Document nkrxyyQdw4Kbxkwm2vD4L6xx6

FILE NAME: Calaveras (CALV) DATE: 1979 Sept 19 DOC#: CALV024 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Pages 1-7 of President's Remarks at AIA Board Meeting CAL 0019 225 BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING SEPTEMBER 19 , 1979 AGENDA ITEM V - REMARKS OF THE PRESIDENT - <T. A . DOUGHERTY) FIR S T , I WOULD LIK E TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE APPRECIATION TO THE DIRECTORS FOR YOUR SHOW OF CONFIDENCE IN REELECTING ME AS PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION, EVEN THOUGH IT DOES MAKE ME QUESTION THE SOUND NESS OF YOUR JUDGMENT. IN ONE SENSE, I F E E L THAT I HAVE ALREADY SERVED MY "TURN IN THE BARREL"; HOWEVER, IF YOU THINK I CAN MAKE A FURTHER CONTRIBUTION IN THE O F F IC E , I'M WILLING TO CONTINUE AND PLEDGE TO DO THE BEST JOB I CAN. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO THOSE WHO HAVE RENDERED INVALUABLE ASSISTANCE TO THE ASSOCIATION DURING THE PRECEDING WORK YEAR; MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (GUY GABRIELSON, JOHN MARSH, DIMITRY POUTIATINE, HARRY RHODES, KURT SCHWARZ AND ED ZACHARIAS); OUR STANDARDS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND AIR MONITORING COMMITTEE, BOTH CHAIRED BY HARRY RHODES; THE AIA/NA TECHNICAL COMMITTEE WITH ED FENNER AS CHAIRMAN; AND LEGAL RESEARCH COMF1I T !E E UNDER GUY GABRIELSON. JOHN MARSH HAS SERVED US WELL AS REPRESENTATIVE IN THE ASBESTOS INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION. LAST SEPTEMBER WHEN WE MET NEAR HERE AT THE TWIN BRIDGES MARRIOTT, THEN HEW SECRETARY CALIFANO HAD JUST GIVEN HIS "INFAMOUS" SPEECH TO THE A F L -C IO 'S NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH. MR. CALIFANO ALLEGED THAT AT LEAST 20 PERCENT OF CANCER C A L 0019 224 - 2- IN THE UNITED STATES IS WORK R ELATED , AND THAT EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS W ILL ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 1 7 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CANCER DEATHS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 30-35 YEARS. THE EXTENSIVE PRESS COVERAGE AFFORDED THIS SPEECH, COMBINED WITH THE NATIONAL CANCER IN S T IT U T E 'S ONGOING PUBLIC AWARENESS PROGRAM ON ASBESTOS, DID NOT G IV E US A GREAT DEAL TO CHEER ABOUT. AS YOU W ILL R EC A LL, WE AGREED AT OUR '7 8 ANNUAL MEETING TO CONDUCT A S C IE N T IF IC REVIEW OF THE HEW-SPONSORED ESTIMATES PAPER WHICH WAS THE BASIS FOR MR. C ALIFAN O 'S REMARKS. OUR DETAILED RESPONSE SUBMITTED IN DECEMBER TOOK THE FORM OF AN OPEN LETTER TO THE HEW SECRETARY AND. I B E L IE V E , CONTRIBUTED SIGN IFIC ANTLY TO D ISCRED ITING THE PAPER. IT HAS Y ET TO BE PUBLISHED FOR PEER REVIEW. THE MONTHS FOLLOWING OUR MEETING LAST YEAR HAVE BEEN F IL L E D WITH CONSIDERABLE A C T IV IT Y . THE ASSOCIATION HAS PARTICIPATED IN A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT ACTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE INDUSTRY. .1 WILL NOT ATTEMPT AN IN-DEPTH REVIEW OR MENTION OF A LL OF THEM. I DO B E L IE V E , HOWEVER, THAT THE FOLLOWING ARE WORTHY OF YOUR ATTENTION: 1. AIA/NA ARRANGED FOR AND SERVED AS HOST ON BEHALF OF THE ASBESTOS INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION A COLLOQUIUM IN W ASHINGTON,D.C., OCTOBER 1 1 - 1 3 , ON DUST MEASURING TECHNIQUE AND STRATEGY. IT WAS ATTENDED BY 37 REPRESENTATIVES FROM 13 COUNTRIES. THE IN IT IA L OBJECTIVE OF THIS INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY EFFORT IS THE DEVELOPMENT 5 CAL 0019 226 / 's* OF IMPROVED METHODS OF MEASUREMENT OF ASBESTOS CONCENTRATIONS IN THE WORKPLACE. PROGRESS IS BEING MADE ON THIS PROJECT. 2 . A PLANT PHYSICIANS CONFERENCE WAS CONDUCTED AT TULANE U N IV ER S ITY IN NEW ORLEANS ON NOVEMBER 9 -1 0 . WE WERE PLEASED THAT MORE THAN 30 INDUSTRY PHYSICIANS ATTENDED THIS EVENT WHICH WAS COORDINATED BY OUR MEDICAL CONSUL IAN I , UK, HANS W E ILL. 3 . E A R LIER THIS YEAR INFORMATION WAS RECEIVED THAT THE U .S . NAVY WAS TAKING A VERY HARD PO SITION ON SEEKING SUBSTITUTES FOR A L L ASBESTOS-CONTAINING PRODUCTS. OVER A PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS. FOUR SEPARATE MEETINGS WERE CONDUCTED BETWEEN NAVY AND ASSOCIATION R EP R ES EN TA TIV ES , INCLUDING A TECHNICAL PRESENTATION ON ASBESTOSCONTAINING PRODUCTS. IN A D D ITIO N , A NUMBER OF STUDIES AND MATERIALS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO THE NAVY. WE THINK THAT OUR EFFORTS HAVE RESULTED IN A MORE REASONABLE APPROACH BY THE NAVY AND, TO D ATE, TH EIR M ILITAR Y SPEC IFIC ATIO NS ONLY EXCLUDE ASBESTOS PRODUCTS IN THE THERMAL INSULATION CATEGORY. 4 . QUANTITY DISTRIBUTION OF AIA/NA PREPARED EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS TO BOTH INDUSTRY AND THE PUBLIC HAS OCCURRED AT A HIGH LEV EL. 5 . SEVERAL STATES HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN PROPOSING FURTHER REGULATION OF ASBESTOS. C A LIF O R N IA , CONNECTICUT, MONTANA AND V IR G IN IA READ ILY COME TO MIND. HARRY RHODES HAS PARTICIPATED IN i i CAL 0019 227 -H- HEARINGS AND OTHERWISE BEEN "OUR MAN" IN CALIFORNIA. NONE OF US FULLY APPRECIATES THE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT WHICH HARRY EXPENDED ON OUR BEHALF, EFFORT WHICH HAS BEEN HOST WORTHWHILE. A MAJOR RESPONSE TO AN AMBIENT PROPOSAL BY THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT WAS DEVELOPED AND SUBMITTED BY THE ASSOCIATION IN FEBRUARY. WE HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE THAT OUR EFFORT WAS A FACTOR IN FORESTALLING THAT IN ITIA TIVE FOR THE TIME BEING. MONTANA ACCEPTED OUR RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING RESTRICTIONS ON SPRAY-ON ASBESTOS MATERIALS. OUR COMMENTS HAVE ALSO HAD SOME IMPACT IN VIRGINIA'S RECENT REGULATION WHICH DEALS PRIMARILY WITH REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. 6. A VERY AMBITIOUS ROUND-ROBIN FIBER MEASURING PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED AND CARRIED OUT, THE PURPOSE WHICH WAS TO DETERMINE ACCURACY AND REPRODUCIBILITY OF THE METHOD OF MEASURING EXPOSURE LEVELS. AS YOU HAVE HEARD FROM HARRY RHODES, THIS WAS A MONSTROUS UNDERTAKING AND COMPILATION OF RESULTS IS NOW UNDER WAY. WE BELIEVE IT WILL PROVIDE EXCELLENT AND USEFUL INFORMATION. WE WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONTRIBUTION TO THIS PROGRAM BY NATIONAL CAL 0019 228 7 . IN THE FED ER A L A R EA , THERE HAS BEEN ONE NEW REGULATION ISSUED DURING TH E LAST 12 MONTHS. TH IS RULE CONCERNS THE TRANSPORTATION OF ASBESTOS AND WAS PUBLISHED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. A G A IN , WE THINK OUR INPUT WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN ACHIEVING A REASONABLE REGULATION. YOU HAVE BEEN KEPT ABREAST OF THE FACT THAT OSHA HAS NEITHER SCHEDULED A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITS PROPOSED REVISION OF THE ASBESTOS STANDARD NOR YET PROPOSED A STANDARD FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. EARLY IN THE Y EA R . I SENT YOU A LETT ER WHICH REVIEWED THE OSHA S ITU A TIO N IN SOME D E T A IL AND SUGGESTED THAT MEMBERS ASSESS TH EIR OWN PARTICULAR S ITU ATIO N AND DETERMINE TO WHAT EXTENT THAT THEY WOULD SUPPORT A CHALLENGE TO ANY PROPOSED STANDARDS DEEMED UNACCEPTABLE. I B E L IE V E THAT THOSE COMMENTS REMAIN T IM E LY , AND VIE SHOULD APPLY CONTINUING FORETHOUGHT AND PLANNING TO THE END THAT WE CAN ACT QUICKLY AND P O S IT IV ELY WHENEVER OSHA PUBLISHES NEW PROPOSALS. VJE COVERED IN THE ANNUAL MEETING TH IS MORNING TWO S P E C IF IC ASSOCIATION IN IT IA T IV E S THAT PERTAIN TO THIS SUBJECT (THE RFP DRAFT PREPARED BY CDP ASSOCIATES, AND WORK PRACTICES POSITION PAPER COOPERATIVE EFFORT WITH ACPPA). SOME TIM E AGO, WE WERE CONVINCED THAT THE CONCEPT OF WORK PRACTICES IS THE ONLY PRACTICAL APPROACH TO ASBESTOS REGULATION IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT THE FIRST SESSION OF OUR INDUSTRY-GOVERNMENT CONFERENCE THIS AFTERNOON W ILL CAL 0019 229 COVER RECOMMENDED WORK PRACTICES IN VARIOUS SEGMENTS OF THIS INDUSTRY, WE, OF COURSE, ARE HOPEFUL THAT OUR GOVERNMENT PARTICIPANTS AND GUESTS WILL BE FAVORABLY IMPRESSED. zrrs THE LAST FEW MONTHS unyr grrji pARTiCuLAftLY ACTIVE AS HE HAVE WORKED WITH BOTH EPA AND CPSC IN ANTICIPATION OF FURTHER REGULATORY INITIATIVES BY THESE AGENCIES. AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE ASSOCIATION: 1 . ARRANGED FOR AND PRESENTED A TECHNICAL REVIEW OF ASBESTOSCONTAINING PRODUCTS AND MEDICAL SEMINAR ON JUNE 18 AND AUGUST 8 RESPECTIVELY AT EPA HEADQUARTERS. 2 . FORMED AN AD HOC COMMITTEE FOR FRICTION MATERIALS WHICH IS COOPERATING WITH EPA IN DEVELOPMENT OF A VOLUNTARY GUIDANCE DOCUMENT. 3. SUBMITTED COMMENTS ON A REPORT PREPARED BY A CONSULTING FIRM FOR EPA AS PART OF THE AGENCY'S INVESTIGATION OF ASBESTOS. IT IS THE OPINION OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE THAT EPA AND CPSC MAY PRESENT, OVER THE NEXT YEAR, THE MOST SERIOUS THREAT THAT THE ASBESTOS INDUSTRY HAS FACED IN THE REGULATORY ARENA TO DATE. SINCE WE DISCUSSED AND CONSIDERED THESE ISSUES EARLIER THIS MORNING. I WILL NOT REPEAT THEM HERE. CAL 0019 230 2r /? 7 - OW. WITH YOUR INDULGENCE, I WOULD l IKE TO BRAG A L IT T L E : DURING MY TERM OF OFFIC E THERE HAVE LOT BEEN LAKY DEVELOPMENTS ABOUT WHICH WE CAN FEEL CCMFUR1ABIE OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT THE ASSOCIATION HAS DEVELOPED INTO AN EFFEC T IV E, RESPONSIBLE, AND CREDIBLE ORGAN 1Z AI U N . THE RE IS ONE ACHIEVEMENT OF WHICH 5 TEEL ES PEC IA LLY PROUD, THOUGH- AND THAT IS THE APPOINTMENT OF BOB PIGG TO THE POSITION Of LXLCUT1VL DIRECTOR. I ' M SURE THAT A LL OF YOU HAVE HAD OCCASION TO DEAL WITH BOB DURING THE LAST YEAR AND THAT YOU A LL SHARE MY APPRECIATION OF DEDICATION AND MANY TALENTS. HIS WORK HAS BLLN TRULY OUTSTANDING. HE HAS BEEN EXTREMELY ABLY ASS1STLD IN HIS EFFORTS BY I HE OTHER MEMBERS OF HIS STAFF AND I R EFER , OF COURSE, TO RICH. CINDY, AND WANDA. THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF A C TIV IT IES CARRIED OUT BY THIS SHALL FORCE IN A MOST PLEASANT AND COOPERATIVE MANNER HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS. I AM PLEASED !H A r P H ILIP BERG W ILL SOON BE JOINING THE STAFF TO ADD MUCH NEEDED ASSISTANCE. 1 WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT YOU JOIN ME IN GIVING THEM ALL A MUCH DESERVED ROUND OF APPLAUSE. S O LIC IT YOUR SUGGESTIONS AND ASSISTANCE AS WE BEGIN A NEW YEA*'. , THE ASSOCIATION'S WORK. I BELIEVE THAT nIA/NA HAS ACTED RESPONSIBLY WITHIN OUR LIM ITED RESOURCES DURING THE PAST YEAR. FURTHER, I AM PERSUADED THAT, WHILE OUR CHALLENGES ARE FORMIDABLE, WL SHOULD AND WILL MEET THEM WITH A RENEWED DEDICATION AND RESOLVE. THANK YOU.