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LINKING PEOPLE, JOINING NATIONS
that industry and associated academic establishments could meet, free of special interest
pressures, to share their knowledge and experience. There they could be tasked to consider
new technological developments, debate the validity and conclusions of scientific reports
on health and safety risks on these and established processes, to seek a consensus view and
advise everyone in the industry on their best assessment of levels of risk and how these
might be managed most effectively and efficiently.’
18
This statement encapsulated the ethical andmotivational considerations
of the work undertaken by C-VIII in its entirety. This group consisted of
leading experts from around the world, with growing numbers coming from
developing countries, including academicians or experts prominent in health
and safety. In addition to members already mentioned, and although too
many to list here, the group included Prof. Peter J. Hewitt of the Metal Fume
Research Unit, University of Bradford (UK); Prof. Yoshihiro Yamaguchi
(Japan); Mr Ken Brown, The Lincoln Electric Company (USA); Mr Steve
Hedrick (USA), as well as standardisation expert Mr Mathias Lundin
(Sweden), and Mr Daniel Beaufils (France) who later would become CEO of
the IIW Secretariat. Dr Vilia Elena Spiegel-Ciobanu (Germany), originally
from Romania, was also another productive member of the Commission
and often presented results of research work into health issues caused by
hazardous fume substances in welding.
19
On finishing his first term as Chair of C-VIII in 2000, McMillan announced his
resignation from the group indicating that changes in his new work assignment made it
difficult to fulfil his duties as Chair. Beaufils fulfilled this role in the meantime as Acting
Chair but indicated that his new appointment as CEO of the IIW Secretariat would also
preclude him from future involvement as a Chair of C-VIII. McMillan then agreed to
continue the duties of the Chair of C-VIII at its meeting in Copenhagen in June 2002. At this
meeting it was announced that ‘Dr Kohyama from Japan was to take over as delegate at the
end of the meeting from our long-serving and esteemed colleague, Professor Yamaguchi’.
20
Yamaguchi had chaired a working group, mainly Japan-based, on optical radiation that
produced a number of documents on hazards and preventative equipment for ultraviolet,
visible and infrared radiation in welding. Yamaguchi, as a young medical technician, was
one of the very first persons to enter radioactive areas in Japan to assist victims of the blast
after the atomic bomb was dropped on Japan in 1945.
21
With respect to a parallel initiative in health and safety, discussions did take place at a
Board of Directors meeting in San Francisco in July 1997 to identify aspects associated with
IIW’s objectives towards achieving a sustainable environment. Mr Bertil Pekkari (Sweden)
was to champion the cause of the environment. Following a further meeting of the Board