SCCOSH in the Early Years: a SCCOSH in the Early Years: a founder's recollections founder's recollections by Amanda by Amanda

HawesHawes

In the mid 70's, a small group met in San In the mid 70's, a small group met in San Jose, California to discuss chemical-handling Jose, California to discuss chemical-handling aspects of the semiconductor industry and aspects of the semiconductor industry and ways to raise our concerns publicly. ways to raise our concerns publicly.

We called ourselves We called ourselves the Electronics the Electronics Committee for Occupational Safety and Committee for Occupational Safety and Health “ECOSH”Health “ECOSH”..

members included members included electronics workers, electronics workers, occupational nurses, engineering students, occupational nurses, engineering students, labor, environmental and religious leaderslabor, environmental and religious leaders. .

SCCOSH in the Early Years: SCCOSH in the Early Years: The TCE campaign The TCE campaign aa

Santa Clara Center for Occupational Safety Santa Clara Center for Occupational Safety and Health (SCCOSH) and Health (SCCOSH) was formally was formally organized in 1978. organized in 1978.

ECOSH continued as a SCCOSH project into ECOSH continued as a SCCOSH project into the early 1980s, gaining recognition for a the early 1980s, gaining recognition for a vigorous and largely successful campaign vigorous and largely successful campaign to to ban TCEban TCE as well as energetic support and as well as energetic support and advocacy for workers trying to win better advocacy for workers trying to win better conditionsconditions

START 0F SVTCSTART 0F SVTC

Another early SCCOSH project was Another early SCCOSH project was Injured Workers UnitedInjured Workers United, a support , a support group for workers already affected by group for workers already affected by chemical exposures, trying to secure chemical exposures, trying to secure fair compensation, decent medical fair compensation, decent medical care and retraining. The care and retraining. The Silicon Valley Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC) Toxics Coalition (SVTC) also started also started out as an early project of SCCOSHout as an early project of SCCOSH..

IBM Corporate Mortality FileIBM Corporate Mortality File

For 30 years IBM maintained cause of death For 30 years IBM maintained cause of death and work history data on 30,000 workers. and work history data on 30,000 workers. Epidemiologist Dr. Richard Clapp found thatEpidemiologist Dr. Richard Clapp found that

Breast cancer deaths were 2.42 times the Breast cancer deaths were 2.42 times the expected numberexpected number

Similar findings for brain cancer, kidney Similar findings for brain cancer, kidney cancer, non-Hodgikins lymphomacancer, non-Hodgikins lymphoma

The human cost…The human cost…Silicon Valley CasualtiesSilicon Valley Casualties

what OSH justice looks likewhat OSH justice looks like

Close gap between occupational and Close gap between occupational and environmental PELs for carcinogens and environmental PELs for carcinogens and developmental/reproductive toxics developmental/reproductive toxics

Replace toxics with ‘green chemistry’Replace toxics with ‘green chemistry’ Medical surveillance for exposed Medical surveillance for exposed

workersworkers Compensation for harm already doneCompensation for harm already done Penal sanctions for chronic wrongdoingPenal sanctions for chronic wrongdoing

Strategic partnersStrategic partners unions, workers’ rights grpsunions, workers’ rights grps environmental justice orgs.environmental justice orgs. Women’s health advocatesWomen’s health advocates Children’s health advocatesChildren’s health advocates health care providers (e.g. ob-gyns, health care providers (e.g. ob-gyns,

oncologists, pediatricians)oncologists, pediatricians)

Alliance-building themesAlliance-building themes Link occ. disease prevention to debate Link occ. disease prevention to debate

on provision and cost of health careon provision and cost of health care

Document high societal cost of status Document high societal cost of status quoquo

Document environmental benefits from Document environmental benefits from better workplace PELs better workplace PELs

Realities of advocacy for Realities of advocacy for chemically-injured workers and chemically-injured workers and

their childrentheir children

Time and cost investmentsTime and cost investments Limited human data Limited human data challenges of exposure challenges of exposure

reconstructionreconstruction Limited # of competent expertsLimited # of competent experts vast resources of most defendantsvast resources of most defendants

Survival toolsSurvival tools vision and perseverance of a marathonervision and perseverance of a marathoner Field organizational ability of center Field organizational ability of center

midfieldermidfielder Sufficient knowledge of history to not Sufficient knowledge of history to not

repeat itrepeat it Low blood pressureLow blood pressure Appropriate sense of humor and of ironyAppropriate sense of humor and of irony Strong belief in karmaStrong belief in karma

The beginning of wisdom is calling things by The beginning of wisdom is calling things by their right nametheir right name. .

Every person has her own patch of earth to Every person has her own patch of earth to

cultivate. What is important is that she dig cultivate. What is important is that she dig deepdeep

Si se puede, Si se puede,

y lo mas importante de todo:y lo mas importante de todo:

El pueblo unido jamas sera vencidoEl pueblo unido jamas sera vencido. .