Health and Safety Update

A landmark program to help protect telecom workers from unsafe levels of lead exposure has been expanded to cover all CenturyLink techs in every CWA district under an agreement reached by District 7, CWA's Occupational Safety and Health Department and CenturyLink.

The training and medical testing program now will cover the company's 3,550 techs who work with lead-sheathed cable and may face a serious health risk. CWA members employed as cable splicers, linemen, air pressure technicians, and other outside plant technicians sometime work with lead-encased telecommunications cables.

Lead is a carcinogen, a reproductive hazard and affects development of the central nervous system. It also causes brain disorders.

The program includes notification and training for techs who may work with lead-encased cables, new engineering and administrative controls and personal protective equipment to prevent and control lead exposure, voluntary blood testing and medical follow-up.

CWA Safety and Health Director David LeGrande is encouraging affected CenturyLink techs to participate in the voluntary testing program. Techs interested in participating will be asked to have their blood drawn no later than November 30, 2014.

Questions? Contact CWA's Safety and Health Director Dave LeGrande at legrande@cwa-union.org.