Y-12 Plant

State: Tennessee
Location: Oak Ridge
Time Period: 1942-present
Facility Type: Department of Energy

Facility Description

Built in a rural section of East Tennessee, the Y-12 National Security Complex, previously known as the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, was part of the Manhattan Project. Its job was to process uranium for the first atomic bomb. Construction of Y-12 started in February 1943; enriched uranium production started in November of the same year. Construction, however, was not entirely finished until 1945.The first site mission was the separation of uranium-235 from natural uranium by the electromagnetic separation process. The magnetic separators were taken out of commission at the end of 1946 when gaseous diffusion became the accepted process for enriching uranium.

Since World War II, the number of buildings at Y-12 has doubled. Its missions have included uranium enrichment, lithium enrichment, isotope separation and component fabrication. For more than 50 years, Y-12 has been one of the DOE weapons complex’s premier manufacturing facilities. Every weapon in the stockpile has some components manufactured at the Y- 12 National Security Complex.

Throughout the course of its operations, the potential for beryllium exposure existed at this site, due to beryllium use, residual contamination, and decontamination activities.

CONTRACTORS: BWXT (2000-present); Lockheed Martin Energy Systems (1994-2000); Martin Marietta Energy Systems (1984-1994); Union Carbide & Carbon Corp. (1947-1984); Tennessee Eastman Corp. (TEC) (1943-1947)

Listing

Y-12 Plant is listed as a Department of Energy (DOE) site under the EEOICPA.

Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) Classes

Y-12 Plant (March 1943 through December 1947)–Department of Energy (DOE) employees or DOE contractor or subcontractor employees who worked in uranium enrichment operations or other radiological activities at the Y-12 facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee from March 1943 through December 1947 and who were employed for a number of work days aggregating at least 250 work days, either solely under this employment or in combination with work days of employment occurring within the parameters (excluding aggregate work day requirements) established for other classes of employees included in the SEC

Y-12 Plant (January 1948 through December 1957)–Department of Energy (DOE) employees or DOE contractor or subcontractor employees who were monitored or should have been monitored for: (1) Thorium exposures while working in Building 9201-3, 9202, 9204-1, 9204-3, 9206, or 9212 at Y-12 for a number of work days aggregating at least 250 work days from January 1948 through December 1957 or in combination with work days within the parameters (excluding aggregate work day requirements) established for one or more classes of employees in the SEC; or (2) Radionuclide exposures associated with cyclotron operations in Building 9201-2 at Y-12 for a number of work days aggregating at least 250 work days from January 1948 through December 1957 or in combination with work days within the parameters (excluding aggregate work day requirements) established for one or more classes of employees in the SEC.

Y-12 Plant (March 1, 1943 through December 31, 1947)–All employees of the Department of Energy (DOE), its predecessor agencies, and DOE contractors or subcontractors who worked at the Y-12 Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee from March 1, 1943 through December 31, 1947, for a number of work days aggregating at least 250 work days occurring either solely under this employment or in combination with work days within the parameters established for one or more other classes of employees in the Special Exposure Cohort.

Y-12 Plant (January 1, 1948 through December 31, 1957)–All employees of the Department of Energy, its predecessor agencies, and their contractors and subcontractors who worked at the Y–12 facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, during the period from January 1, 1948 through December 31, 1957, for a number of work days aggregating at least 250 work days, occurring either solely under this employment or in combination with work days within the parameters established for one or more other classes of employees in the Special Exposure Cohort.

 

Petitions Qualified for Evaluation

  1. Locations: Oak Ridge, Tennessee–Building 9201-5 and the Beta Building at Y-12
    Job Titles and/or Job Duties: All Control Operators
    Period of Employment: January 1944 through December 1945
  2. Location: Oak Ridge, Tennessee
    Job Titles and/or Job Duties: All Tennessee Eastman Corporation employees that conducted laboratory equipment cleaning work
    Period of Employment: From 1943 through 1947
  3. Job Titles and/or Job Duties: All steamfitters, pipefitters, and plumbers
    Period of Employment: October 1944 through December 1957
  4. Location: Oak Ridge, Tennessee
    Job Titles and/or Job Duties: All statisticians in all locations
    Period of Employment: January 1, 1951 through June 30, 195
  5. Location: Oak Ridge, Tennessee
    Job Titles and/or Job Duties: All workers
    Period of Employment: March 1, 1943 through December 31, 1947
  6. Location: Oak Ridge, Tennessee
    Job Titles and/or Job Duties: All workers potentially exposed to radioactive materials
    Period of Employment: January 1, 1948 through December 31, 1957

Note: Petitions 1 and 2 were merged together

Compensation

As of 08/30/2015, the total compensation paid under Parts B and E of the EEOICPA, including medical compensation, for workers suffering from the effects of having worked at the Y-12 Plant is $1,436,506,626.

Y-12 Plant Workers

If you or your parent worked at this or any other DOE or AWE facility and became ill, you may be entitled to compensation of up to $400K plus medical benefits from the US Department of Labor. Call EEOICPA Counsel Hugh Stephens at 1-855-EEOICPA (336-4272) or fill out the form to the right, whether or not you have filed a claim and even if your claim has already been accepted or denied.

We can help with all OWCP (Federal Workers Compensation) claims, impairments, wage loss and health care. 2495 Main Street, Suite 442 Buffalo, NY.

Videos

Footage from the Y-12 archive of the site’s construction can be seen below:

A description of the role of Y-12 in producing the uranium for “Little Boy,” the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshoma, Japan on August 6, 1945 can be seen below:

DOCUMENTS

NIOSH SEC Petition Evaluation Reports

Petition 18 (Jan 1, 1944 to Dec 31, 1945)
SEC Petition Evaluation Report, Petition SEC-00018, Rev # 0
Submittal Date: 06-13-2005

Petition 26 (Jan 1, 1943 to Dec 31, 1947)
Merged with Petition 18.

Petition 28 (Oct 1944 to Dec 1957 )
SEC Petition Evaluation Report, Petition SEC-00028, Rev #0
Report Submittal Date: 4-7-2006

Petition 39 (Jan 1, 1951 to Jun 30, 1959)
SEC Petition Evaluation Report, Petition SEC-00039, Rev #: 2
Report Submittal Date: June 22, 2007

Petition 98 (Mar 1, 1943 to Dec 31, 1947)
SEC Petition Evaluation Report, Petition SEC-00098, Rev #: 0
Report Submittal Date: May 14, 2008

Petition 186 (Jan 1, 1948 to Dec 31, 1957)
SEC Petition Evaluation Report, Petition SEC-00186, Rev #: 0
Report Submittal Date: July 18, 2011

Technical Basis Documents

Site Profile
Y-12 National Security Complex – Introduction
Effective Date: 10/24/2006, Revision: 01

Y-12 National Security Complex – Site Description
Effective Date: 11/08/2007, Revision: 02

Y-12 National Security Complex – Occupational Medical Dose
Effective Date: 06/18/2007, Revision: 01

Y-12 National Security Complex – Occupational Environmental Dose
Effective Date: 07/20/2006, Revision: 01

Y-12 National Security Complex – Occupational Internal Dose
Effective Date: 03/12/2012, Revision: 03

Y-12 National Security Complex – Occupational External Dosimetry
Effective Date: 12/18/2009, Revision: 02

Technical Information Bulletins

Coworker External Dosimetry Data for the Y-12 National Security Complex
Effective Date: 04/29/2013, Revision: 02

Effect of Threshold Energy and Angular Response of NTA Film on Missed Neutron Dose at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Facility
Effective Date: 05/15/2006, Revision: 00

External Radiation Dose Estimates For Individuals Near the 1958 Criticality Accident at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant
Effective Date: 05/15/2006, Revision: 00

Historical Evaluation of the Film Badge Dosimetry Program at the Y-12 Facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee: Part 1 – Gamma Radiation
Effective Date: 04/29/2013, Revision: 01

Historical Evaluation of the Film Badge Dosimetry Program at the Y-12 Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee: Part 2 – Neutron Radiation
Effective Date: 11/30/2009, Revision: 01

Historical Evaluation of the Film Badge Dosimetry Program at the Y-12 Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee: Part 3 – Beta Radiation
Effective Date: 06/22/2007, Revision: 00

Potential Missed Dose to Nuclear Weapons Assemblers at the Y-12 Plant During the Period from 1958 to 1990
Effective Date: 03/13/2009, Revision: 00

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EEOICPA CLAIMS

If you or your parent worked any of the DOE or AWE facilities listed on this website and became ill, you may be entitled to compensation of up to $400K plus medical benefits from the US Department of Labor.

Call EEOICPA Counsel Hugh Stephens at 1-800-548-4494, email hstephens@stephensstephens.com, or fill out the form below whether or not you have already filed a claim and even if your claim has been accepted or denied.

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R. William Stephens, Esq.
R. Hugh Stephens, Esq.
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