The Department of Labor (DOL) Site Exposure Matrices (SEM) Website is a repository of information gathered from a variety of sources regarding toxic substances present at Department of Energy (DOE) and Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) facilities covered under Part E of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA). In putting together SEM, DOL held round table meetings with workers from DOE facilities all over the country and gathered their input on the hazards at these sites. DOL also obtained copies of thousands of documents from DOE regarding toxic substances at those facilities.

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In addition to toxic substance information, the SEM Website also contains information regarding scientifically established links between toxic substances and illnesses. Displayed links for diagnosed illnesses show how these correlate to toxic substance exposures. The relationship between toxic substances and diagnosed illnesses shown in SEM is derived from the Haz-Map database published by the National Library of Medicine (http://hazmap.nlm.nih.gov/index.php). DOL continually updates these relationships in SEM as new disease associations are published in Haz-Map. The causal links shown in SEM do not represent an exclusive list of the pathways necessary for an affirmative Part E causation determination. Every case is evaluated on its own evidentiary merits. (Please note, however that SEM does not address the relationship between radiation and cancer. For purposes of EEOICPA, the relationship between radiation and cancer is evaluated by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)).

DOL provides expanded information (i.e. buildings, processes, labor categories, and related diagnosed illness associations) for DOE sites and RECA facilities. The information was reviewed by the Department of Energy (DOE) to prevent the release of data that could pose national security risks. Because the expanded information in SEM must be pre-approved for release by DOE, it is based upon the data as it existed on May 16, 2016. SEM data for 45 sites changed since the last update on November 13, 2015.

Argonne National Laboratory-West was deleted as a separate DOE site and its contents were transferred to the Idaho National Laboratory SEM profile. This change was made to facilitate use of SEM information for the two sites which combined in 2005. The following DOE sites also had significant increases in SEM information during the period: Feed Materials Production Center (Fernald), Kansas City Plant, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the Rocky Flats Plant.

The exposure and diagnosed illness information provided on this website is not complete. Toxic substance use at each facility is continuously evaluated and new substances are added as their presence is discovered. DOL places SEM data on the Internet in an ongoing effort to obtain and organize exposure and disease information for all covered Part E facilities. The information presented is not an attempt to provide a complete history of any DOE or RECA facility. The website was developed to support DOL Part E claims adjudication and should be interpreted accordingly. For example, several labor category “aliases” may be displayed for one primary labor category at a site. Those aliases may be alternate names for the primary labor category or they may be labor categories with the same toxic substance profile. When a labor category is displayed with no buildings identified, it does not mean that the worker was not on the site. Instead, it can mean the labor category’s work location on the site is unknown, or in the case of labor categories such as janitors, guards, and groundskeepers, that they worked in many locations all over a site. A user guide is available on the website to assist those visiting the website with navigation.

If you have trouble accessing or navigating the website, or you wish to provide comments or documentation of toxic substance use at a particular facility, or scientific evidence establishing an occupational illness link, please email your comment to info@dol-sem-public.com, or select the "Submit Information" button to your right. You can attach one or more electronic files for review. If you wish to submit your comments or documentation by mail, please write to the following address:

Site Exposure Matrices Administrator
PO Box 1375
Hilliard, OH 43026-1375

Sixteen (16) inquiries were received by the Administrator since the last update, and DOL used that input to make changes to the data for three DOE sites. The summary status of inquiries can be accessed using the links in the “Highlights” box above. Improvements to labor categories, buildings, and chemical listings resulted from public input. The documentation submission process is not intended for use as a means to adjudicate individual claims, and information submitted for review will not be associated with any specific claim file. All credible inquiries will be answered. Improvements to labor categories, buildings, and chemical listings resulted from public input. Documentation will be used to garner a better understanding of the different toxic substances used at covered Part E facilities and their potential adverse health effects. If you wish to submit records pertaining to a specific case file, you must contact the proper adjudicatory District Office. Contact information is available at the following website link:
http://www.dol.gov/owcp/energy/regs/compliance/law/JurisdictionMap.htm.