Savannah River Site Health Effects Subcommittee (SRSHES) Meeting

Executive Summary

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List of Acronyms
	ATSDR  Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry  CDC  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  DOE  Department of Energy HESs  Health Effects Subcommittees NIOSH National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health SRSHES  Savannah River Site Health Effects Subcommittee

During the opening session of the SRSHES meeting on June 6, 2002, the January 10-11, 2002 meeting minutes were unanimously approved with the amendment as noted in the record; status reports were provided for all current action items.

The mission of each SRSHES workgroup will be clearly defined in writing before structural changes are made. Workgroup assignments were noted for the record. The Epidemiologic Data Workgroup requested guidance from epidemiologists in collecting the most useful and effective information. The Agenda Workgroup will identify agenda items that were previously recommended. The former Outreach Workgroup chair will be contacted about the current status of the SRSHES brochure. The Community Summary Workgroup will finalize the Phase II community summary and ask SRSHES to vote on the document. The proposed draft charter for HESs will be distributed to SRSHES after being cleared for release by the agencies.

The Occupational Illness Compensation Program was established by Congress to compensate employees, contractors and survivors of workers for illnesses resulting from work at DOE facilities. Claims are filed to either the federal or state component of the program. Eligible illnesses include cancer, chronic beryllium disease, silicosis and conditions caused by toxic substance exposure.

Under the federal program, NIOSH performs a dose reconstruction to determine cause and effect of cancer claims for any worker not involved with gaseous diffusion processes. Panels of independent physicians with expertise in occupational illnesses review medical and exposure records of state claimants. Employees and survivors receive compensation for covered medical costs and $150,000 under the federal program. As of May 2, 2002, $190.4 million has been paid.

Radionuclides released from SRS that were of highest significance to human health will be identified in the Phase III SRS dose reconstruction study. Data sources for the screening scenarios include the Phase II source terms for SRS releases and demographics of the exposed human population. The rural family, urban/suburban family, migrant worker family, houseboat family, delivery person and outdoors person are being considered as screening scenarios in Phase III of the project.

For ATSDR’s educational activities, ACPM will conduct a capacity-building program with environmental health education initiatives related to I-131. Materials will be designed and disseminated to target audiences at the SRS, Hanford and Oak Ridge sites. Input from HESs at the target sites will be sought over the course of the project. ATSDR’s draft Case Studies in Environmental Medicine are currently being distributed to health-care professionals for pilot testing and evaluation.

The draft report on ATSDR’s environmental health education needs assessment for the SRS area contains recommendations to SRSHES and agencies participating in the project. Data collected for the project will be used to develop tools and training for outreach activities and health education and promotion initiatives. Suggestions made by community leaders during focus groups related to dissemination of environmental health materials, communication, message delivery and collaboration with local groups.

During a discussion of new SRSHES business, action and agenda items raised during the meeting were reviewed; votes were properly taken for consensus recommendations. The Chair opened the floor for public comment at all times as designated on the agenda. The next SRSHES meeting is tentatively scheduled for September 12-13, 2002; September 5-6, 2002 was selected as the alternate date. Suggestions were made to hold the meeting in Hilton Head or Columbia, South Carolina or Atlanta or Savannah, Georgia.