Senate Passes Bill To Compensate Nuke Workers

June 12, 2000
Sickened nuclear weapons plant workers would receive medical benefits and at least $200,000 each under a new Senate program.

Nuclear weapons plant workers made ill by on-the-job exposure to radiation, silica or beryllium would receive medical benefits and at least $200,000 each under a new Senate program agreed upon Thursday.

A worker compensation amendment calling for the program was added without a vote to the defense authorization bill. The House version of the bill does not include the program, whose fate congressional negotiators would have to decide.

Energy Secretary Bill Richardson said the Senate''s action is another step toward righting the wrongs of the Cold War and getting sick workers and their survivors the help they have long deserved.

"This is a historic opportunity for Congress to do the right thing and act quickly on the proposal that this Administration initiated last year," said Richardson. "I look forward to continued cooperation with members of the House of Representatives over the next several weeks to help the thousands of brave men and women whose work for our country''s defense has left them sick or dying and put their families'' life savings at stake. They deserve no less."

Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., was the chief sponsor of the amendment.

"This is something the government should have addressed a long time ago." said Thompson. "These people have waited a long time to get redress for their grievances."

DOE recently reversed 50 years of federal policy by declaring that workers injured or killed by weapons-plant exposure be compensated. It proposed a minimum lump sum payments of $100,000.

The department estimated that compensation under its plan would cost about $520 million over the first five years, assuming about 3,000 people qualify.

Under the Senate''s plan, workers would apply for benefits and compensation through the Labor Department, which would review medical and employment history in making its decision.

The Senate plan does not include workers who contracted cancer because of exposure to toxic chemicals -- rather than radiation -- in the weapons plants.

During the Cold War, approximately 600,000 people worked at bomb-making and nuclear material plants across the country.

DOE said it is difficult to determine exactly how many of them were sickened because chronic beryllium disease and many of the radiation-linked cancer take years to surface.

Most of the people likely to qualify for compensation would come from the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington state; Oak Ridge Reservation in Tennessee; Savannah River Site in South Carolina; Nevada Test Site; Rocky Flats Complex in Colorado; Pantex Plant in Texas; Mound Plant and Fernald Environmental Management Project in Ohio; Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California; Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico; and gaseous diffusion plants in Piketon, Ohio; Paduch, Ky.; and Oak Ridge, Tenn.

by Virginia Sutcliffe

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

Sponsored Recommendations

March 13, 2025
Learn about the main differences between OHSAS 18001 and ISO 45001, and how ISO 45001 takes a proactive approach to prevent work-related incidents. Find out why businesses should...
March 13, 2025
Avetta is a leader in contractor management, and with over 15 years of industry experience, we can help you establish a robust contractor pre-qualification program that aligns...
March 13, 2025
EQT commits to supporting Avetta in its ongoing growth and innovation journey.
March 13, 2025
Learn OSHA workplace lighting requirements to enhance safety, productivity, and quality. Discover standards, compliance benefits, and risks of non-compliance.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!