Mobilizing for Health and Safety

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Safe Jobs Now!
Mobilizing for Health and Safety
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Workshop Objectives
Agenda Slide

• Understand a union approach to health and
  safety.
• Learn how to identify and document HS
  problems and find solutions.
• Be aware of different strategies to get HS
  problems corrected.

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A Union Approach to Health and Safety

• Injuries, illnesses, and deaths can be prevented.
• Dont blame the victim.
• You cant rely on your employer.
• You cant rely on laws and enforcement.
• Workers acting together through their union can
  make employers provide safe workplaces!

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HS Issues are Good Organizing Issues

• Health and safety affect all workers.
• Health and safety issues can be won.
• Health and safety concerns can move workers to
  take action.

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Three Steps to Organizing for Health and Safety

• Identify and document
• problems.
• 2. Find solutions.
• 3. Develop a strategy
• and organize to
• get problems fixed.

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Building the Union by Organizing for HS
Safe Workplaces ? Building the Union

• When workers act together to make a safer
  workplace it makes the union stronger.
• A stronger union is better able to secure safe
  working conditions.

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Workshop Objectives

• Understand a union approach to health and
  safety.
• Learn how to identify and document HS
  problems and find solutions.
• Be aware of different strategies to get HS
  problems corrected.

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Identify the Problem
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Methods to Identify and Document HS Problems

• Talk to your co-workers.
• Survey the workers.
• Inspect the workplace for hazards.
• Investigate injuries and close calls.
• Take photos of hazardous conditions.

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Risk Mapping
Draw an outline of a work area and then mark
where hazards are located with symbols or colored
markers. Examples of hazards C chemical B
biological E ergonomic (lifting, repetitive
strain) M dangerous machinery R
radioactive H heat N noise V violence
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Body Mapping
Where does it hurt?
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Review Records

• You may have the right to
• Injury/illness/fatality logs and reports
• Workers compensation records
• Worker exposure and medical records
• Inspection reports/citations
• Material Safety Data Sheets

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Correcting Problems
MOST EFFECTIVE
LEAST EFFECTIVE
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Knowledge Check

• 1. Which of the following statements is true?
• Most work-related injuries are caused by careless
  workers.
• Hazards that cause injuries are part of the job.
• Correcting dangerous working conditions is the
  most important way to avoid injuries.
• 2. The least effective way to prevent health
  problems caused by chemicals is to
• Switch to less toxic chemicals
• Provide respirators, gloves and other personal
  protective equipment
• Use ventilation, lifting equipment, or machine
  guards to prevent exposures

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Answers

• Correct answer c) Correcting dangerous working
  conditions is the most important way to avoid
  injuries.
• 2. Correct answer b) Provide respirators,
  gloves and other personal protective equipment.
• Personal protective equipment, or ppe, such as
  respirators, gloves, hard hats are the least
  effective way to protect workers. The hazard is
  still there and if the equipment fails, there is
  no barrier between the worker and the danger.
  Sometimes PPE is the only choice, or it may be a
  backup to some other control such as ventilation.
  

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Workshop Objectives

• Understand a union approach to health and
  safety.
• Learn how to identify and document HS problems
  and find solutions.
• Be aware of different strategies to get HS
  problems corrected.

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A Union Health and Safety Committee

• Similar to having a union bargaining team that
  meets separately before talking with management.
• Work with employer when possible but can use
  other strategies if necessary.

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Labor/Management HS Committees

• Include structure/responsibilities in the
  contract.
• Have equal representation and co-chairs.
• Meet on a regular basis.
• Conduct inspections and other duties on work
  time.
• Receive/review injury reports, near misses, other
  documents.
• Maintain/review minutes of HS committee meetings
  and follow up.
• Provide training for committee members.

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Tactics

• Labor-management committees
• Contract language/grievances
• Petition
• Send a delegation to
• talk to management
• Political pressure
• Coalitions with other affected groups
• Media attention

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Public Employees Covered by Federally Approved
State OSHA Plans
Public and private sector workers covered by
federally approved state OSHA plan (CT, NJ, NY)
State and local government workers covered by
state OSHA program, private sector workers
covered by federal OSHA State and local
government workers not covered by federally
approved OSHA plan States with an Occupational
Safety and Health Law NOT Federally Approved
DC, IL, KS, ME, NH, OH, OK, WV, and WI
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What Does OSHA Coverage Mean?

• Right to a safe and healthful workplace
• Workplace inspections with union participation
• Enforcement of safety regulations
• Information about hazards and access to employer
  records
• Protection from being fired or discriminated
  against for filing complaints
• www.osha.gov

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There are no OSHA Standards for these Common
Hazards

• Workplace violence
• Indoor air quality
• Infectious diseases (with exception of the
  Bloodborne Pathogens Standard)
• Repetitive strain disorders

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Other Drawbacks of OSHA

• Enforcement varies.
• Some state plans do not allow public employers to
  be fined for violations.

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Other Laws that Apply to Public Employees

• Environmental Protection Agency
• Worker Protection Rule (extends OSHA asbestos
  rule)
• Asbestos in Schools Rule
• Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response
  (HAZWOPER)
• Right to Know Laws (chemicals)
• Local Building and Fire codes
• Health Department Regulations

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Refusing to do Unsafe Work
Exception to obey now, grieve later rule

• Applies to situations in which a worker in good
  faith believes that performing the task will
  result in death or serious harm.

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Refusing to do Unsafe Work Dos and Donts

• Do not simply refuse or walk off the job.
• Tell your supervisor you believe there is a
  serious hazard.
• Ask for a union representative.
• Tell the supervisor you will do the job if it is
  made safe to do so.
• Offer to do other work that is not dangerous.
• Ask for a safety manager to inspect the worksite.
• Phone in to request an imminent danger OSHA
  inspection.

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Workshop Objectives
Agenda Slide

• Understand a union approach to health and
  safety.
• Learn how to identify and document HS problems
  and solutions.
• Be aware of different strategies to get HS
  problems corrected.

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For More Information

• AFSCME DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH AND COLLECTIVE
  BARGAINING
• AFSCME Health and Safety homepage
  http//www.afscme.org/issues/73.cfm
• ? osha_at_afscme.org
• ?202-429-1228