WORKER SAFETY AND HEALTH ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE DOE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP PROGRAM: INSIGHTS FROM THE DOE LABORATORY DIRECTORS' ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCCUPATIONAL/PUBLIC HEALTH STANDARDS STEERING GROUP

摘要

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Laboratory Directors' Environmental and Occupational/Public Health Standards Steering Group (or "SSG") was formed in 1990. It was felt then that "risk" could be an organizing principle for environmental cleanup and that risk-based cleanup standards could rationalize clean up work. The environmental remediation process puts workers engaged in cleanup activities at risk from hazardous materials and from the more usual hazards associated with construction activities. In a real sense, the site remediation process involves the transfer of a hypothetical risk to the environment and the public from isolated contamination into real risks to the workers engaged in the remediation activities. Late in its existence the SSG, primarily motivated by its LANL representative, Dr. Harry Ettinger, actively investigated issues associated with worker health and safety during environmental remediation activities. This paper summarizes the insights noted by the SSG. Most continue to be pertinent today.