radiation, the exposure monitoring practices employed by the site over time, and other details important at that work site.
Site Profiles specific to a particular work site are listed on the individual work site pages if available.
Technical Basis Documents
Site Profiles for larger work sites are made of six sections called Technical Basis Documents (TBDs). An individual TBD contains information on a specific aspect of the work site. This aspect may be the physical layout of the work site, the work processes used, or other particular features of the work site and the work performed there
The six TBDs that make up a Site Profile are:
- Section 1: Introduction
- Section 2: Site Description
- Section 3: Occupational Medical Dosimetry
- Section 4: Occupational Environmental Dosimetry
- Section 5: Internal Dosimetry
- Section 6: External Dosimetry
TBDs specific to a particular work site are listed on the individual work site pages if available.
Technical Information Bulletins
A Technical Information Bulletin (TIB) contains information on specific technical issues or procedures for estimating radiation exposure. It is used to add to or supplement TBDs and Site Profiles. TIBs may be used for a specific work site or multiple work sites.
TIBs may be written to provide:
- clarification on how a specific process can be used to complete a dose reconstruction.
- clarification on how the information in a TBD or Site Profile can be used to meet a specific need in the dose reconstruction process.
- specific technical information that supports or justifies the tables or information included in a TBD.
A listing for all TIBs can be found on the following two pages on our website:
Technical Information Bulletins (TIBs) — Alphabetical Listing
Technical Information Bulletins (TIBs) — Numerical Listing
Advisory Board Review
Under the Act/EEOICPA, one of the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health’s responsibilities is to advise the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services on the scientific validity and quality of NIOSH’s dose reconstruction efforts, which includes NIOSH technical documents (see Responsibilities under Part B of the Act/EEOICPA).The Board is an independent federal advisory committee that represents scientific, medical, and worker perspectives.
The Board reviews and evaluates the approach taken in NIOSH technical documents to gauge their adequacy, completeness, and validity. These reviews can be found on the Reports from the Technical Support Contractor page of our website.
Worker Outreach Activities for the Development of Technical Documents
The Advisory Board recommended that NIOSH provide workers and site experts with opportunities to participate in developing the technical documents used in dose reconstruction. NIOSH established a Worker Outreach Program in response to the Board’s recommendation.
Current and former Department of Energy and Atomic Weapons Employees can obtain information about Site Profiles, Technical Basis Documents, and Technical Information Bulletins at Worker Outreach meetings. Employees also have the opportunity to provide information on work sites 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.
Submitting Comments on Technical Documents
NIOSH welcomes comments on technical documents from interested stakeholders (such as organized labor groups, worker advocacy groups, and claimants). Please include the name of the work site, the title of the document, or the Site Profile/Docket Number when submitting comments.
All comments should be sent to:
NIOSH Docket Office
Robert A. Taft Laboratories
1090 Tusculum Avenue
MS-C34
Cincinnati, OH 45226
Fax: (513) 533-8230
Call: (513) 533-8230
Email: nioshdocket@cdc.gov