PREPARED STATEMENT OF EDWARD J. BAIER, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH, CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee:

I am Edward J. Baier, Deputy Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Accompanying me today is Dr. Richard F. Boggs, Assistant Director for External Coordination in the Division of Criteria Documentation and Standards Development.

NIOSH was established by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-596). Prior to 1970, the predecessor organizations of NIOSH operated under the general research authorities of the Public Health Service Act. Following passage of the Act, NIOSH was given specific responsibility to develop recommended standards for exposure to a broad range of occupational hazards, including ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. A Radiation Section was established in NIOSH in 1972.

NIOSH also has responsibility to recommend standards for control of toxic materials and harmful physical agents in coal and other mines under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Amendments Act of 1977 (P.L. 95-164). Under the two safety and health acts NIOSH has several vital functions related to protecting workers from workplace hazards, including ionizing and nonionizing radiation. These include the conduct of research programs, the performance of hazard evaluations, field studies, morbidity and mortality studies, the development of recommended standards, and the provision of technical assistance.

The development of criteria documents as a basis for standards for the occupational exposure to chemical and physical hazards is a continuing activity of NIOSH. These criteria documents are prepared for the purpose of recommending occupational health and safety standards to the

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and recommending

health standards for mines to the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). Both of these agencies within the Department of Labor are

responsible for setting and enforcing standards to protect workers. It is the goal of the Institute to identify the health effects produced by a substance or process and to recommend methods to evaluate and control the hazard. Before the documents are transmitted they undergo extensive internal and external review by management and trade associations, organized labor, academia, State and Federal agencies, and professional

societies.

More than 85 criteria documents recommending standards for occupational exposure have been transmitted to OSHA, including documents on hot environments, noise, and ultraviolet radiation. Documents involving consideration of worker radiation exposure planned for completion during fiscal years 78-81 include radiofrequency (RF) and microwave radiation, infrared radiation, and ultrasonic radiation. The RF/microwave criteria document will be completed during 1979. The preparation of this document will formally begin in May of this year, and because of the parallel interests of EPA with regard to the potential environmental exposures, we hope to work closely with them during its development. criteria documents are being developed this year for welding and brazing processes, and foundry processes, both of which have radiation exposure aspects. The RF/microwave criteria document will be completed during 1979. NIOSH is working with the Mine Safety and Health Administration to establish priorities for recommended health standards to protect miners.

In addition,

IONIZING RADIATION

One of NIOSH's major efforts mandated by Congress is the study of

industrial carcinogens.

NIOSH has completed a three volume report

summarizing the current knowledge of radiation-induced carcinogenesis. The information will assist Federal and State agencies in estimating the potential carcinogenicity of the various types of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation and will help to update the National Academy of Sciences 1972 summary report entitled, "The Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation" (BEIR Report).

For the past decade, NIOSH and its predecessor organizations have been gathering, analyzing, and publishing epidemiologic data on the hazards to workers from radon daughter products present in the uranium mining and milling operations. It was this work which first identified the lung cancer problems among uranium miners. This research on uranium miners was also instrumental in developing field methods for measuring radon daughters, procedures for engineering controls, and medical monitoring procedures for the diagnosis of lung cancer. At this time a cohort of miners exposed to low concentrations of radon daughters is still being followed to identify if there is an excess lung cancer risk in this

specific group.

NIOSH has provided technical assistance in addressing problems from radiation-generating equipment. For example, because of employee concern for the possibility of excessive ionizing radiation exposure, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Air Transport Association (ATA) requested NIOSH to evaluate the potential radiation hazards to airport

personnel working with baggage X-ray inspection units. NIOSH concluded that the doses received by airport personnel were well below the OSHA exposure standard and that the radiation hazard was minimal.

In 1976 NIOSH investigated the industrial use of ionizing radiation sources not regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The report of this investigation was used by States in planning radiation protection

programs.

NIOSH is initiating an epidemiologic study of workers on nuclear propulsion ships and other workers at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. The study will attempt to evaluate the workers' exposure to low-level radiation and to other possible health hazards to determine whether there is increased incidence of cancer among the workers and if this is associated with radiation or other exposures. If appropriate, the study may be expanded to other shipyards involved with nuclear propulsion ships.

NON-IONIZING RADIATION

A large part of the NIOSH radiation effort is in the non-ionizing radiation area. Our efforts include programs on radiofrequency and microwave, ultraviolet, infrared, laser, optical, noise and ultrasonic

radiation.

Radiofrequency (RF) and Microwave Radiation

Workers are potentially exposed to radiofrequency (RF) and microwave radiation from a large number of sources and devices, including a large number of radio and radar transmitters, industrial dryers, heat sealing and curing equipment, and certain medical research devices. In preparation for our development of the criteria document for occupational exposure to RF

and microwave radiation. NIOSH updated an extensive bibliography of world

literature of the bioeffects of RF and microwave radiation.

Recent observations raise the question of the possibility of cancer induction by TACAN radar, which is used extensively for tactical air navigation. NIOSH was requested to investigate the work hazards associated with TACAN operation and repair procedures at Department of Defense facilities after two TACAN repairmen had been diagnosed as having carcinoma of the pancreas. At none of the three survey sites did the present levels of microwave or X-radiation exceed the current OSHA guidelines. NIOSH has initiated a retrospective epidemiologic study to determine whether TACAN system repairmen exhibit an increased incidence of cancer of the pancreas, as well as carcinomas of other body sites.

This may

NIOSH became aware of several problem areas in the radiofrequency radiation band (specifically 10-300 MHz) in 1972. Employers often were unaware that they were using RF radiation in their facilities. have resulted from the fact that the industrial uses of RF generators were not widely publicized and little information was available on their uses. This is a reason why estimates of workers exposed to RF and microwave radiation vary from as few as 50,000 to as many as 21 million. Another problem identified was that there were no survey instruments available with which near-field measurements (from 10 to 300 MHz) could be made in the field. In addition, little information was available on the biological effects at the radiofrequencies used in industry.

The National Bureau of Standards (NBS) laboratory in Boulder,

Colorado, has developed, under interagency agreement with NIOSH,