Blockson Chemical Company-Building 55 and Related Activities Information
Location
10 West 35th Street
Joliet, Illinois

Blockson Chemical Company operated a plant which produced uranium from phosphoric acid. The AEC contracted with Blockson for the recovery of the uranium, which was ultimately used in weapons production. The AEC Uranium production work performed by Blockson was conducted in a one-story brick structure known as Building 55.
This listing is also intended to cover the AEC-funded laboratory, pilot plant and oxidation process, which also occurred at Blockson, and was related to the work in Building 55.
During the period of residual contamination, as designated by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and as noted in the dates above, employees of subsequent owners and operators of this facility are also covered under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act.
Alternative Names
- Blockson Chemical Group
- Olin Mathieson
- Olin Corporation
Type of Facility
- Atomic Weapons Employer
Covered by EEOICPA
- Part B
EEOICPA Covered Years
- 1951-June 1960 (AWE)
- July 1960-March 1, 2011 (residual radiation)
DOE
DOL
- Tracking your DOL Claim Status
- Advisory Board on Toxic Substances and Worker Health
- Ombudsman’s Office
- Resource Center
- DOL Case and Claim Statistics
- Approved Special Exposure Cohorts
- Bulletin 11-01: Blockson Chemical Company SEC Class from March 1, 1951 through June 30, 1960
NIOSH
- Tracking your NIOSH Case Status
- Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health
- AWE Site Wide Documents
- NIOSH Case Statistics
- Special Exposure Cohort Status Table
- Petition 045, 058: “All Atomic Weapons Employer employees who worked at the Blockson Chemical Company in Joliet, Illinois from March 1, 1951 to June 30, 1960, for a number of work days aggregating at least 250 work days, occurring either solely under this employment or in combination with work days within the parameters established for one or more other classes of employees included in the Special Exposure Cohort.”
- Work Site Information
Other Resources
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