WRITTEN TESTIMONY' ON THE K-25 SITE,' OAK RIDGE, TN.
'ILL WORKERS SITUATION' BY ANN H. ORICK - MARCH 22, 2000I AM A FORMER WORKER OF THE OAK RIDGE K-25 SITE. I, AS WELL AS MY' HUSBAND, AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER WORKERS ARE ILL AS A RESULT OF' OUR DUTIES THERE. WE ARE PHYSICALLY AND FINANCIALLY DEVASTATED. ' WE ARE TRULY AMERICA'S LIVING DEAD.
I WORKED AT THE K-25 SITE FOR OVER 12 YEARS. I ENJOYED MY JOB. I' WAS A HARD WORKER. I TOOK PRIDE IN EVERYTHING I DID. I GREW UP IN' THE MOUNTAINS OF EAST TENNESSEE BEING TAUGHT TO WORK HARD -' WASHING CLOTHES ON A WRINGER WASHER AND SCRUBBING FLOORS ON' MY HANDS AND KNEES. MY REGULAR DUTIES AT HOME ALSO INCLUDED A' WEEKLY CLEANING OF ALL WINDOWS INSIDE AND OUT, IRONING ALL THE' CLOTHES I HAD WASHED, EVEN SCRUBBING THE PORCHES, SIDEWALKS' AND BASEMENT WITH HOT SOAPY WATER, AND MOWING THE YARD WITH A' PUSH MOWER.
AT THE K-25 PLANT I WORE STEEL TOED BOOTS AND COVERALLS, CARRIED' 2 RADIATION METERS WHICH WEIGHED OVER 10 LBS. APIECE PLUS' SUPPLIES, AND WALKED FROM JOB TO JOB IN THE HEAT AND THE COLD. I' WORKED NIGHTS AND WEEK-ENDS. MANY WEEKS I WORKED 60 TO 80' HOURS.
I WOULD GO HOME, STILL DO MY HOUSEWORK, THE LAUNDRY, COOK, GO TO' THE GROCERY....WHATEVER NEEDED TO BE DONE. I ATTENDED FOOTBALL' GAMES, SOCIAL GATHERINGS, AND FUNCTIONS WITH MY CHILDREN. I WENT' TO CHURCH REGULARLY - 3 TO 4 TIMES A WEEK.....BUT AROUND 1989 I' BEGAN GETTING SICK, AND BETWEEN THAT TIME AND 1995 MANY THINGS' HAPPENED - MAJOR THINGS - LIKE MY HEART RATE WOULD BE 140 TO 180' BEATS PER MINUTE, I DEVELOPED CHRONIC FATIGUE, SHORTNESS OF' BREATH UPON EVEN MILD EXERTION, MY BONES HURT AND MY MUSCLES' HURT AND BECAME WEAK, AND I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A CONDITION' CALLED FIBROMYALGIA. SOMETIMES I CANNOT EVEN STAND FOR MY SKIN' TO BE TOUCHED IN ANY WAY BECAUSE OF EXTREME PAIN. A SEVERE SKIN' RASH ERUPTED ON MY FACE AND NECK WHICH ERUPTED AND BLED, MY' GALLBLADDER SHUT DOWN (NO PRIOR TROUBLE) AND MY STOMACH' STOPPED DIGESTING MY FOOD. THE OPENING BETWEEN THE STOMACH' BULB AND THE INTESTINES CLOSED TO THE SIZE OF A DIME, PREVENTING' THE ELIMINATION OF THE FOOD THAT WAS DIGESTED FROM PASSING' THROUGH, AND SEVERE NAUSEA AND VOMITING OCCURRED. I DEVELOPED' SEVERE COLON PROBLEMS. I LOST 20 POUNDS. AFTER TWO ATTEMPTS TO' OPEN THE AREA WITH BALLOON DILATION, A MAJOR SURGERY WAS' PERFORMED TO CREATE A NEW OUTLET BETWEEN THE STOMACH AND' INTESTINES. I HAVE HAD 6 BREAST TUMORS REMOVED. I DEVELOPED' SEVERE MIGRAINE HEADACHES WHICH WOULD LAST 3 TO 4 DAYS AT A' TIME, REQUIRING ME TO GO TO BED. I WOULD ONLY BEGIN TO RECOVER' FROM ONE WHEN THE NEXT ONE WOULD SET IN. MY VISION BLURRED, ' AND PERIPHERAL VISION LOSS BEGAN, AND IT IS NOT KNOWN IF THE' PROCESS WILL STOP OR CONTINUE WHICH WOULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF' EYESIGHT. I HAVE SEVERE LOSS OF BALANCE AND I HAVE TO USE A CANE' FOR STABILITY. I SUFFER FROM SHORT TERM MEMORY LOSS. TO ADD TO' THE GROWING LIST OF PHYSICAL PROBLEMS I HAVE A 2@ FOOT DROP OF' THE RIGHT FOOT DUE TO TWO BACK SURGERIES FOR 4 RUPTURED DISKS' RESULTING FROM A WORK INJURY, DEGENERATING SPINE AND BONE' SPURS, ESPECIALLY HEAVY SPURRING OF BOTH FEET - BOTTOMS AND' ANKLES, SCIATICA IN THE RIGHT LEG AND HIP, AND THINNING OF THE BONES' OF THE HIP.
AS THESE MEDICAL PROBLEMS SURFACED, I FOUND I COULD NO LONGER' ENGAGE IN NORMAL ACTIVITIES. I COULD NOT SIT OR STAND FOR ANY' LENGTH OF TIME DUE TO THE HIGH PAIN LEVELS AND THE SEVERE BALANCE' PROBLEMS. I WAS PLACED ON MEDICATION BY A NEUROLOGIST USED FOR' EPILEPSY TO CONTROL MY MUSCLE SPASMS, HIGH PAIN LEVEL, AND' TREMORS. I CAN NO LONGER DRIVE A CAR. I CANNOT EVEN GO TO A' GROCERY STORE ALONE BECAUSE I CANNOT LIFT ITEMS LIKE A GALLON OF' MILK FROM THE FREEZER TO THE CART. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO WORK' SINCE JANUARY, 1996.
MY DAILY ACTIVITIES EXCEPT FOR GOING TO THE DOCTOR ARE BASICALLY' NON EXISTENT. MY ENTIRE LIFESTYLE HAS CHANGED. I LIVE IN PAIN' CONSTANTLY. I RARELY DO ANYTHING FOR RECREATION AND EVEN MY' CHURCH ATTENDANCE IS DIFFICULT FOR ME, USUALLY ONLY A FEW TIMES' PER MONTH. THIS PAST FEBRUARY 2ND FOLLOWING A SCOPE INTO THE' STOMACH, I WAS AGAIN INFORMED THAT I WAS IN TROUBLE, ONLY MUCH' WORSE THAN BEFORE. THE STOMACH ITSELF HAS NOW CLOSED' TOGETHER, AND THE OPENING THAT IS LEFT IS APPROXIMATELY THE SIZE' OF A PENCIL ERASER. I WAS SENT IMMEDIATELY TO THE SURGEON, WHO' HAS EXPLAINED THAT ALTHOUGH THE FORMER SURGERY WAS MAJOR, THIS' ONE WOULD BE MAJOR-MAJOR. OVER HALF OF MY STOMACH WILL HAVE' TO BE CUT AWAY AND REMOVED, ALONG WITH THE BULB AREA LEADING' FROM THE STOMACH TO THE INTESTINES WHERE THE LAST SURGERY WAS' PERFORMED, AND THEN A LARGE PORTION OF THE INTESTINES. ONCE THIS' HAS BEEN REMOVED, THE INTESTINES WOULD HAVE TO BE STRETCHED' BACK UP TO BE SEWN ONTO THE TOP PART OF THE STOMACH THAT WAS' LEFT. I WOULD BE ON LIQUIDS FOREVER WHICH WOULD DUMP STRAIGHT' THROUGH MY BODY.
WITHOUT THE ATTEMPTED SURGERY, THE DOCTOR ANTICIPATES THAT I WILL' ONLY LIVE 3 TO 6 MONTHS. DUE TO ALL MY OTHER HEALTH PROBLEMS, I' HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO HAVE THE SURGERY.
I FEEL YOU SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF SOME OF THE DISCRIMINATION' THAT OCCURRED BECAUSE OF MY ATTEMPT TO REPORT TO THE COMPANY' AND DOE HIGH LEVELS OF THIOCYANATE IN MY BODY. MY REPORTS WERE' REFUSED BY THE LOCKHEED MARTIN MEDICAL DEPARTMENT WHO CALLED' THIS A "SENSITIVE ISSUE", AND SAID THEY WERE TOLD BY THE CORPORATE' DOCTOR NOT TO DISCUSS IT. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IN 12 YEARS WITH' THIS COMPANY THAT ANY MEDICAL PAPERS OR TESTS HAD NOT BEEN' ENTERED INTO MY MEDICAL FILES. EVERY WORK UP, EVERY DOCTOR' STATEMENT, EVERY DAY OFF WORK HAD ALWAYS BEEN ENTERED INTO MY' MEDICAL FILE, INCLUDING THE RECENT REMOVAL OF THE GALLBLADDER' AND BREAST TUMORS.
ALSO, I AM PROBABLY THE ONLY PERSON AT THAT SITE WHO HAD THEIR' SECURITY CLEARANCE PULLED BECAUSE OF HEALTH PROBLEMS. MY' SECURITY CLEARANCE OF 12 YEARS WAS PULLED WHILE I WAS OFF WORK,' AND I WAS NOT NOTIFIED UNTIL 6 TO 8 WEEKS AFTER I HAD RETURNED TO' WORK, AND WAS BEGINNING TO WONDER WHY MY BADGE HAD NOT BEEN' RETURNED TO ME. WHEN SECURITY CALLED ME REGARDING MY NOW' "UNCLEARED" STATUS, I WAS ASTONISHED. WHEN I QUESTIONED A' SUPERVISOR, SHE STATED THAT SHE HAD MET WITH OUR DEPARTMENT' HEAD WHILE I WAS OUT, AND THEY DECIDED THEY COULD "SAVE THE' COMPANY MONEY" BY HAVING MY CLEARANCE PULLED....."AFTER ALL, SHE' SAID, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE ONE TO WORK HERE". .....BUT THEY DID' NOT TRY TO SAVE THE COMPANY ANY ADDITIONAL MONEY BY PULLING' CLEARANCES OF THE OTHER 60-80 PEOPLE WHO WORKED IN THE SAME' BUILDING, OR EVEN THOSE WHO DID THE SAME JOBS......NOT EVEN TWO' PART TIME EMPLOYEES I WORKED WITH EVERY DAY, ONE OF WHICH HAD' NEVER WORKED OUTSIDE THE BUILDING OR ACROSS THE PLANT AS I HAD.
WHEN A NEW DOE MANDATORY PROGRAM OF TESTING WAS INITIATED FOR' HEALTH PHYSICS TECHNICIANS, I WAS THE ONLY TECHNICIAN OUT OF' APPROXIMATELY 101 TECHS AT K-25, AND THE ONLY TECH FROM ALL THREE' OF THE OAK RIDGE FACILITIES, INCLUDING Y-12 AND ORNL, THAT WAS' PULLED FROM THE PROGRAM FOR "HEALTH REASONS". THIS WAS NOT' DONE UNTIL I HAD ALREADY COMPLETED AND PASSED WEEKS OF' ADDITIONAL SCHOOL AND TESTS WHICH WERE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND' STRESSFUL AS IT INCLUDED ADVANCED MATHEMATICAL EQUATIONS AND' PHYSICS LECTURES AS WELL AS PROCEDURES AND REGULATIONS. AS A' RESULT, I WAS THE ONLY HEALTH PHYSICS TECHNICIAN ON THE OAK RIDGE' RESERVATION TO NOT BE ALLOWED TO QUALIFY UNDER THE NEW DOE' REQUIREMENTS FOR A TECH POSITION.
OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, WE HAVE BEGGED AND PLEADED FOR HELP' WHICH HAS FALLEN ON DEAF EARS. WE HAVE MANY ILLNESSES AND' SYMPTOMS WHICH INCLUDE RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS, VISION PROBLEMS,' GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS, CHRONIC FATIGUE, LOSS OF BALANCE,' LOSS OF MEMORY, HEART PROBLEMS, SEVERE BONE AND JOINT PAIN, SKIN' RASHES, AND SEVERE MIGRAINE HEADACHES. HAIR ANALYSIS= SHOW' HIGH LEVELS OF URANIUM, LEAD, NICKEL, BERYLLIUM, AND OTHER HEAVY' METALS. BLOOD AND URINE SAMPLES HAVE ALSO SHOWN HIGH NICKEL,' PCB, THIOCYANATE, ALUMINUM, AND OTHER MATERIALS TO BE PRESENT IN' OUR BODIES. SOME EMPLOYEES HAVE GONE THROUGH CHELATION WHICH' HAS RESULTED IN EXTREMELY HIGH LEVELS OF NICKEL BEING ELIMINATED' FROM THE BODY.
DOCTORS IN OUR AREA DO NOT HAVE THE EXPERTISE TO DIAGNOSE OR' TREAT US; AND THOSE THAT TRY ARE PACKED UP AND SENT AWAY. ' MEDICAL INSURANCE DOES NOT PAY FOR THE BIZARRE OR FREQUENT' TESTS WE NEED; NEITHER DO THEY COVER MEDICATION. MET-LIFE, THE' LOCKHEED MARTIN DISABILITY INSURANCE CARRIER, HAS REFUSED TO' ACCEPT MOST EMPLOYEE'S DISABILITY CLAIMS. THOSE THEY DO ACCEPT' ARE UNDER CONSTANT SPYGLASS SUPERVISION, AND FORMS FOR' DOCTORS TO COMPLETE ARE DEMANDED FREQUENTLY, AND AT THE COST' OF THE DISABLED/UNEMPLOYED WORKER, WHICH GET MORE AND MORE' EXPENSIVE EACH TIME BECAUSE DOCTORS DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY' THEY ARE HAVING TO FILL OUT THE SAME FORM AGAIN AND AGAIN, AND' WHY THEIR STATEMENTS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE. THOSE EMPLOYEES' DENIED DISABILITY ARE LEFT WITHOUT ANY INCOME.
MET-LIFE AND LOCKHEED MARTIN ALSO DEMAND FROM DAY ONE THAT' EMPLOYEES FILE FOR AND GO TO ANY EXTREME TO GET SOCIAL SECURITY' DISABILITY. IF YOU DO NOT FILE FOR SOCIAL SECURITY, YOU ARE CUT OFF' THE MET LIFE PLAN. IF YOU RECEIVE SOCIAL SECURITY, THEN MET LIFE' QUICKLY DEMANDS THIS MONEY BE HANDED OVER TO THEM TO' COMPENSATE THEMSELVES FOR THEIR LOSSES. I PERSONALLY HANDED' OVER TO MET LIFE ALMOST $8,000. SECONDLY, IF A DISABLED EMPLOYEE' FROM K-25 RECEIVES "ANY" COMPENSATION OF ANY KIND FROM THE' GOVERNMENT OR ANYONE ELSE, LOCKHEED MARTIN AND MET LIFE HAVE' ALREADY NOTIFIED US THAT THEY WILL RECUPERATE THIS ENTIRE AMOUNT' FOR THEMSELVES 100%. SO K-25 EMPLOYEES ARE IN A NO-WIN SITUATION;' LOCKHEED MARTIN AND MET LIFE ARE THE WINNERS HERE. ANY BILL OR' ANY HELP THAT CONGRESS MAY PASS FOR THE K-25 WORKERS MUST BE' DESIGNATED SOMEHOW THAT IT CANNOT BE TOUCHED BY LOCKHEED' MARTIN AND MET LIFE. IT IS THE ILL WORKERS THAT HAVE LOST THEIR' JOBS, AND THEIR FUTURE CHANCE OF A JOB, OR ANY INCOME. IT IS THE ILL' WORKER THAT HAS LOST THEIR MATERIAL POSSESSIONS, OWE MEDICAL' BILLS, AND NEED MEDICATIONS THAT THEY NOW CANNOT AFFORD. IT IS' ONLY FAIR THAT ANY TYPE OF COMPENSATION BE EXEMPTED FROM' ATTACHMENT BY THE DOE CONTRACTOR CORPORATIONS.
WE HAVE NEEDS THAT MUST BE MET. SOME OF US ARE DYING. MANY ' WILL LIVE A VERY HARSH LIFE, ONE WITH NO QUALITY BUT FILLED WITH' DAYS OF PAIN AND SUFFERING THAT NO MAN SHOULD HAVE TO ENDURE. IT' IS ONLY FAIR THAT OUR MEDICAL NEEDS BE MET. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO' SEE A DOCTOR WHEN WE NEED TO GO, AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A' REFERRAL OR A PAYMENT. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THE ' PHARMACY AND GET OUR MEDICINE WITHOUT THE HIGH COSTS BEING OUR' RESPONSIBILITY. THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE REQUESTED FOR' FIVE YEARS NOW. SURELY WE HAVE DONE ENOUGH FOR THIS COUNTRY' TO QUALIFY FOR MEDICAL RELIEF.
YOU MUST REALIZE THAT SOME FAMILIES HAVE TAKEN BANKRUPTCY. WE' HAVE ALL LOST OUR JOBS, WITH NO HOPE OF EVER WORKING AGAIN;' THEREFORE, WE HAVE LOST PAST AND FUTURE WAGES. WE HAVE LOST' PERSONAL MATERIAL THINGS THAT WE SPENT ALL OUR LIVES WORKING' FOR. SOME HAVE NO VEHICLE OR METHOD OF TRANSPORTATION AT ALL. ' WE HAVE LOST OUR HOMES. WE'VE LOST OUR HEALTH. WE SUFFER' PAINFULLY EVERY DAY THAT WE LIVE. THERE IS NO RELIEF FOR OUR' BODIES THAT ARE RACKED IN PAIN. NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT THE' CONSEQUENCES WE HAVE FACED AS A RESULT OF BEING A DEDICATED' LOYAL HARDWORKING AMERICAN CITIZENS LABORING OUR LIVES AWAY IN A' GOVERNMENT NUCLEAR FACILITY THAT BECOME ONE OF THE NATION'S' DUMPING GROUNDS FOR EVERYONE'S MISTAKES AND HAZARDOUS TOXINS.
SO OFTEN WE SEE THIS NATIONS LEADERS TRAVELING IN OTHER' COUNTRIES PROCLAIMING THE SHAME AND DISGRACE OF PEOPLE LIVING IN' NEED OF FOOD AND MEDICAL ATTENTION. WHY ARE WE DIFFERENT? WHY' IS IT A SHAME FOR THOSE COUNTRIES CITIZENS TO LIVE IN ILLNESS AND' POVERTY, BUT O.K. FOR US TO DO SO? HOW CAN YOU ALLOW THIS TO' HAPPEN? CAN YOU JUSTIFY THOSE TAX DOLLARS SPENT BY OUR OFFICIALS' OVERSEAS, WHEN WE COULD USE THAT MONEY HERE AT HOME TO BUY' SOME OF OUR MEDICATIONS OR GROCERIES? THERE IS NO EXCUSE THAT' CAN POSSIBLY MAKE IT O.K. FOR AMERICAN WORKERS AND FAMILIES TO' BE PLACED IN SUCH DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS, AND ALL BECAUSE OF' BEING DEDICATED EMPLOYEES UNTOLD OF THE HAZARDS THEY WERE' WORKING IN, AND THE POSSIBLE HEALTH AFFECTS THAT WOULD RESULT.
THOSE OF US WHO WORKED AT THIS PLANT KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT' WE HAVE WORKED IN AND CONDITIONS THAT WE ENCOUNTERED. THE' DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'S OWN DOCUMENTS VERIFY EVERYTHING THAT' WE HAVE RELAYED TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS OVER THE PAST 5 YEARS,' YET NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN. FALSE PROMISES BY DOE WILL NOT' SAVE A LIFE. IT IS TIME WE GO FARTHER WITH THE TRUTH. '
THIS PLANT CONSISTS OF OVER 50 YEARS OF MISTAKES AND EXPERIMENTS' TO ESTABLISH AND PRODUCE NOT ONLY THE WORLD=S FIRST ATOMIC' BOMB, BUT SUPPORT OTHER MISSIONS IN THE NUCLEAR DEFENSE OF THIS' COUNTRY. I HAVE ATTACHED EXHIBITS TO THIS TESTIMONY OF DOE=S OWN' ANALYSIS OF SOME OF THE K-25 SITE, SHOWING THE COMMON PRACTICES' OVER 50 YEARS OF SPILLING, "BURPING" OR VENTING INTO THE' ATMOSPHERE, POURING DOWN THE DRAINS, OR BURYING IN THE GROUND' THOUSANDS OF SUBSTANCES, INCLUDING URANIUMS, PLUTONIUM,' MERCURY, LEAD, BERYLLIUM, LEAKING CYLINDERS, ROTTEN DRUMS OF' TOXIC MATERIALS, PIECES OF RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED EQUIPMENT' AND PARTS OF TORN DOWN BUILDINGS. THIS LIST GOES ON AND ON, BUT I' AM TRYING TO GET YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS SITE HAS LITERALLY' BEEN CONTAMINATED WITH EVERY POSSIBLE SUBSTANCE AND HAS BEEN' OPERATED IN A MANNER WHICH HAS ALLOWED THAT CONTAMINATION TO' SPREAD OUTSIDE ITS BOUNDARIES. TO TOP IT OFF, A HAZARDOUS WASTE' INCINERATOR WAS BUILT ON THIS SITE TO BURN MIXED HAZARDOUS' WASTES, AND WASTES BEGAN BEING SHIPPED IN FROM ALL OTHER DOE' SITES, AND BURNED IN THIS INCINERATOR. HAZARDOUS WASTES NOT' BURNED ARE STORED ON SITE. ACCORDING TO DOE, THERE ARE NO' KNOWN MONITORS IN EXISTENCE, NOR HAS TECHNOLOGY YET BEEN ABLE' TO DEVELOP MONITORS THAT CAN DETECT WHAT EXACTLY IS BEING' EMITTED OUT OF THIS INCINERATOR WHEN BURNING TAKES PLACE.
WHEN I HIRED IN AT THE K-25 SITE I WAS A CLERK. I WAS TO ASSEMBLE' DATA PACKAGES FOR THE ANALYTICAL LABORATORIES ON SAMPLES AND' THEIR RESULTS TO MEET BOTH DOE AND EPA PROTOCOL. THIS INCLUDED' MAKING SURE ALL DATA WAS CORRECT AND REPORTED ON TIME. ' HOWEVER, MY DUTIES WERE SPLIT BY MY SUPERVISOR, WHO WAS IN' CHARGE OF K-25 SAMPLING GROUP. I HAD TO RETRIEVE OLD SAMPLES' WHICH HAD ACCUMULATED IN THE RECEIVING ROOM AREA , CARRY THEM' DOWNSTAIRS, CLEAN THEM UP, REPACKAGE, LABEL WITH AN I.D., AND BOX' AND TRANSPORT THEM TO ONE OF THE CLOSED PROCESS BUILDINGS FOR' STORAGE IN A LOCKED CAGED AREA. THE PROCESS BUILDING WAS FILTHY,' AND HAD BEEN SHUT DOWN FOR SOME TIME. IT WAS A PICTURE OF TIME' STOOD STILL, AS EQUIPMENT, DESKS, CHAIRS, AND BICYCLES NEEDED TO' GET AROUND IN THE LARGE BUILDING SET IDLE AND COVERED WITH DUST. I' HAD NO IDEAL WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED IN THIS OLD BUILDING, OR WHAT I' WAS COMING INTO DIRECT CONTACT WITH AS I MADE MANY, MANY TRIPS UP' THE STEPS TO THE CAGE WITH THE SAMPLES I HAD TRIED TO CLEAN UP' FOR STORAGE. I NEVER HAD ANY TYPE OF PROTECTIVE CLOTHING OR A' RESPIRATOR OFFERED ME. AFTER ALL, I WAS A DATA CLERK. THE' SAMPLES THAT I DEALT WITH DAILY VARIED AND INCLUDED AMBER' COLORED JUGS OF PCB'S, WHICH I WIPED OFF WITH A PAPER TOWEL AND' SECURED THE LIDS, NOT KNOWING PCB=S SOAKED DIRECTLY INTO THE' SKIN; THERE WERE SOIL SAMPLES, SAND SAMPLES, SAMPLES WITH SMALL' SILVER SHAVINGS, PETRIE DISHES COATED WITH MATERIAL, GLASS JARS' OF SOLIDS AS WELL AS LIQUIDS, AND EVEN SAMPLES ENCLOSED IN' RUBBER BINDINGS OR CONCRETE. IN ALL THERE WERE HUNDREDS UPON' HUNDREDS OF SAMPLES THAT I ARCHIVED AND STORED IN ONE OF THE' WORST CONTAMINATED BUILDINGS AT K-25. ALSO DURING THIS PERIOD' THAT THESE VERY SAMPLES SAT ON THE LARGE CONFERENCE TABLE' WHICH WAS MY DESK AND WORK AREA, PIPES FROM THE ANALYTICAL' LABORATORY UPSTAIRS LEAKED, AND THE GOOK DRIPPED IN MY HAIR, AND' I WOULD TAKE PAPER TOWELS AND WIPE IT OUT. AT NIGHT EVERYTHING' HAD TO BE COVERED WITH HEAVY DUTY PLASTIC BAGS, AND MORNINGS' WOULD BE SPENT IN CLEANING UP THE EQUIPMENT, DESKS, AND FLOORS. ' NEVER DID I HAVE ANY PROTECTIVE CLOTHING, OR KNOW WHAT WAS' DRIPPING ON MY HEAD. I DID DEVELOP A VERY RAPID HEART RATE, AND' ACTUALLY HAD A COUPLE OF BLACKOUT SPELLS WHICH RESULTED IN MY' BEING PUT IN CCU.
AFTER I BEGAN TO WORK AS A RADIATION/HEALTH PHYSICS TECHNICIAN, I ' WORKED ALMOST EVERY AREA OF THIS SITE. I HAVE ENCOUNTERED MANY ' SITUATIONS WHERE THE RADIATION READINGS WERE ABOVE THE DOE' LIMITS, AND HAVE WRITTEN MANY OCCURRENCE REPORTS. I HAVE' WORKED IN EVERY VAULT IN THE K-25 BUILDING. I HAVE WORKED ALL THE' PROCESS BUILDINGS, AND I WAS ASSIGNED TO BUILDING 1004L, A PILOT' PLANT, WHICH WAS HIGHLY CONTAMINATED. I HAVE BEEN IN AREAS THAT' WERE SO SMALL I WOULD HAVE TO LAY DOWN AND CRAWL IN. I HAVE' WORKED ON ROOF TOPS, IN BASEMENTS, IN THE BURIAL GROUNDS, AND IN' THE SCRAP YARDS. ONLY ONE TIME WAS I EVER GIVEN A RESPIRATOR' FOR A JOB, AND THAT WAS DURING A TRANSFER OF UF6, WHICH WAS' READING IN THE MILLIONS OF DISINTEGRATIONS PER MINUTE. I NOW HAVE' RADIATION READINGS ON SOME OF THE SAMPLES I HAD TO TRANSFER AS A' DATA CLERK, AND FIND THAT THESE SAMPLES ALSO READ UP IN THE' MILLIONS OF DISINTEGRATIONS PER MINUTE. THESE COUNTS ARE WELL' OVER THE DOE LIMITS OF 1,000 DPM ALPHA OR 5,000 DPM BETA/GAMMA' REMEMBER, I HAVE HAD 6 BREAST TUMORS, A SHUT DOWN PERFECTLY' NORMAL GALL BLADDER, RAPID HEART RATES, AND A MAJOR STOMACH' OPERATION. COINCIDENCE? OR CAUSE!
MANY OF THE SAMPLES I HANDLED WERE MILITARY SAMPLES, MANY CAME' FROM ROCKY FLATS, HANFORD, AND OTHER DOE SITES. MUCH OF THE ' RADIATION SURVEYS I DID AS A HEALTH PHYSICS TECHNICIAN WERE IN' CLEAN UP OPERATIONS, WHERE WE ENCOUNTERED EVERYTHING FROM' ENRICHED URANIUM TO TC99. DUST AND FILTH HAD ACCUMULATED' EVERYWHERE, AS HAD COLUMNS OF DANGEROUS MOLDS AND FUNGUS,' AND WE BREATHED THIS IN DAILY. VAULTS HAVE ACCUMULATED YEARS OF' TONS OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS, NICKEL, LITHIUM, AND HUNDREDS OF' OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND ROTTED OUT CYLINDERS LEAKED UF6 , WHILE' BARRELS RUSTED OUT AND LEAKED MATERIALS INTO THE GROUND. THE' TEMPERATURES VARIED FROM EXTREME HEAT AND COLD.
K-25 ILL WORKERS HAVE HAD A ROUGH ROAD WHILE BEING SICK AS WELL' AS FACING FINANCIAL TURMOIL, AND HAVING TO DEAL WITH DOE-ORO' MANAGERS AND OFFICIALS WHO HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. WE' HAVE CONSTANTLY BEEN RIDICULED, MOCKED, CONFRONTED, LAUGHED AT,' IGNORED, CRITICIZED.......AND MATERIAL AND PROCESSES THAT WE KNEW' WE WORKED IN AND AROUND WERE READILY DENIED, AND THE SAME' ADAGE OF AWE NEVER HAD ANY HERE CONTINUES TO REIGN REGARDING' ALMOST EVERY MATERIAL WE MENTION. BOTH DOE AND CONTRACTOR' HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGERS HAVE PERSONALLY BEEN INVOLVED IN ' FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE HAZARDS TO THE EMPLOYEES, AND SEEM TO' BE IN TOP PAYING POSITIONS WITHOUT THE NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE FOR' THE JOB. LOCKHEED MARTIN HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGER ADMITTED' KNOWING OF THE DANGEROUS LEVELS OF MOLDS AND FUNGI IN THE' VAULTS, KNEW THERE WAS NO POSTINGS, AND KNEW SO FOR "5 TO 8' YEARS". HIS REPLY WHEN I ASKED HIM WHY HE DID NOT TELL US OF THESE' HEALTH HAZARDS AND PROVIDE US PROTECTION, WAS, "IF EMPLOYEES' THOUGHT THERE WAS A PROBLEM, THEY SHOULD HAVE COME TO ME' (INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE) AND ASKED ABOUT IT". THIS APPEARS TO BE THE' REVERSAL OF POLICY: THE EMPLOYEE LINES UP SOME 8,000 DEEP EVERY' MORNING AT THE DOOR OF INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE AND ASKS IF THERE ARE' ANY HEALTH HAZARDS IN HIS WORK AREA FOR THE DAY. WE ALWAYS' THOUGHT THAT AS EMPLOYEES WE WOULD BE INSTRUCTED OF ANY' HAZARDOUS WORK SITUATION, AND WOULD BE SUPPLIED ADEQUATE' PROTECTIVE CLOTHING FOR THE JOB. OBVIOUSLY, MANAGEMENT DID NOT' SEE IT THIS WAY. THIS SAME MAN WAS APPOINTED THE OVERSEER OF THE' BERYLLIUM PROGRAM AT K-25 BY DOE IN THE >80=S; HOWEVER, NO' PROGRAM WAS EVER ESTABLISHED, AND NO BERYLLIUM AREAS WERE' EVER POSTED AT THE K-25 SITE. REMEMBER, DOE AND LOCKHEED MARTIN' TOLD MY HUSBAND THAT HE DID NOT GET BERYLLIUM DISEASE THERE' BECAUSE "THEY NEVER HAD ANY". THROUGH DOE'S OWN DOCUMENTS, WE' HAVE DOCUMENTED SOME 34 BUILDINGS AT K-25 THAT UTILIZED OR STORED' BERYLLIUM IN SOME WAY.
THE LEASING OF SPACES IN BUILDINGS AT THE K-25 SITE IS OF UTMOST' CONCERN TO THE K-25 ILL WORKERS. WE FEEL THESE BUILDINGS HAVE' NOT BEEN ADEQUATELY CLEANED, AND ALSO, WE FEEL THAT THIS SITE,' WHICH IS A SUPERFUND SITE, SHOULD BE POSTED AS SUCH. THERE ARE' NO SIGNS SHOWING K-25 TO BE A SUPERFUND SITE. UNFORTUNATELY, WE' ARE AFRAID THAT A FEW YEARS FROM NOW THERE WILL BEGIN TO' SURFACE A NEW GROUP OF SICK WORKERS, THOSE WHO ARE NOW THOSE' EMPLOYEES OF THE SMALL BUSINESSES LEASING SPACE ON SITE. ' FURTHER, WE FEEL IT ONLY RIGHT AND FAIR THAT A PADLOCK BE PLACED' ON THE GATES OF K-25, AND REMAIN THERE UNTIL A PROPER SOLUTION' CAN BE FOUND.
I SINCERELY BELIEVE I AM DAMAGED FROM WORK EXPOSURES. I KNOW' WHAT I HAVE WORKED IN, AND I HAVE WORKED ACROSS THE ENTIRE SITE' IN EVERY BUILDING, VAULT, AND ON THE GROUNDS WHICH INCLUDE THE' SCRAP YARDS AND THE BURIAL GROUNDS. I HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO' HISTORICAL CONTAMINATION IN LARGE QUANTITIES, CHEMICALS IN LARGE' QUANTITIES, WASTES IN LARGE QUANTITIES, AND RADIOACTIVE ELEMENTS' WITH EXTREMELY HIGH READINGS. I HAVE PERSONALLY SCRAPPED IT UP' OFF THE FLOORS, HAD IT DRIP IN MY HAIR, WIPED IT UP, REPACKAGED IT,' TRANSFERRED IT FROM ONE LOCATION TO ANOTHER.......I HAVE SMELLED IT,' BREATHED IT, AND PROBABLY EAT IT. IT IS STORED AND IT IS BURIED. IT' DOES EXIST. THESE SAME HISTORICAL WASTES AND CHEMICALS ARE THE' SAME ONES THAT WERE USED TO MANUFACTURE A BOMB THAT WAS' DROPPED ON THE DESTROYED A NATION. IF YOU THINK THESE ILLNESSES' ARE NOT REAL, JUST ASK THE PEOPLE OF JAPAN.
I AM TRAPPED IN A BODY OF PAIN. I HURT. I AM SICK. I AM DYING. MY' FAMILY SUFFERS BECAUSE OF ME. MY HUSBAND IS ALSO IN PAIN, AND' SUFFERS BREATHING DIFFICULTIES HE SHOULD NEVER HAVE' ENCOUNTERED. WE ARE JUST TWO EXAMPLES OF ALL THE K-25' WORKERS. ALL OF US SUFFER ALIKE. ALL OF US HAVE LOST OUR HOPE' FOR ANY FUTURE. PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING. IF DOE CAN SETTLE WITH' OTHER SITES LIKE THE MOUND SITE, OR IF THE GOVERNMENT PROVIDES' HELP IN ANY FORM TO ANY NUCLEAR WORKER, THEN WE MUST ALL BE ' AWARDED JUSTLY. IT SHOULD NOT EVEN BE A CONSIDERATION THAT WE' WERE WORKED UNDER "DISCRETIONARY FUNCTION", THAT THE' GOVERNMENT HAD A RIGHT TO WORK US WITHOUT NOTIFYING US OF THE' HAZARDS DUE TO NATIONAL SECURITY. HOW ABSURD THAT SUCH AN IDEAL' EVEN EXISTS. WE WORKED FOR THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THIS COUNTRY' AND WE DEDICATED OURSELVES TO DO OUR JOBS WELL, BUT NEVER DID' WE EVER EXPECT TO BECOME DESPERATELY ILL, LOOSE OUR LIFE=S' WORK, OUR HOMES, OUR FINANCES, AND ANY CHANCE OF EVER WORKING' AGAIN SO THAT ALL OF YOU COULD LIVE A LIFE OF GRANDEUR AND RETIRE' HEALTHY AND RICH AT OUR EXPENSE. HOW SHAMEFUL. WE ARE INDEED' AMERICA'S LIVING DEAD!