Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site

Funding for Human Subjects Research:

DOE: Kaiser-Hill Company, LLC

$53,000.00 for: Fiscal Year 2006
Percent of funding associated with the use of human subjects: 100

Information on Use of Human Subjects:

This project does not involve the use of multiple protocols/subprojects.

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Review:
Type of Review: Expedited
Approving Institution: Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site
Most recent approval: 04/15/05
IRB approval number: N/A
Explanation of IRB approval:
The members of the IRB left Rocky Flats as their jobs disappeared. There were not enough IRB members left in FY2006 for a quorum. No IRB meeting was held in 2006. John R. McInerney was the only member of the IRB left at the end of the project.

Number of human subjects who participated in this project/protocol/subproject in the last reporting period: 31
Reporting period for number of human subjects: Fiscal Year 2006

Type(s) of Human Subjects Involvement:

External use of chemical substances (solid, liquid, or gas) on human subjects:

• For diagnostic research
• Other. Explain:

Beryllium

Collection of personally identifiable bodily materials (blood or blood products, urine, cells, tissue, teeth, organs, excreta, etc):

• Using cells cultured in a laboratory.
• Using bodily materials collected specifically for this project.

Use of personally identifiable data from questionnaires, surveys, or epidemiological studies:

• Using data collected from subjects specifically for this project.
• Using existing data that were collected for other purposes or projects.

(a. Objectives, b. Methodology, c. Ionizing Radiation, Radioactive Substances, or Chemical Substances to which human subjects are exposed, d. Involvement of Human Subjects [d.1. procedures used, d.2. risks if any])

The Rocky Flats Beryllium Health Surveillance Program: Current Workers (RFBHSPCW) was designed to identify new cases of chronic beryllium disease (CBD) and beryllium sensitization in individuals who had the potential for exposure to beryllium while employed at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site.

This program continued the surveillance of workers currently employed at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site. The RFBHSPCW is composed of five interrelated tasks. These are the identification, notification, scheduling, testing, and retesting of current employees at Rocky Flats who believe they were exposed to beryllium during their employment at the site. All individuals indicating a desire to participate are tested for sensitivity to beryllium using the peripheral blood Lymphocyte Proliferation Test (LPT) and given a chest x-ray. The only risk to human subjects from the beryllium sensitivity screening is the venipuncture, as used for regular medical laboratory testing. There is very little risk from this procedure. Further medical evaluation to determine the presence of CBD is offered to those identified as beryllium sensitized or found to have suspicious lung pathology on chest x-ray B-Reader examination. Risks to human subjects from additional procedures undertaken by two leading medical centers for the clinical evaluation of CBD (bronchoalveolar lavage, bronchoalveolar lung biopsy) are on a voluntary basis. Retesting is offered every year to individuals who previously had a positive blood test for sensitivity to beryllium that was not confirmed, or who had an abnormal chest x-ray possibly associated with CBD.

All records are confidential and may not be disclosed without the subject's written permission, with the exception of the FDA and/or other funding agencies, which may inspect the records. Documented informed consent is obtained from all subjects in a manner compliant with all federal regulations.

During fiscal year 2006, there were no current workers who were found to have Chronic Beryllium Disease. There were no current workers who were found to be sensitized on two separate LPT blood tests.

At the present time there are no current workers with CBD and no current workers who are sensitized to beryllium.

Rocky Flats no longer exists as a DOE site.