LETTER TO WILLIAM E. BROCK FROM ARVEL D. THARP

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90G00152R001001860003-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 1, 2011
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: March 20, 1987
• Content Type: LETTER

STAT
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Executive Rstry. _._---
87-0896x/1
The Honorable William E. Brock
Secretary of Labor
Washington, D.C.
Dear Mr. Brock,
Your letter of 26 February 1987 regarding the Hazard
Communications Standard (HCS) has been referred to me for response
as the CIA Designated Safety and Health Official.
The HCS is indeed considered an extremely important safety
and health standard, which I am sure will improve considerably the
environments of employees who work with hazardous chemicals. The
standard was adopted by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
effective 25 May 1986. A notice to this effect was issued to CIA
employees on 23 May 1986 and was followed up with Headquarters and
Field Regulations which established the policy and responsibilties
for the program.
Implementation of the HCS is and will continue to be one of
the areas of special emphasis in our Occupational Safety and Health
Program. We adopted the Hazardous ''at_risi Identification System
by The National Print and Coatings Association and nave completed
surveys of the chemicals in 50 areas. Material Safety Data Sheets
for 2,000 chemicals used by the CIA have been obtained and are in a
master file as well as work areas. Two hundred and four (204)
employees have been given appropriate training. In addition,
procurement procedures were revised to require that all CIA
solicitations and contracts for hazardous chemicals as defined in
29 CFR 1910.1200 require that the contractor provide Material
Safety Data Sheets to the contractors' offices, who in turn will
provide them to the Safety Division with name and location of the
CIA Office requesting the chemicals.
L-2y2-Ir
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STAT
I feel that we have a very effective program for
implementation of the HCS, however, support your proposal to
Pstahlish a cnvernment-wide technical assistance orogram. .4r.
Safety
program and will contact :4r. Plummer, OSHA Federal Agency
Program Director, as requested in your letter.
Division has been designated as the "key person"
Please be assured that providing safe and healthful work
environments for CIA employees is a continuing primary concern
of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Sincerely,
STAT
Arvel D. Tharp, M.D.
Distribution:
Orig - Adse
1 - ER
1 - DDA
1 - SD
1 - EHPMO
DD/MS:pao) 20 Mar 87
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EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT
ROUTING SLIP
ACTION
INFO
DATE
INITIAL
1
DCI
2
DDCI
3
EXDIR
4
D/ICS
5
DDI
6
DDA
X
7
DDO
8
DDS&T
9
Chm/NIC
10
GC
11
IG
12
Compt
13
D/OCA
14
D/PAO
15
D/PERS
16
D/Ex Staff
17
C Safet S
aff
x
18
19
20
21
01,
22
SUSPENSE
3 Mar '87
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SECRETARY OF LABOR
WASHINGTON, D.C.
February 26, 1987
The Honorable Robert M. Gates
Deputy Director
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D.C. 20505
Executive Registry
87-0896x
on November 25, 1983, the Department of Labor's Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a final rule
on a Hazard Communication Standard (HCS). This regulation,
codified as 29 CFR Part 1910.1200, became fully effective on
May 25, 1986.
I believe this standard ranks among the most important safety
and health regulations issued since passage of the Occupational
Safety and Health Act of 1970. It is a performance oriented
standard which recognizes that manufacturers of hazardous
chemicals are best equipped to describe the hazards of their
products, together with instructions for safe use and handling.
It recognizes that the employer is best equipped to provide
training and in-plant labelling designed to alert employees to
the hazards of chemicals with which they work. Further, the
standard recognizes that employees can and will work safely if
they know about the potential hazards of the compounds in
their facilities.
The joint labor-management Federal Advisory council on Occu-
pational Safety and Health (FACOSH) has asked the Labor
Department to provide technical assistance and leadership in
developing a government-wide, cooperative approach to imple-
menting this historic standard in the Federal sector.
The FACOSH committee suggested that the government develop a
cooperative program in four major technical assistance areas:
improved safety and health reference data; uniform labelling;
training for Federal employees; and procurement policies that
are consistent with the new OSHA standard.
Z_ - 2 -fi r
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In order to implement this program in the most cost-effective
manner, FACOSH recommended that coverage under the HCS be ex-
tended voluntarily to all Federal employees now, rather than
limiting coverage to employees performing the "manufacturing"
type activities covered by the current standard.
At this point I would like to recognize the significant sup-
port that the cooperative program has already received from
two agencies, Defense and Agriculture. The Department of
Defense has provided the resources necessary to develop a high
quality generic training program, including masters for lesson
plans and videotapes which will meet the hazard communication
training needs of all the agencies. The Department of Agricul-
ture has agreed to provide the resources necessary to develop
a data sheet reference file on the thousands of pesticides
used throughout the 'country.
With this in mind, I am seeking a similar commitment from your
agency in establishing a government-wide technical assistance
program to implement this regulation throughout the Federal
workforce. I am asking you as the responsible manager to agree
to our designating the HCS as a voluntary supplementary safety
and health standard as permitted under 29 CFR Part 1960.18.
Of course, we understand that the lead time required to develop
the training and data elements of the program will require us
to work together to develop appropriate abatement dates. In-
terim compliance procedures for participating agencies will be
forwarded to your Designated Agency Safety and Health official
from the Assistant Secretary of OSHA.
I am asking you to designate key staff to help us with the co-
operative technical assistance program which will be organized
through FACOSH and supported by the Department of Labor and
OSHA. Resources beyond those already committed by Agriculture
and Defense will be needed. By working together in this effort,
we believe that the cost for your agency to implement an effec-
tive hazard communication program will be considerably less
than if each agency developed a program on its own. Please
have your staff contact OSHA's Federal Agency Program Director,
Mr. John E. Plummer, on [phone] with respect to your
decision and the names of key staff who will be involved.
We have an opportunity in the Federal Government to assume a
leadership role and begin the process of providing the impor-
tant protection afforded by this standard to all Federal em-
ployees. I believe it is important to work together, to share
our resources and our skills, and develop a program that will
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protect all Federal workers. I believe this government-wide
approach will reduce the overall time and effort required to
comply with the regulation and will contribute significantly
to the President's goal of reducing workplace injuries and
illnesses by three percent.
Very truly yours,
WEB:blj
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