Fernald Feed Materials Production Center
The Feed Materials Production Center was constructed in 1951 in Fernald, Ohio. During the Cold War, the Fernald site processed and purified uranium metal, which was used for the nation’s defense program. Production peaked in the mid-1950’s to early 1960’s, with a decline in production by the late 1980’s in part because the Cold War ended. The decline in production, along with environmental compliance and waste management problems led to shut down of the site in the early 1990’s. Today, a park and visitor center is the only structure found at the site.
Fact Sheets
Nuclear workers from the Fernald Feed Materials Production Center have been included in many NIOSH studies. Below are fact sheets that summarize some of the study findings for workers.
Questions asked at the Fernald public meeting (October 2008)
Publications from NIOSH studies done at Fernald
Evaluation of data for DOE site remediation workers. (2000)
Study of the mortality among female nuclear weapons workers. (2000)
Publications from grant-funded studies done at Fernald
Dupree EA, Watkins JP, Ingle JN, Wallace PW, West CM, Tankersly WG (1995). Uranium dust exposure and lung cancer risk in four uranium processing operations. Epidemiology 6(4): 370-375.
Wiggs LD, Cox-DeVore CA, Wilkinson GS, Reyes M (1991). Mortality among workers exposed to external ionizing radiation at a nuclear facility in Ohio. J Occup Med 33(5): 632-637.
Related websites
Ohio EPA Office of Federal Facilities Oversight
Medical screening programs available to workers
Fernald Worker Medical Monitoring Program (FWMMP)
To learn more, call 513-870-0900
Building Trades National Medical Screening Program
To learn more, call 1-800-866-9663
Worker Health Protection Program (WHPP)
To learn more, call 513-367-1333