With university and government partners, we help administer a medical screening program for former energy workers.
Since 2005, faculty and staff from our center have partnered with Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) and the Department of Energy (DOE) to administer the National Supplemental Screening Program (NSSP). This program provides free medical screenings to former DOE site workers, as part of the DOE's "Former Worker Program." Former employees of national energy laboratories and nuclear weapons facilities are screened for occupationally-related health conditions, such as chronic respiratory illnesses, hearing loss, kidney or liver disease, and certain cancers. In addition, the NSSP screening identifies other significant health problems such as diabetes, hypertension, and lipid disorders. The NSSP succeeds, in part, because of its close connection with our occupational medicine experts.
We have screened more than 22,000 former energy site workers since the program began. About 41% of those screened have been diagnosed with a work-related condition and 96% have been diagnosed with a non-work-related health condition, according to a 2016 study. Tens of thousands of workers have sought follow up care and received federal compensation as a result of this program.
For more information, please visit the ORAU website.
