The resource center, to be located at Bunting Drive and Martintown Road in North Augusta, is part of the federal government's effort to compensate people who were sickened from work at nuclear-weapons sites such as SRS, said Manager Gary Lawhead.

''Its total purpose is to assist people in preparing claims for the Labor Department,'' he said. ''The government recognizes that this has been a hardship on people, and it wants to make it as simple as can be to file these claims.

''The whole program is oriented to help people submit their claims as easily as possible.''

The Energy Employees Illness Compensation Act takes effect July 31. The act will provide provide lump-sum payments of $150,000 to current and former workers who suffer from radiation-induced cancers or chronic beryllium disease.

Eligible workers also will receive compensation for medical expenses from the date their claims were filed. In some cases, surviving relatives of deceased workers also will be eligible for benefits.

To file a claim, people need only a few documents, Mr. Lawhead said. A doctor's diagnosis for an illness covered by the act is necessary, he said.

Surviving relatives filing for benefits also need the death certificate of the deceased worker, preferably with an autopsy report attached, Mr. Lawhead said.

Relatives also must furnish proof of their relationship to the deceased worker. A marriage license or birth certificate is acceptable, Mr. Lawhead said.

Resource center staffers will interview claimants about their work histories at SRS, then request verification of employment from the site, Mr. Lawhead said.

There is no deadline for filing claims, he said.

The center will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, Mr. Lawhead said. To schedule an appointment or request more information, contact the center at (803) 279-2728.

Reach Brandon Haddock at (706) 823-3409 or bhaddock@augustachronicle.com.