U.S. Department of Labor visits Madison/Granite City energy workers

St. Peters, MO – On behalf of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA) ombudsman, Malcom Nelson, representatives will visit former energy workers from Dow Chemical and General Steel Industries on Wednesday, April 5, 2017 at 1pm.

The gathering will take place at Jerry’s Cafeteria in Granite City, IL with a presentation from the office followed by a Q&A session regarding the EEOICPA. Atomic Resource Coalition (ARC) has organized the visit to enable former energy employees to ask questions and share their concerns regarding their time working at the Atomic Weapons Employer sites.

After years of working with hazardous chemicals and radiation, countless numbers of workers are now sick or deceased because of occupational induced illnesses. Now, many have burning questions as to why their EEOICPA claims are not going through or why their illnesses are not recognized as a result of working at these sites.

As part of quality control for the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), General Steel Industries x-rayed uranium ingots and betatron slices. Dow Chemical supplied the AEC with magnesium-thorium plates and sheets, metals, equipment and other services.

According to the DOL EEOICP program statistics, to date over $51 million in medical bills and compensation have been paid to Dow Chemical and General Steel Industries workers. However, of these 3,120 claims and cases, only 877 have been accepted and 2,043 have been denied.

The EEOICPA was enacted by congress under the DOL in October 2000. Because energy workers were put in harm’s way by construction of nuclear weapons during the Cold War Era without their knowledge, consent or proper protective gear, the act was created. Implementation of the EEOICPA not only provides medical benefits to qualifying current and retired workers, but also compensation for qualifying workers and survivors. To date, over $11 billion dollars have been paid out in monetary compensation and medical benefits under the EEOICPA.

Questions regarding the visit can be directed to the ARC office at 844-686-8355.

ARC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that assists and educates current and former energy workers, as well as their family members, about the benefits which may be available to them under the EEOICPA. ARC is committed to helping energy workers and their families navigate the EEOICPA claim filing process, performing charitable services, and serving as an active education resource regarding the program.

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