HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 11031987 - I.O.2 10.K,
TO BOARD .OF SUPERVISORS. ..
FROM: INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
Contra
October 26, 1987. C;osta
may
DATE 1 If 11\/
SUBJECT: Various Issues Relating to USS-POSCO vv�� ��J
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1 . Request the . Director . of Health Services to attempt to-
determine whether any employees or :former.. employees of B. E.
& K. are using County health facilities and report his
findings and conclusions to our Committee on November 23 at
10: 30 A.M.
2 . Request the Director of -.Social . Services . to attempt to .,
determine whether any employees or former employees of B. E..
&. K. are receiving,. or have. applied for welfare. benefits or
social services from the Social . Services Department, and
report his findings and ,conclusions to . our Committee on
November 23 at 10:30 A.M.
r
3 . Request the Assistant Health Services Director--Environ-
mental Health to determine whether the asbestos testing done
at USS-POSCO in July 1987 was done as'. thoroughly as
• possible, and whether testing should have been. done at'
ground level to determine ' possible threats to employees
working on the production line, and forward his findings and
recommendations to- our Committee in writing -by November 23 . .
4'. Request the Assistant Health Services Director..--Environ
mental Health to determine who, generally, receives reports
of asbestos disposal, how the disposal - of such waste is
tracked from the. point at which it is removed to the point
of final disposal, where the asbestos removed from the
USS-POSCO plant was taken, where it was finally disposed of,
and what records exist to track its movement and disposal,
and. forward his findings to our.- Committee in writing by
November 23
. . 5 . Request the Assistant Health Services Director.--Public
Health to determine who is handling employee drug testing at
the B. E. & K. construction site in Pittsburg, how the.
testing process is handled, whether the process which is in
place. could lead to instances of tampering with samples,
.either accidentally or intentionally, and what
recommendations he. has- for our Committee which could lead to
increased security and assurance .on the part .of employees
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE; .
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
X APPROVE OTHER ------�
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SIGNATURE(SNancv C. hden Tom Torlakson
ACTION OF BOARD ON November. , 1987
APPROVED ASRECII+MMEYDED XILOTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
UNAN 1 MOUS (ABSENT ,7PID CORRECT COPY.OF AN ACT 1 ON TAKEN
AYES: NOES: _ AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
cc: Listed on Page 2 ATTESTED
PHIL'BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
BY 4 ,DEPUTY
M382/7-83 -
Page 2
that tests are being handled in such a way that the identity
of the employee or potential employee is protected and that
the test results, in fact, represent the .sample provided by
that employee and ask :that he report- to our Committee with
his findings and recommendations ' ,on November 23 at 10: 30
A.M.
6 . Request that 'the Health Services Director provide our .
Committee on November 23 at 10: 30 A.M. with a written
analysis of the health plan . offered to its employees by B.
E. & K. , comparing the major provisions of B.. E. . & K. ' s plan
with other generally recognized plans among, similar .
employment groups in the County.
BACKGROUND:
On October 6, 1987, the Board of Supervisors approved a report by
our 'Committee requesting additional information .from County staff
regarding employment practices of B. E. & K. and ' alleged safety
violations which occurred at the USS-POSCO plant in Pittsburg
this past summer.
At our meeting. on October 26, 1987, our Committee met with
representatives of.�USS-POSCO, the Health Services Department, the
Central Labor Council, several, labor unions and a representative
of .the Coast Guard to pursue this matter further. We received a
memorandum. from the District Attorney indicating that he had been
unable to uncover any evidence which would lead him to consider
further action against USS-POSCO as a result . of the alleged acid
spill . in June 1987 or as a .result of the August 1985 mill fire
incident. Our . Committee also received a memorandum from Dr..
Wendel Brunner, . Assistant Health Services--Public Health`,
commenting on the drug testing procedures at USS-POSCO, and. a
memorandum from the Executive Director of the Private Industry
Council commenting on his findings regarding the extent to which
the employment of workers at .USS-.POSCO by its general contractor,
B. E. & K. , have led to any increases in the . problems of the
homeless in the County. We also received an oral report from the
Assistant Health Services Director--Environmental Health, Dan
Bergman,. and Lieutenant Commander Tom Talbot .of the U. S. Coast .
;Guard- regarding the Coast Guard' s investigation of the alleged
acid or pickle liquor spill on June 24, 1987 .
The :written reports which were :made available to our: Committee
are attached to this report. LCDR Talbot reported that the Coast
Guard' s findings .. did not warrant a citation or further
investigation in regard to the alleged acid spill on June .2 4,
1987 , .based on tests made by. the Regional Water Control Board of
samples taken by the Coast Guard' the evening of June 24, 1987 .
As a result of our discussions on these matters, we have. made the
above recommendations in an effort to complete our investigation
on these issues.
c cl County Administrator
County Counsel
Health Services Director
Asst. Health Svcs. Dir. --Env. Health
and Public Health
Social Services Director
Exec. Director--PIC
Earl' MacIntyre, USS-POSCO
Steve Roberti , Central •Labor Council
Charlene Clarke., McCutchen, Doyle, Brown & Enersen