Talk to Terrie: Navigating the Site Exposure Matrix

A claimant contacted me to ask that I write a blog about navigating the Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation’s (DEEOIC) Site Exposure Matrix (SEM).  He was trying to help two other claimants but found that it was too difficult to explain just using emails and Messenger.

I completely understand.  SEM is a database with tons of information.  DEEOIC does provide an tutorial which includes a lot of good information and instructions.  This tutorial also provides two short videos which help with the basic search and exploring job categories and work processes. But sometimes people just want to get to the nitty gritty.  So, here’s my attempt at showing you.

On this page you will find information which applies to every facility, such as “Disease or health effect Information”

Most claimants, however, want to learn about the individual sites where they worked. In the box titled, “Sites:” click on the arrow and a menu of all the sites which have an exposure matrix will appear.  Scroll down to the site you want, click on it and then hit “Select.”

This page will show up.

As you can see, SEM shows that Rocky Flats has 1,024 toxic substances on site.  It also shows that they have information on 514 buildings, 649 work processes, 185 labor categories and 58 incidents.  Let’s say you want to learn about which toxic substances were in Building 444. Click “Building Information” then 444 and this page will pop up.

I can’t show the entire page because there are 170 toxic substances associated with this building.

However, if you go to the bottom of that page you will find listings of work processes and activities, labor categories and incidences.  Click on anything.  Like I said there’s a lot of information there.

So that’s the basics and hope it helps.

 

However, if you want more information on SEM and other subjects, DEEOIC is holding a webinar later this month that you may want to attend:

U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation, 200 Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20210 Web: www.dol.gov/owcp/energy/ Email: [email protected] Phone: 1-866-888-3322

DEEOIC Webinar Series – Causation and Dose Reconstruction July 29, 2020 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. (ET) Click for registration: Register Here! The Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation (DEEOIC) invites you to a webinar on Causation and Dose Reconstruction. This is your opportunity to hear representatives of DEEOIC and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) discuss how causation and dose reconstruction factor into the adjudication of DEEOIC claims. The webinar will conclude with answers to your questions. You can submit questions during the webinar or in advance at [email protected]. · Assessing Toxic Exposure for Causation · Health Effects · Site Exposure Matrices (SEM) usage guidance · Exposure evidence to make findings · Establishing causation · Dose Reconstruction and Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) · Probability of causation guidance · Evaluating SEC petitions · Support Advisory Board Moderators/Presenters John Vance Policy Chief, DEEOIC Grady Calhoun DCAS Director, NIOSH