Agency: Ill Hanford workers should get $150,000

RICHLAND – People who worked at Hanford at the dawn of the nuclear age should receive $150,000 if they develop any of a wide range of cancers, a federal agency is recommending.

Currently, workers at the nuclear reservation who were exposed to radiation are eligible for payment only if a federal agency estimates their personal exposure to radiation and determines there was at least a 50 percent chance it caused their cancer.

Workers can get special treatment if their radiation exposure cannot be accurately calculated.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s recommendation will be considered at an advisory board meeting in the Tri-Cities in July.