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 Joey
Zhou.
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