AORC

Safety Health and Environmental Committee (SHEC)

Mission Statement: The mission of the Automotive Occupant Restraint Council (AORC) Safety, Health and Environmental Committee (SHEC) is to promote a healthy and risk free environment. This will be accomplished through:
• Sharing incident and near miss information.
• Actively participating in the SHEC and it's subcommittees.
• Sharing of safety, health, and environmental best practices and providing assistance with effective implementation.
• Proactively providing responsible input to governing authorities on code and regulatory matters.
• Developing and publishing of positions, recommendations and safety alerts.

Recent Accomplishments:

1. Creation of an Industry Guidance Document for the Handling of Automobile Airbag Initiators. Document is now posted in the Members Only Section under Guidance Documents and other SHEC Information.

2. At the fall 2006 meeting, SHEC members were notified and discussed in detail California's Perchlorate Contamination Prevention Act of 2003. The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) adopted the Perchlorate Best Management Practices (BMPs) regulations on December 31, 2005, and the regulations are effective July 1, 2006. The SHEC committee agreed upon adding perchlorate information to existing MSDS's.

3. The election of Cheryl Malloy (Takata) as the SHEC Environmental Chair and Joan Fassinger (Delphi) as the ABIRD Co-Chair.

4. SHEC provided NAAHAC technical support for their meetings with ATF on Propellant Actuated Devices.

5. Progress has been made in the ABIRD committee with AORC communication to automobile recyclers. The state of Oregon has referred to the AORC web site for interpretations and end of life vehicle single point deployment is becoming a reality.

Future and Current Projects/Programs/Objectives:

1. The SHEC agreed that the most pressing code issue remaining for AORC member companies is the deficiencies in the electric code addressing energetic material safety. The safety subcommittee has begun the necessary work to elicit experts in the field to develop an AORC Electrical Guidance Document that represents the interests of the AORC and its constituents.

2. The SHEC will continue to monitor and work together to resolve issues related to Californias Perchlorate Contamination Prevention Act of 2003 and the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) Perchlorate Best Management Practices (BMPs).

3. Continued technical support for the NAAHAC and ABIRD committee. Several SHEC members are NAAHAC and ABIRD members.

4. SHEC members have expressed difficulties in dealing with one time shipments of explosive waste material. The SHEC will work with the DOT to determine if improvements can be made to allow for the safe shipment of these materials for disposal.

5. SHEC members have expressed issues and inconsistencies with the latest ATF inspections and enforcement. The committee plans to work together to address these concerns and inconsistencies with ATF representatives.

6. SHEC will work together to address best practices in regards to substance of concern (SOC) verification testing.

7. The SHEC will be reviewing and discussing the applicability of the Department of Homeland Security's new regulation on Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism to its member companies.


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