The Hanford Environmental Health Foundation is in charge of monthly medical checks for the exposed workers.

Those checks consist of blood, urine, lung and hearing tests, plus others if needed for specific individuals, HEHF officials said.

HEHF has tried to contact each worker monthly to offer the checks.

Some have had the checks each month, some have not taken any, and some have taken a few and refused a few, said Sandra Matheson, HEHF president, and Dr. John Calcagni, HEHF medical director.

The monthly checks were conducted for six months. In six months, another set of follow-up checks will be offered, they said.

The workers' distrust of Hanford stems from the numerous mistakes after the explosion and extend to HEHF, Matheson and Calcagni said.

Consequently, HEHF has pulled away from an active role in addressing in-depth medical tests other than offering the monthly monitoring.

"We recognize they would have more confidence in another provider," Matheson said.

The HEHF officials declined to discuss any specific or general findings, citing confidentiality rules.