From: | Lenny Siegel <lennysiegel@gmail.com> |
Date: | 14 Jul 2007 17:54:54 -0000 |
Reply: | cpeo-military |
Subject: | [CPEO-MEF] "Lab workers' fallout" |
Lab workers' fallout By Betsy Mason Contra Costa Times July 1, 2007Gerry Giovacchini believes the tumors in his neck, arm and eyes, as well as one in his spinal column that fractured two vertebrae and invaded his right lung, were caused by radiation exposure during the 26 years he worked at Sandia/California National Laboratories in Livermore. In 2002, he applied for compensation through a government program for Cold War-era Department of Energy workers exposed to radioactive and toxic materials that made them ill. But five years later he still hasn't been paid.Tom Chatmon's job at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory for 14 years was to oversee and transport plutonium, uranium and other radioactive materials. He contracted multiple myeloma, a cancer that has been linked to radiation exposure. His compensation claim, filed in 2002, was denied in November.Bill Piper was a machinist at Livermore lab for 15 years. He had to retire early after eye cancer left him unable to do precision work; he died two years later. His son filed for compensation in 2002 and was denied after two appeals in 2006. These are not just the stories of a few people who have fallen through the cracks. Since 2001, when the federal Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act went into effect, 148,181 claims have been filed. Of those that have been decided, 38 percent have been approved. Thousands have been waiting for years for a decision. ... For the entire article, see http://www.contracostatimes.com/search/ci_6275942 -- Lenny Siegel Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight c/o PSC, 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041 Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545 Fax: 650/961-8918 <lsiegel@cpeo.org> http://www.cpeo.org _______________________________________________ Military mailing list Military@list.cpeo.org http://www.cpeo.org/mailman/listinfo/military | |
Prev by Date: [CPEO-MEF] McGuire Air Force Base (NJ) cleanup order Next by Date: [CPEO-MEF] American Beryllium (FL) worker seeks compensation | |
Prev by Thread: [CPEO-MEF] McGuire Air Force Base (NJ) cleanup order Next by Thread: [CPEO-MEF] American Beryllium (FL) worker seeks compensation |