Document omO609D2B5mBObRXdJQkyYJ68

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING SEPTEMBER 19, 1979 AGENDA ITEM V - REMARKS OF THE PRESIDENT - (T. A. DOUGHERTY) FIRST, I WOULD LIKE 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 FEEL THAT I HAVE ALREADY - SERVED MY "TURN IN THE BARREL"; HOWEVER, IF YOU THINK I CAN MAKE A FURTHER CONTRIBUTION IN THE OFFICE, 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 COMMITTEE 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 AFL-CIO'S NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH. MR.CALIFANO ALLEGED THAT AT LEAST 20 PERCENT OF CANCER R 00003871 MMRE00012546 -2- IN THE UNITED STATES IS WORK RELATED, AND THAT EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS WILL ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 17 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 INSTITUTE'S ONGOING PUBLIC AWARENESS PROGRAM ON ASBESTOS, DID NOT GIVE US A GREAT DEAL TO CHEER ABOUT. AS YOU WILL RECALL, WE AGREED AT OUR '78 ANNUAL MEETING TO CONDUCT A SCIENTIFIC REVIEW OF THE HEW-SPONSORED ESTIMATES PAPER WHICH WAS THE BASIS FOR MR. CALIFANO'S REMARKS. OUR DETAILED RESPONSE SUBMITTED IN DECEMBER TOOK THE FORM OF AN OPEN LETTER TO THE HEW SECRETARY AND, I BELIEVE, CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO DISCREDITING THE PAPER. IT HAS YET TO BE PUBLISHED FOR PEER REVIEW. THE MONTHS FOLLOWING OUR MEETING LAST YEAR HAVE BEEN FILLED WITH CONSIDERABLE ACTIVITY. 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 ALL OF THEM. I DO BELIEVE, 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 WASHINGTON, D.C., OCTOBER 11-13, ON DUST MEASURING TECHNIQUE AND STRATEGY. IT WAS ATTENDED BY 37 REPRESENTATIVES FROM 13 COUNTRIES. THE INITIAL OBJECTIVE OF THIS INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY EFFORT IS THE DEVELOPMENT R 00003872 MMRE00012547 -3- 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 UNIVERSITY IN NEW ORLEANS ON NOVEMBER 9-10. WE WERE PLEASED THAT MORE THAN 30 INDUSTRY PHYSICIANS ATTENDED THIS EVENT WHICH WAS COORDINATED BY OUR MEDICAL CONSULTANT, DR. HANS WEILL. 3. EARLIER THIS YEAR INFORMATION WAS RECEIVED THAT THE U.S. NAVY WAS TAKING A VERY HARD POSITION ON SEEKING SUBSTITUTES FOR ALL ASBESTOS-CONTAINING PRODUCTS. OVER A PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS, FOUR SEPARATE MEETINGS WERE CONDUCTED BETWEEN NAVY AND ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVES, INCLUDING A TECHNICAL PRESENTATION ON ASBESTOSCONTAINING PRODUCTS. IN ADDITION, 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 DATE, THEIR MILITARY SPECIFICATIONS 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 LEVEL. 5. SEVERAL STATES HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN PROPOSING FURTHER REGULATION OF ASBESTOS. CALIFORNIA, CONNECTICUT, MONTANA AND VIRGINIA READILY COME TO MIND. HARRY RHODES HAS PARTICIPATED IN R 00003873 MMRE00012548 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 MOST 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 INITIATIVE 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 GYPSUM AND JOHNS-MANVILLE AS WELL AS ALL OTHER PARTICIPANTS. R00003874 MMRE00012549 -5- 7. IN THE FEDERAL AREA, THERE HAS BEEN ONE NEW REGULATION ISSUED DURING THE LAST 12 MONTHS. THIS RULE CONCERNS THE TRANSPORTATION OF ASBESTOS AND WAS PUBLISHED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. AGAIN, 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 YEAR, I SENT YOU A LETTER WHICH REVIEWED THE OSHA SITUATION IN SOME DETAIL AND SUGGESTED THAT MEMBERS ASSESS THEIR OWN PARTICULAR SITUATION AND DETERMINE TO WHAT EXTENT THAT THEY WOULD SUPPORT A CHALLENGE TO ANY PROPOSED STANDARDS DEEMED UNACCEPTABLE. I BELIEVE THAT THOSE COMMENTS REMAIN TIMELY, AND WE SHOULD APPLY CONTINUING FORETHOUGHT AND PLANNING TO THE END THAT WE CAN ACT QUICKLY AND POSITIVELY WHENEVER OSHA PUBLISHES NEW PROPOSALS. WE COVERED IN THE ANNUAL MEETING THIS MORNING TWO SPECIFIC ASSOCIATION INITIATIVES THAT PERTAIN TO THIS SUBJECT (THE RFP DRAFT PREPARED BY CDP ASSOCIATES, AND WORK PRACTICES POSITION PAPER COOPERATIVE EFFORT WITH ACPPA). SOME TIME 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 WILL R 00003875 MMRE00012550 -6COVER RECOMMENDED WORK PRACTICES IN VARIOUS SEGMENTS OF THIS INDUSTRY, WE, OF COURSE, ARE HOPEFUL THAT OUR'GOVERNMENT PARTICIPANTS AND GUESTS WILL BE FAVORABLY IMPRESSED. THE LAST FEW MONTHS HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY ACTIVE AS WE 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. R 00003876 MMRE00012551 -7- NOW, WITH YOUR INDULGENCE, I WOULD LIKE TO BRAG A LITTLE: DURING MY TERM OF OFFICE THERE HAVE NOT BEEN MANY DEVELOPMENTS ABOUT WHICH WE CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT THE ASSOCIATION HAS DEVELOPED INTO AN EFFECTIVE, RESPONSIBLE, AND CREDIBLE ORGANIZATION. THERE IS ONE ACHIEVEMENT OF WHICH I FEEL ESPECIALLY PROUD, THOUGH, AND THAT IS THE APPOINTMENT OF BOB PIGG TO THE POSITION OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. I'M SURE THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE HAD OCCASION TO DEAL WITH BOB DURING THE LAST YEAR AMD THAT YOU ALL SHARE MY APPRECIATION OF HIS DEDICATION AND MANY TALENTS. HIS WORK HAS BEEN TRULY OUTSTANDING. HE HAS BEEN EXTREMELY ABLY ASSISTED IN HIS EFFORTS BY THE OTHER MEMBERS OF HIS STAFF AND I REFER, OF COURSE, TO RICH, CINDY, AND WANDA. THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF-ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY THIS SMALL FORCE IN A MOST PLEASANT AND COOPERATIVE MANNER HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS. I AM PLEASED THAT PHILIP BERG WILL SOON BE JOINING THE STAFF TO ADD MUCH NEEDED ASSISTANCE. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT YOU JOIN ME IN GIVING THEM ALL A MUCH DESERVED ROUND OF APPLAUSE. I SOLICIT YOUR SUGGESTIONS AND ASSISTANCE AS WE BEGIN A NEW YEAR IN THE ASSOCIATION'S WORK. I BELIEVE THAT AIA/NA-HAS ACTED RESPONSIBLY WITHIN OUR LIMITED RESOURCES DURING THE PAST YEAR. FURTHER, I AM PERSUADED THAT, WHILE OUR CHALLENGES ARE FORMIDABLE, WE SHOULD AND WILL MEET THEM WITH A RENEWED DEDICATION AND RESOLVE. THANK YOU. MMRE00012552