In 1993, the U.S. Congress enacted Public Law 102-484, Section 3162 directing the U.S. Department of Energy to initiate a program to evaluate the health of former DOE workers who may have been exposed to hazardous substances at work. DOE, through its Office of Health, has sponsored beryllium screening for former workers from many sites; a surveillance program for Rocky Flats radiation workers; and several former worker, site-specific, health screening programs.
The newest initiative is called the National Supplemental Screening Program (NSSP). It is operated by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) and its partners—National Jewish Health, Acuity International, Cority Software, and the Center for Health, Work & Environment at the Colorado School of Public Health. These organizations are highly respected for their expertise and capabilities in occupational medicine.
Podcast: Protecting the health of energy workers—ORAU and the NSSP program
The National Supplemental Screening Program (NSSP) provides free medical screenings to Department of Energy workers who may have been exposed to hazards in the workplace. The NSSP collects data to help identify if these former workers have developed any health conditions related to workplace exposures, as well as any health conditions that arise as these workers age. In this conversation, we talk to Zac Hubbell, Ph.D., a research associate for the program, and Dr. Lee Newman, director of the Center for Health, Work, and Environment at the Colorado School of Public Health. The CHWE recently named ORAU its 2020 Partner of the Year for the work our organizations do together for the NSSP.
Former Worker Medical Screening Program Website
The Former Worker Medical Screening Program (FWP) provides ongoing medical screening examinations, at no cost, to all former DOE Federal, contractor, and subcontractor workers who may be at risk for occupational diseases. The FWP is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security (EHSS) and reflects our commitment to the health and safety of all DOE workers - past and present - who have served the Nation in its National security and other missions.
Statistics and program updates for 2022 are now available on the FWP website.