SIMI VALLEY : Study of Workers’ Health Planned

The state Department of Health Services is seeking proposals from independent researchers to study the health of past and present workers at Rockwell International’s Santa Susana Field Laboratory near Simi Valley, officials said Wednesday.

Department officials recently sent out more than 3,000 notices to researchers and scientists nationwide who might be interested in performing the $500,000 study, said Larry Bilick, a department spokesman.

The purpose of the study is to determine if there have been unusually high incidents of cancer and other serious illnesses among past and present workers from possible chemical and radiological exposure. Rockwell tests rocket engines at the lab and once did extensive nuclear experiments there for the U. S. Department of Energy, which is paying for the epidemiological study.

Rockwell officials said they welcome the study and will provide whatever assistance necessary to carry it out.

Meanwhile, Bilick said state health officials are also seeking nominees for a 13-member advisory committee that will select researchers for the health study and then monitor its progress.

The committee will include scientists, health officials and five community members.

Anyone interested in applying should contact the Department of Health Services or the California Public Health Foundation. The deadline to submit applications is May 22.

Bilick said the deadline for potential contractors to file a bid for the worker health study is July 10.

He said the study itself will probably begin in late August or early September and is expected to take about 18 months to complete.