Spencer Chemical Co., Jayhawks Works
State: Kansas
Location: Pittsburg
Time Period: 1956-1961; Residual Radiation 1962-1964
Facility Type: Atomic Weapons Employer
Facility Description
The Spencer Chemical Company, Jayhawks Works, processed unirradiated uranium scrap for the AEC, recovering enriched uranium from it for use in the weapons complex. By May 12, 1961, Spencer Chemical had ceased operations and disposed of its nuclear materials.
Discussion
Other information in the provided documentation indicates there was some work with uranium hexafluoride, uranium oxide, and thorium. Uranium enrichments apparently ranged from depleted to 93%.
There were two Special Nuclear Material licenses issued to Spencer Chemical at this facility, #154 and #329. SNM-329 allowed the facility to possess up to 1,000 kilograms of 5% enriched uranium at any one time. SNM-154 was not available for this review, but in the absence of any identified license amendments to SNM-329, higher enriched work and thorium
work may have been conducted under SNM-154. Spencer Chemical also had a Source Material License (C-435) issued, however the specifications of that were unavailable. Spencer Chemical was cited for non-compliance with license conditions as a result of a May 2-5, 1961 inspection by the AEC.
The total quantities of material handled under these licenses were not identified in the documents reviewed, and in 1962, SNM-154 and SNM-329 were cancelled. As a condition of the license cancellations, Spencer Chemical was required to provide documentation to the AEC that all material had been removed from the facility, and that remaining contamination levels should not exceed specified contamination levels which are consistent with current standards.
An NRC document states that a site inspection was performed on April 30, 1964 and found that the site met conditions for license termination.
Listing
Spencer Chemical Co., Jayhawks Works is listed as an Atomic Weapons Employer (AWE) under the EEOICPA.
Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) Classes
All Atomic Weapons Employer (AWE) employees who worked at Spencer Chemical Company/Jayhawk Works near Pittsburgh, Kansas, from January 1, 1956 through December 31, 1961, 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
Location: Pittsburgh, Kansas
Job Titles and/or Job Duties: All employees
Period of Employment: January 1, 1958 through December 31, 1963
Compensation
As of 08/02/2015, the total compensation paid under Part B of the EEOICPA, including medical compensation, for workers suffering from the effects of having worked at Spencer Chemical Co., Jayhawks Works is $11,770,871.
Spencer Chemical Co., Jayhawks Works Workers
If you or your parent worked at this or any other AWE facility and became ill, you may be entitled to compensation of up to $150K 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 already filed a claim and even if your claim has 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.
DOCUMENTS
NIOSH
Petition 89 (Jan 1, 1958 to Dec 31, 1963)
SEC Petition Evaluation Report, Petition SEC-00089, Rev #: 0
Report Submittal Date: June 4, 2008
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