Norton Company Information

Norton manufactured refractory products from boron, beryllium, uranium, thorium, and magnesium oxide for the MED and the AEC.
As early as 1943, Norton was providing boron to the SAM laboratory. Documents show that Norton began working with beryllium for the MED in approximately September 1944 and that work with beryllium continued through 1956. Work with thorium and uranium continued through 1957 at Norton’s Worcester location.

Norton continued to manufacture refractory products until at least 1965 for the AEC weapons complex, including Rocky Flats, Hanford and Y-12. However, after 1957 these contracts specified that the refractory products were to be made out of magnesium oxide. Since magnesium oxide is not radioactive, Norton’s work with it does not qualify it as an Atomic Weapons Employer for these years.

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.

Type of Facility

• Atomic Weapons Employer
• Beryllium Vendor

Covered by EEOICPA

• Part B

EEOICPA Covered Years

• 1944-1956 (beryllium vendor)
• 1945-1957 (AWE)
• 1958-March 1, 2011 (residual radiation)

Did work for:

• Hanfordy
• Rocky Flats
• SAM Laboratory
• Y-12

DOE

• DOE Facility List by Name
• FUSRAP Considered Site

DOL

• Tracking your DOL Claim Status
• Advisory Board on Toxic Substances and Worker Health
• Ombudsman’s Office
• Resource Center
• DOL Case and Claim Statistics
• Site Exposure Matrix
• Approved Special Exposure Cohorts
• Bulletin 10-01: Norton Company SEC Class
• Circular 11-07: Norton Co. Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) Class from January 1, 1958 to October 10, 1962

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 148: “All AWE employees who worked at Norton Company in Worcester, Massachusetts, from January 1, 1945 through December 31, 1957, 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.”
  • Petition 173: “All atomic weapons employees who worked in any building or area at the facility owned by the Norton Co. (or a subsequent owner) in Worcester, Massachusetts, during the period from January 1, 1958 through October 10, 1962, 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

• Waste Lands-America’s Forgotten Nuclear Legacy Database