Records Retention for Occupational Health Studies
HSS works to ensure that records useful for occupational health studies of the
contractor workforce are preserved by the Department of Energy
(DOE). Such records include those pertaining to exposures
to radioactive and toxic substances, industrial hygiene, industrial
processes, and exposure monitoring programs.
A moratorium on the destruction of DOE and DOE contractor
records useful for occupational health studies has been
in effect since 1990. This moratorium is now also used to
preserve records useful for worker compensation and for former
worker medical screening programs.
The moratorium is implemented through DOE records schedules.
DOE's Office of the Chief Information Officer provides information
about the records
schedules and items that fall under the moratorium.
This moratorium is applied to records with retention periods
of 75 years or less, ensuring that such records are preserved
long enough to be useful for future occupational health studies,
compensation, and former worker medical screening. HSS requested
the moratorium, worked with records management to implement
it, and continues to play a role in reviewing proposed records
schedules and in releasing non-useful records from the moratorium.
Goals and Objectives:
Epidemiological Records Reviews
- Conduct site visits and respond to questions
about the applicability of the moratorium on certain types
of records identified by sites. This refines the scope of
the moratorium, thereby reducing costs and ensuring that
resources are used to preserve useful records. In some instances,
the moratorium is lifted from records that are not useful for
occupational health studies, worker compensation, and former worker
medical screening.
- Review costs associated with storage of records preserved
under the moratorium in Federal Records Centers to ensure
the accuracy of charges to HSS.
- Coordinate records-related work with DOE's
implementation of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness
Compensation Program Act of 2000.
Records for Closure Sites
- Of special concern to HSS are sites undergoing closure where
health-related records must be moved to other federally
controlled locations with appropriate long-term management.
HSS continues to work with the DOE Office of Legacy Management
(LM), whose mission includes the proper preservation and
storage of closure site records after sites have been closed.
LM has ensured that the appropriate records continue to
be available for occupational health studies, worker compensation
and former worker medical screening.
Related Documents & Links
For further information on Records Retention for Health Studies or
Epi Moratorium, please contact
Marsha Lawn
This page was last updated on March 19, 2008
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