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
- 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 - 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 - Job Titles and/or Job Duties: All steamfitters, pipefitters, and plumbers
Period of Employment: October 1944 through December 1957 - 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 - Location: Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Job Titles and/or Job Duties: All workers
Period of Employment: March 1, 1943 through December 31, 1947 - 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 Internal Dose
Effective Date: 03/12/2012, Revision: 03
Technical Information Bulletins
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R. William Stephens, Esq.
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