TESTIMONY OF EARL EVERETT

Given April 9, 2003

Before the U.S. House of Representatives

Committee on the Judiciary

GOOD MORNING MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS EARL EVERETT. AS DIRECTOR OF SAFETY ENGINEERING WITHIN THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, I HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF VARIOUS CODES AND STANDARDS ACCEPTED BY THE STATE OF GEORGIA. SOME OF THE MOST NOTABLE STANDARDS ARE THOSE DEVELOPED BY THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS (ASME), NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION (NFPA), AMERICAN SOCIETY OF TESTING MATERIALS (ASTM), AMERICAN SOCIETY OF SAFETY ENGINEERS (ASSE) AND THE NATIONAL BOARD INSPECTION CODE (NBIC). CODES OF THESE STANDARD-DEVELOPING ORGANIZATIONS ARE GENERALLY ACCEPTED AS PROPER AND EFFECTIVE GUIDELINES IN DETERMINING SAFETY AND QUALITY OF VARIOUS PRODUCTS. FOR EXAMPLE: THE ASME BOILER AND PRESSURE VESSEL CODE AND THE NBIC, HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE IN ASSURING THE SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS. SINCE THEIR INCEPTION IN THE EARLY 1900’s, THESE STANDARDS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED BY 49 STATES. THEY ARE DEVELOPED BY OVER 800 VOLUNTEER MEMBERS REPRESENTING ALL SEGMENTS OF THE BOILER AND PRESSURE VESSEL INDUSTRY, INCLUDING MANUFACTURERS, USERS AND ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES. THESE CODES ARE CONTINUOUSLY REVIEWED TO ENSURE THAT THE LATEST MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY ARE INCORPORATED. WITHOUT THE CONSENSUS STANDARDS BEING AVAILABLE FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, THERE WOULD BE NO UNIFORMITY OR RECIPROCITY AMONG THE STATES. PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED IN ONE STATE MAY NOT MEET THE STANDARDS OF ANOTHER STATE. IF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TRIED TO DEVELOP AND PROMULGATE INDEPENDENT STANDARDS, THERE WOULD BE SO MANY OUTSIDE INFLUENCES, IT WOULD BE VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO ARRIVE AT AN ACCEPTABLE CONSENSUS. STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS DO NOT HAVE THE EXPERTISE OR RESOURCES TO EXPEND IN DEVELOPMENT OF ANY STANDARDS.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE STANDARDS AND THE VOLUNTEERS WHO DEVELOPED THEM CANNOT BE OVERSTATED. THEY TOUCH OUR LIVES AND THE LIVES OF OUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS IN EVERYTHING WE DO. WE ARE SO DEPENDENT ON STANDARDS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO TAKE SAFETY, CONVENIENCE, COMFORT AND LONGEVITY FOR GRANTED. SOMEWHERE, RIGHT NOW, SOME HIGHLY TRAINED AND EXPERIENCED PERSON IS VOLUNTEERING HIS OR HER TIME TO MAKE THIS A BETTER AND SAFER PLACE FOR US ALL TO LIVE.

MR. CHAIRMAN, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE OF SERVICE AND WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS.