Hanford Healthy Energy Workers – Healthcare Needs Assessment and Recommendations

To address requirements as detailed in the 2020 ESSB 6168.127(83), the Washington State Department of Commerce convened the Hanford Healthy Energy Workers Board and provided its final report to the legislature regarding health care needs for workers at Hanford.

Engineers holding portable radios and wearing helmets and orange vests

What did the Hanford Healthy Energy Workers Board accomplish?

The Hanford Healthy Energy Workers Board conducted an unmet health care needs assessment for Hanford workers and developed recommendations on how these health care needs can be met. The board reviewed studies on how to prevent worker exposure, summarized existing results and recommendations, developed key indicators of progress in meeting unmet health care needs, and identified the health surveillance systems in use at the Hanford site. The board submitted its report to the legislature on June 1, 2021, documenting recommendations on meeting health care needs, progress on meeting key indicators, and recommendations for the establishment of new health surveillance systems at Hanford.

Highlights of this work include:

  • A survey of current and former Hanford workers with more than 1600 respondents in the Tri-Cities area.
  • Recommendations for next steps in addressing the unique health needs of the Hanford workforce.
  • A review of previous studies related to worker exposure with summary-level results and recommendations and key indicators of progress where applicable.
  • An inventory of the health surveillance systems currently in use at the Hanford site.

Who served on the Hanford Healthy Energy Workers Board?

The Hanford Healthy Energy Workers Board consisted of members representing the following  organizations:

– Department of Health
– Labor and Industries
– UW’s Department of Environmental & Occupation Health Sciences
– Harborview Medical Center
– Washington State building and construction trades council
– Central Washington Building Trades Council
– Hanford Atomic Metal Trades Council (HAMTC)
– UA Local 598 Plumbers and Steamfitters

What did the legislature authorize the Hanford Healthy Energy Workers Board to do?

(2020 ESSB 6168.127(83) $250,000 of the general fund—state appropriation for fiscal year 2021 is provided solely for the formation of a healthy energy workers board. The board must conduct an unmet health care needs assessment for Hanford workers and develop recommendations on how these health care needs can be met. The board must also review studies on how to prevent worker exposure, summarize existing results and recommendations, develop key indicators of progress in meeting unmet health care needs, and catalogue the health surveillance systems in use at the Hanford site. The workers board must submit a report to the legislature by June 1, 2021, documenting recommendations on meeting health care needs, progress on meeting key indicators, and, if necessary, recommendations for the establishment of new health surveillance systems at Hanford.

Research Services

When Will the Hanford Health Energy Workers Board Meet?

Due to the statewide emergency related to COVID-19 meetings are planned to be held virtually. If in-person meetings become possible, the time and location will be updated on this project website. The schedule is subject to change.

August 18, 2020

10:00AM – 12:00PM

Meeting minutes

Agenda

September 15, 2020

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Meeting minutes
Agenda

October 20, 2020

This meeting has been cancelled.

November 17, 2020

10 a.m. – noon

Meeting minutes
Agenda

December 15, 2020

10:00 am – Noon
Agenda
Meeting Minutes

January 19, 2021

10:00 – 12:00
Meetings to be held virtually until further notice

Agenda

Meeting Minutes

February 16, 2021

10:00 – 12:00
Meetings to be held virtually until further notice

Agenda

March 4, 2021 Special Meeting

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Agenda

March 16, 2021

Agenda
10:00 – 12:00
Meetings to be held virtually until further notice

March 30, 2021

10:00 am – 12:00 noon
Agenda
Meetings to be held virtually until further notice
 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://wastatecommerce.zoom.us/j/86986749898?pwd=MXYxbFR3blBQc1NOY29UandJd2Zqdz09

Meeting ID: 869 8674 9898

Passcode: 038611

One tap mobile

+12532158782,,86986749898#,,,,*038611# US (Tacoma)

+12133388477,,86986749898#,,,,*038611# US (Los Angeles)

Dial by your location

+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

+1 213 338 8477 US (Los Angeles)

+1 971 247 1195 US (Portland)

Meeting ID: 869 8674 9898

Passcode: 038611

Find your local number: https://wastatecommerce.zoom.us/u/kgJLNGuDQ

Information on how to participate and attend these meetings, as well as any changes to the schedule will be provided on this project website as well as sent out to a distribution list. 

E-mail updates


To sign up for updates or to access your subscriber preferences, please enter your contact information below.

Supporting materials

Hanford Healthy Energy Group Final Report 2019 (PDF)

For More Information, Contact…

Alice Zillah at:
alice.zillah@commerce.wa.gov