Background: Nuclear weapons sites are among thousands of federal facilities that are contaminated with a variety of hazardous wastes. Workers at these sites participate in a wide array of activities that can result in their exposure to a variety of hazards.
Methods: The purpose of this study was to describe the occupational health and safety services at ten U.S. Department of Energy sites. Interviews were conducted with 30 health and safety professionals, including physicians, program managers, and industrial hygienists. Data collection was guided by a quality assessment model that provided a means to examine the structures, processes, and outcomes of occupational health and safety services.
Results: It was determined that services for some worker groups, such as subcontractors, were limited; other problems identified included a mismatch between hazards (physical hazards) and types of service providers (radiation experts), ineffective databases, and communication problems.
Conclusions: This description of health and safety services has provided valuable information that can be used to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery in this large and complex organization.
Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.