Today, the Government Accountability Project (GAP) released a report documenting the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) systemic interference with worker compensation claims from Hanford employees.
The report outlines problematic findings in Hanford workers’ compensation program, including: a recent Washington state review showing that 41 percent of claim files were managed in a “fair” or “poor” manner; that all claims are denied at double the rate of other self-insured employers and chemical exposure claims are denied at triple the usual rate; that workers are forced to go to independent medical exams that violate Washington state standards and often favor denial; that the DOE often fails to compile complete medical records before deciding claims; and that workers who contest the denial of their claims are met with aggressive DOE legal tactics that interfere with prompt and fair claims management. Workers who are injured on the job are regularly denied coverage, or coverage is delayed, and in some cases workers fail to get timely medical evaluation and care.
“It is tragic that Hanford is the most contaminated worksite in America yet lacks an adequate workers’ compensation program,” stated Lea Mitchell, GAP Nuclear Oversight Investigator. “The Department of Energy is failing to address real and serious needs of workers, in some cases taking steps to play down the seriousness and eliminate legitimate, valid claims. All Hanford employees who get ill or injured on the job deserve to receive objective medical assessment and treatment, as promised. The federal government cannot allow another generation of Hanford workers to be forced to sacrifice their health in order to fulfill Hanford’s mission.”
The report calls for the return of claims management to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I). The report also recommends closing loopholes in Washington state law that allow the DOE to deviate from workers compensation regulations.
Additionally, as the DOE is not subject to federal or state safety oversight, GAP’s report calls for the DOE to advance additional reforms at Hanford, including: tracking and responding to health and safety trends identified by workers’ claims; ensuring enforcement of DOE’s new safety rules; minimizing independent medical exams; and ensuring that workers have access to workers’ compensation specialists to help them file and resolve their claims.
“DOE must not create another generation of workers that sacrifice their health in order to fulfill the federal government’s mission.” stated Mitchell.
Hanford is the country’s largest nuclear waste depository, having processed most of the plutonium in the country since the mid 1940’s. Beginning in 1990, all production of nuclear materials at Hanford was completely stopped, and the focus became the clean up of millions of gallons of high level nuclear waste. Most of the liquid wastes are held in approximately 200 underground tanks, which over time have leaked at least one million gallons of waste into the ground. Once the radioactive waste enters the groundwater, it takes from seven to 20 years for it to reach to the nearby Columbia River and its marine life. Radioactive contamination from Hanford has already been documented in the river and in plant and animal life.
It is estimated that the Hanford cleanup will take at least another thirty years. During this time, in addition to general workplace hazards associated with construction, monitoring, and other activities, Hanford workers will continue to be exposed to hazardous chemical and radioactive wastes, generated by the treatment of waste and by the demolition of highly contaminated buildings, piping, and other infrastructure.