ACGIH Structure

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ACGIH Structure

• Scott Merkle, CIH
• National Institute of Environmental Health
  Sciences
• Past-Chair, ACGIH

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Forum on ACGIH Exposure Assessment Guidelines

• Inaugural Forum at 2002 AIHce.
• Annual forum on ACGIH activities to develop
  occupational exposure assessment guidelines and
  criteria.
• Focus of this forum Current processes for
  developing TLVs for chemical substances.

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TLVs and BEIs

• Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances
• Threshold Limit Values for Physical Agents
• Biological Exposure Indices for Chemical
  Substances

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What Is ACGIH?

• Membership Society (founded in 1938)
• Not-for-profit, Non-governmental Association
  (501(c)(6) organization)
• Multi-Disciplinary Membership
• Traditionally Neutral on Public Positions

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MembershipMarch 31, 2002
Private Industry Others
Government Academia
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Membership by Profession, 2001
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Revenue Sources
Membership Dues
Other
Education
Technical Publications
2001 ACGIH Statement of Activities
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Revenue From Technical Publications (2.2M)
Other House Pubs.
TLV/BEI Book CD-Rom
Co-Op Sales
Bioaerosols
TLV/BEI Documentation
Ind. Vent. Manual CD-Rom
OEV Guide
2001 ACGIH Statement of Activities
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Technical Committees
Committees provide the creativity, initiative,
and technical expertise that has made ACGIH what
it is today and what it will be tomorrow. .
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ACGIH Committees

• Committees consist of members, who volunteer time
  toward developing scientific guidelines and
  publications
• Primary goal is to serve the scientific needs of
  occupational hygienists
• Committee expenses (travel) are supported by
  ACGIH
• Time is donated by the members

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Committees
May 2002 Merkle
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Core Mission
May 2002 Merkle
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Topics of Debate Over the Years

• The development and sharing of chemical toxicity
  data (pre- and post- OSHA TSCA).
• TLVs based on analogy
• How to assess risks for carcinogenic effects.
• The (Mis)use of TLVs for non-occupational
  exposures.

1940s - Present
1960s - Present
1980s - Present
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Topics of Debate Over the Years
1990s Present

• International harmonization of values, or of
  the underlying definitions and principles.
• Marshalling the resources needed to support the
  development of voluntary guidelines.
• Concerns that influences from corporate and
  governmental interests can contaminate the
  process.
• Castleman Ziem (1988) Legal challenges
  (2000-2001).

1990s - Present
1980s - Present
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Legal Challengesof 2001

• In December 2000, ACGIH was named as a defendant
  in 3 separate lawsuits --
• The Staples Case -- Carlin David Staples, et.
  al. vs. DOW Chemical Company, et. al.
• The RCFC Case -- Refractory Ceramic Fibers
  Coalition, et. al. vs. ACGIH.
• The Trona Case -- Anchor Glass Container
  Corp., et. al. vs. ACGIH, U.S. DOL, and U.S. DHHS.

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Lessons

• TLVs provide vitally important benchmarks for
  occupational exposure assessment.
• The status of TLVs as guidelines,not standards,
  is not understood by many outside our profession.
• The 3 Cs of the TLV development process.
• Communication,
• Confidentiality,
• Conflict of Interest.

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Role of the TLV in the Overall Context of Risk
Management
Risk Management
Risk Assessment
Research
Development of regulatory options Evaluation of
social, economic political consequences Regulat
ory decisions and rulemaking
Toxicity assessment
Risk characterization
Exposure assessment
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Risk Characterization

• The process of organizing, evaluating, and
  communicating information about the nature,
  strength of evidence, and likelihood of adverse
  health effects from particular exposures.
• Final Report The Presidential/Congressional
  Commission on Risk Assessment and Risk
  Management, 1997

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ACGIH Statement of Position

• ACGIH is not a standards setting body.
• TLVs and BEIs
• Are an expression of scientific opinion.
• Are not consensus standards.
• Are based solely on health factors it may not be
  economically or technically feasible to meet
  established TLVs or BEIs.

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ACGIH Statement of Position

• TLVs and BEIs
• Should NOT be adopted as standards without an
  analysis of other factors necessary to make
  appropriate risk management decisions.
• Can provide valuable input into the risk
  characterization process. The full written
  Documentation for the numerical TLV or BEI
  should be reviewed.