CWA Occupational Safety and Health Conference - Summaries of Panel Presentations

Summaries of Panel Presentations

Our Jobs, Our Economy, Our Safety and Health
Les Leopold, Director of the Labor Institute and the Public Health Institute-

Referencing his recent book The Looting of America, Les highlighted the primary reasons for the financial collapse of 2008. Noting how Americans fell victim to Wall Street's exotic, fantasy financial products, he spelled out reasons why the financial crisis occurred by responding to several difficult questions:

• Why did Americans let the gap between workers' wages and executive compensation grow so large- For example, in 2008, 400 of these financial executives had an average salary of $3.9 billion (each) totaling $1.56 trillion?
• Why did we fail to realize the excess money in those executives' pockets was fueling casino-style investment schemes?
• Why did we buy the notion that too-good-to-be-true financial products that no one could even understand would somehow form the backbone of America's new, post-industrial economy? 
• How do we make sure we never give our wages away to gamblers again? and
• What can we do to get our money back? 

In receiving a rousing Thank-You from conference participants, Les closed with a plan of action to prevent future occurrences of the 2008 financial scam. 

For additional information, please contact Les at LesLeopold@aol.com.

Health and Safety in Bad Times: Recession, Restructuring, and Robber Barons
Charley Richardson, Consultant, United Steelworkers

Targeting the current financial crisis and how it has negatively affected occupational safety and health, Charley pointed out who caused the financial crisis, i.e., the wizards and robber barons of the financial sector as well as demonstrated how the growing inequality in wealth between the rich and America's workers has resulted in increased power by the rich to control the manner in which the U.S. and global economy operates and functions. This inequality has produced a situation in which the richest 10% of Americans possess 73% of the total wealth and the remaining 90% of U.S. workers possess the remaining 27% of total wealth.

Within the workplace, the increasing greed of the most wealthy has translated into policies that have allowed management to restructure work, decrease the size of the workforce, outsource work, increase worker productivity quotas, and change work schedules by increasing the number of hours worked through measures such as voluntary and mandatory overtime. In turn, these actions have brought about a loss of employee job security as well as collective bargaining and political power.

In addition, these actions have produced more hazardous and unsafe working conditions  as well as led to increased workplace safety and health hazards. In turn, health problems related to musculoskeletal/repetitive motion injuries and illnesses, job stress, and other workplace hazards have increased. In closing, Charley, pointed out there is only one way to turn this situation around- increased collective action by workers and demands for progressive change, increased unionization and collective bargaining, and increased legislative and political successes.

For additional information, please contact Charlie at Crichardson@usw.org.

Workplace Ergonomics and Occupational Stress
David LeGrande, CWA Occupational Safety and Health Director, Facilitator and Presentor

David provided an overview of this topic describing ergonomics as fitting workplace tools and equipment as well as job design and content to meet the physical and psychological characteristics of individual workers. Using the telecommunications and manufacturing industries as examples, he demonstrated how poorly designed workplaces and jobs continue to cause catastrophic numbers of member/worker musculoskeletal/repetitive motion injuries and illnesses. 

The 2009 IUE-CWA Local Union Occupational Injury/Illness Investigation
David LeGrande

During 2009, in coordination with Jim Clark, President of the IUE-CWA Manufacturing Division, CWA's Occupational Safety and Health Department conducted an analysis of OSHA injury/illness logs provided by 23 local IUE-CWA unions representing 53 employers. Of the 1,011 reported workplace injuries and illnesses, there were 327 musculoskeletal disorders (32% of all cases). This data indicates the need for continued work through local union and joint labor-management occupational safety and health committees to identify and resolve member safety and health and workplace equipment and design problems. As identified, effective safety and health committees are the appropriate means of effectively resolving workplace ergonomics issues as well as working to have the employer introduce properly designed equipment and tools. (Also, safety and health committees help to strengthen the structure and effectiveness of IUE-CWA local unions, allow local unions to more adequately represent their members, and provide local union occupational safety and health activists the opportunity to further develop their knowledge and skills).    

For additional information, please contact David at legrande@cwa-union.org.

Workplace Ergonomics: The High Road to Safety
Dana McCarthy, Occupational Safety and Health Director, CWA Local 1168

Targeting workplace ergonomics efforts and achievements involving CWA Local 1168 and Kaleida Health Care System, Dana McCarthy identified why this work stands out as one of the most successful ergonomics programs within CWA as well as the entire U.S. health care industry. Through the negotiation of a joint labor-management safety and health committee, the local worked for many years to convince the health care employer to develop a preventive approach to workplace ergonomics. Of importance, the primary tactic that moved Kaleida Health Care towards a fully cooperative approach with Local 1168 occurred after the local officers and leaders (led by Dana and his predecessor, Diane Moats) developed and presented a business case to the employer emphasizing the (economic) costs and benefits of preventing worker musculoskeletal disorders through the introduction of well-designed health care equipment and tools and elements of job design as opposed to continuing the old methods of operation which had led to significantly high rates of worker musculoskeletal disorders, lost work time, and extremely high employer workers compensation insurance and legal costs.

To date, the efforts of CWA Local 1168 have led to significant reductions in the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders. For example, during the period 2003-2005, this work has produced a 40% reduction in the occurrence of member/worker musculoskeletal disorders. This has been accomplished by negotiating with Kaleida Health Care System for the introduction of work equipment and tools such as ergonomic mechanical lifts, sit/stand lifts, non-friction sheets, air-mat patient-moving technology, high/low electric beds, and height-adjustable gurneys.

Specific to the Local's work, a major organizational achievement has been the development of a joint-labor management approach to identifying, resolving and preventing worker musculoskeletal health problems. Termed the "recipe for success," this approach includes labor and management commitment and support at the highest organizational levels, weekly ergonomic meetings and walk-arounds/audits, case follow-up and mitigation efforts, education and training, and continuous interaction with and input from involved workers.

For additional information, please contact Dana at DMcCarthy@cwa1168.org.

CWA-University of California at Irvine (UCI) Telecommunications Craft Worker/Technician Ergonomics Pilot Study
Dr. Peter Schnall, Center for Work and Health; Dr. Marnie Dobson, Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, UCI; and David LeGrande, CWA

Dr. Schnall presented findings from this landmark scientific investigation, the first comprehensive investigation of technician workplace ergonomics and health outcomes conducted to date. Using a jointly-developed survey tool, technicians reported a number of troubling findings including numerous deficiencies in work organization and physical ergonomics. For example,

Work Organization-

• Technicians worked an average 49 hours per week with nearly 24% reporting they worked in excess of 50 hours per week
• Fifty-eight (58%) of responding technicians said they had to work overtime with 38% indicating overtime was mandatory and 41% said they had to work mandatory overtime on their days off
• Fifty-nine (59%) of technicians reported they were monitored (e.g., by GPS tracking equipment)"a lot" and 71% of these respondents indicated such monitoring affected them negatively
• Sixty-three (63%) of technicians reported understaffing
• Sixty-six (66%) of technicians said they had "some or a lot of concern" their job will be eliminated or given to someone else during the next few years and 
• Thirty-three (33%) of technicians said the current workload was too high. 
• Not surprisingly, these negative findings were buffered by 68% of technicians indicating a high degree of job satisfaction.

Physical Ergonomics-

• Forty-eight (48%) of technicians indicated their job requires sitting or standing in the same position for several hours
• Sixty per cent (60%) said their job often/always requires stretching or twisting to reach materials necessary to perform their work 
• More than 60% of technicians indicated using repetitive hand/wrist motions, repetitive neck/shoulder motions, repetitive back motions more than four hours per day.
• Also, 88% of the technicians reported they were often/always exposed to extreme (hot/cold) weather conditions and 81% indicated they worked within close proximity to electrical hazards and 50% experienced related near misses/accidents often/always. Not surprisingly, 92% of responding technicians said they worked alone.

Health Problems-

A large number or technicians reported acute, severe musculoskeletal health problems. For example,

• Twenty-nine per cent (29%) of respondents said they experienced back pain at least once a week or more in the last year and 31% reported chronic pain 
• Thirty-two percent (32%) reported pain or stiffness in the neck/shoulders and 34% chronic pain
• Thirty-three per cent (33%) indicated shoulder soreness
• Seventeen per cent (17%) reported loss of feeling in the fingers or wrists
• Twenty-five per cent (25%) experienced neck pain that radiates into the shoulder, arm, or hands    
• Sixteen per cent (16%) said they had loss of strength in the arms or hands and
• Sixteen per cent (16%) reported stiff or sore wrists and
• Twenty-seven per cent (27%) experienced chronic pain in their knees.

Needless to say, technician musculoskeletal health problems are leading to lost work time/work restrictions. For example, when separating collected data by the amount of lost work-time days/work restriction and the affected body part, the following was identified:

1-15 days of lost work time/work restriction during the last year:

• Twenty-two per cent (22%) of responding technicians indicated lost time/work restriction due to back problems 
• Twelve per cent (12%) due to knee problems
• Ten per cent (10%) due to neck and feet problems

Regarding 1-2 days of lost work time/work restriction during the past year:

• Nineteen per cent (19%) reported lost time/work restriction due to back problems
• Thirteen (13%) due to knee and feet problems and
• Nine per cent (9%) due to neck problems

Also, findings identified potentially significant psychological/job stress health problems. For example, during the last year:

• Forty-two per cent (42%) of technicians reported high levels of psychological distress and 19% reported severely high levels of psychological distress/job stress
• Thirty-four per cent (34%) reported hypertension/high blood pressure
• Twenty-seven (27%) indicated they had received medication for high blood pressure and
• Ten per cent (10%) reported any kind of heart condition/disease.

This study clearly points out the need for continuing work to address the identified work organization and workplace ergonomics deficiencies.

For additional information, please contact Dr. Schnall at pschnall@workhealth.org.

H1N1 Influenza A/Pandemic Flu
Micki Siegel de Hernandez, Director, CWA District 1 Occupational Safety and Health Program, Facilitator and Presentor  

Overview of H1N1 Issues and Activities
Bill Kojola, Industrial Hygienist, AFL-CIO Occupational Safety and Health Department

Bill Kojola pointed out several characteristics of the Pandemic Flu crisis indicating this strain of flu is a novel virus, not seasonal flu. H1N1 primarily affects young, healthy children, young and working age adults, and pregnant women. Among workers, health care employees are at highest risk.

Exposure occurs as a result of both H1N1 droplet and airborne transmission. Bill reported, in general, health care facilities as well as other employers have not developed comprehensive H1N1 programs and thus are ill prepared to provide their employees with protections against H1N1. This situation is made worse since, at present, except for California, there are no regulatory (OSHA) standards specific to Pandemic Flu.                                                            

The H1N1 vaccine is expected to be available during mid-October, 2009. Vaccines should be provided to employees on a no cost, voluntary basis. Based upon risk prioritization, health care workers will be provided the initial vaccines. Unions should advocate members receive the H1N1 (as well as the seasonal flu) vaccines. In addition, labor organizations should treat/respond to the emergence of H1N1 as an opportunity to introduce the need for comprehensive employee protections as a subject of collective bargaining with represented employers. Items for discussion include the development of a comprehensive Pandemic Flu Plan including protections against exposure to H1N1, education and training, and the revision of policies covering absenteeism, paid time off to take care of ill family members, and flexible work schedules.

For additional information, please contact Bill at Bkojola@aflcio.org. 

2009 H1N1 in New York: A Tale of Three Agencies
Micki Siegel de Hernandez, Director, CWA District 1 Occupational Safety and Health Program                                     

Focusing upon the decision and action taken by the New York State Department of Health to mandate designated health care personnel receive both seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccines as well as H1N1 actions and policies initiated by New York City and New York State Department of Labor- Public Employee Safety and Health Agency (PESH), Micki Siegel de Hernandez's presentation provided a chronology of labor's response to these events. On August 13, 2009, Richard Daines, the New York State Commissioner of Health, notified interested parties an emergency regulation had been passed which would require mandatory no-cost seasonal and H1N1 Flu vaccinations for personnel in health care facilities and home health care services (including hospitals, diagnostic and treatment centers, certified home health agencies, long term health care programs, AIDS home care programs, licensed home care services agencies, and hospices).  The regulation covers all workers employed or affiliated with a health care facility who have direct contact with patients or contact with others who have direct contact with patients. Vaccinations must be received by November 30. Further, the state has indicated taking the vaccine is a condition of employment for existing and new personnel. Medical contraindication as determined by a licensed physician or nurse practitioner is the only exception for not receiving the vaccines.

CWA, the rest of the affected labor movement within New York State, NYCOSH and other New York State COSH organizations have protested against the implementation of the mandatory vaccine requirements. As an alternative, CWA and other unions have proposed making the vaccines available on a voluntary basis as part of a comprehensive program. Such a program would consist of education and training as well as the introduction and use of appropriate engineering, administrative, as well as personal protective controls. In addition, CWA and the rest of the coalition have indicated their opposition to making the vaccines a condition of employment. (Interestingly enough, all issues related to working conditions/conditions of employment must be negotiated with the representative labor organization, not unilaterally announced and implemented).  In addition, CWA and the coalition have initiated efforts to prevent the State from implementing its vaccination policy. (On October 23, 2009, New York State Governor David Paterson announced the suspension of the flu vaccine mandate).

Regarding New York City government and its response to H1N1, during and following the Spring 2009 incidence of Swine Flu cases, CWA, DC-#& AFCSME and Teamsters Local 237, met with city officials to ascertain what kind of risk assessment for Pandemic Flu had been conducted. The City officials responded there was no pandemic to respond to. In September, the City announced the development of a city-wide Influenza Health and Safety Plan intended to "identify, evaluate, control, and mitigate occupational influenza exposure risks."  This plan, to be implemented during October, has already been identified by the unions as deficient. For example, it dismisses the possibility of aerosol/airborne transmission except in hospitalsduring aerosol-generating procedures. Also, the plan recommends the use of facemasks/surgical masks in high-risk situations involving direct contact with persons with suspected/confirmed H1N1.    

Specific to the New York State Department of Labor- PESH, CWA along with other members of the union coalition met with and encouraged the Agency to develop and implement H1N1 enforcement policies. PESH agreed to adopt this recommendation and developed an H1N1 compliance directive.

For additional information, please contact Micki at Msiegel@cwa-union.org

Flight Attendants and the Novel H1N1 Influenza Pandemic
Judith Murawski, CIH, and Dinkar Mokadam, CIH, AFA/CWA Air Safety, Health and Security Department                           

Judith Murawski presented the AFA/CWA response to the identification and prevention of H1N1 including action with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the development and conducting of an AFA/CWA H1N1 Preparedness Survey, and reference to World Health Organization (WHO) and U.S. Center for Disease and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, and education and training. Specific to H1N1 Influenza A/Pandemic Flu, flight attendants face a number of unique hazards related to the nature of their work, e.g., they work in a confined area with inadequate cabin air quality and sanitation procedures. Also, specific to H1N1, flight attendants have virtually no way to identify/isolate contaminated passengers until after they have entered the aircraft.

To further complicate this picture, given flight attendants are not provided coverage by Federal OSHA, they are left to the inadequate safety and health coverage of the FAA.  In part, this situation has allowed airline carriers to develop and implement inadequate safety, health, and security policies and procedures.

In attempting to convince the FAA to require carriers to provide adequate and necessary H1N1 protections, the AFA/CWA requested the Agency to: 

• Develop, implement, and enforce passenger health screening policies and procedures as recommended by WHO, the CDC, and other national health authorities 
• Inform all airline employees of groups of people at higher risk of influenza-related complications 
• Make the airlines cancel attendance policies or practices that discourage workers from calling in sick during the pandemic
• Provide education and training re. worker and passenger exposure issues and personal hygiene/sanitation
• Ensure aircraft are equipped with proper sanitation materials
• Provide non-latex gloves and appropriate respiratory equipment/protections and
• Instruct pilots to maximize air conditioning packs, especially during boarding of the aircraft.   

As of yet, these protections have not been provided.

As a method of determining the degree of carrier provision of safe and healthful working conditions, the AFA/CWA developed and conducted a preparedness survey. Survey data demonstrated inadequate carrier development and implementation of H1N1 protection policies and procedures. 

In moving forward, the AFA/CWA is using the CDC Guidance documents that focus upon flight crews arriving from affected areas, businesses and employers, and facemask and respirator use to pressure carriers to provide safe and healthful working conditions.

For additional information, please contact Judith at Judith@afaseattle.org.

Cal/OSHA Airborne Transmissible Disease Standard
Joan Lichterman, Director, Occupational Safety and Health, UPTE-CWA Local 9119

In August 2009, Cal-OSHA adopted a comprehensive Aerosol Transmissible Disease Standard to prevent worker exposure to all diseases and pathogens that can be spread through the air in small particles or droplets if public health guidelines recommend isolation or precautions. This includes all viruses, including H1N1 Influenza A/Pandemic Flu, Avian Flu, SARS, and Smallpox. The standard covers health care facilities; corrections and law enforcement; laboratories; as well as facilities, services, or operations that house or provide care or management to individuals with airborne infectious disease. To provide necessary protections, employers are required to furnish affected workers with N95 respirators for routine tasks and, unless appropriate engineering controls have been implemented, powered air-purifying respirators equipped with HEPA filters. 

Of significance, covered employers must develop a written exposure control plan consisting of:

• The designation of a person responsible for developing and implementing effective control procedures
• Implementing written procedures for screening and referring individuals with  suspected and/or diagnosed infectious disease
• Establishing communication procedures within workplaces and with operations that refer infectious disease cases
• Implementing infectious disease risk reduction procedures
• Providing recommended vaccinations to affected health care workers
• Providing (N95) respirators to workers who perform tasks that place them at increased infectious disease risk 
• Providing annual medical surveillance, and
• Providing initial as well as follow-up infectious disease training during work hours at no cost to the workers.

For additional information, please contact Joan at jlichterman@berkeley.edu.

Developing Leadership Skills through Occupational Safety and Health Training
David LeGrande, Facilitator
 
Linda Delp, Director, Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program (LOSH), University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)                                                                           

Occupational safety and health education and training is an important element in labor's efforts to ensure employers are providing safe and healthful workplaces. In memorializing the fatality of Ms. Sheri Sangria, a member of CWA Local 9119 and formerly a laboratory assistant at UCLA, Linda Delp stressed the importance of unions taking action to ensure employers are providing safe and healthful working conditions.  By participating in training programs such as those developed and conducted by the Worker Occupational Safety and Health Training and Education Program (WOSHSTEP), a consortium of LOSH, UCLA, and the Labor Occupational Health Program (LOHP), University of California at Berkeley (UCB), CWA and other union safety and health activists are able to further develop their safety and health knowledge and leadership skills.

Focusing upon issues such as: 

• Worker right to know
• Outreach/coalitional efforts 
• Education and training
• Hazard communication and
• Research and policy,                             

Linda discussed the availability WOSHSTEP education and training. In addition, she highlighted various training participant actions and achievements. 

For additional information, please contact Linda ldelp@ucla.edu.        

Laura Stock, Associate Director, Labor Occupational Health Program (LOHP), University of California at Berkeley

Highlighting safety and health education and training tools and resources developed and available through LOHP, Laura Stock emphasized the importance of developing a comprehensive approach to workplace safety and health. Such an approach has been formulated and used by LOHP in developing numerous education and training materials, conducting education and training sessions, providing technical assistance and consultation, as well as sponsoring and conducting research with the purpose of  enhancing worker skills and knowledge and identifying and preventing workplace safety and health hazards.

A primary focus of this work has been the development of coalitional and coordinative activities. An example of this work is WOSHSTEP, a joint effort between LOHP and UCLA-LOSH to develop and deliver occupational safety and health train-the-trainer education and training to labor and community OSH activists throughout California. Demonstrating the success of this program, Laura mentioned participation in WOSHSTEP education and training by CWA OSH activists and leaders as well as their efforts to positively impact member working conditions with represented employers.

Topics of concern have included:

• Establishing and promoting effective safety programs and safety and health committees
• Identifying and controlling workplace hazards
• Workers occupational safety and health rights and responsibilities
• Workers' Compensation
•  Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders
• Emergency Preparedness
• Preventing Workplace Violence and
• Adult Learning Techniques.

For additional information, please contact Laura at Lstock@berkeley.edu.  

Sharon Simon, Director, Occupational Safety and Health Training Project, National Labor College

Providing a national focus upon occupational safety and health education and training, Sharon Simon outlined the variety of programs provided by the National Labor College (NLC). As the only nationally- accredited education institution devoted exclusively to educating union members, leaders, activists, and staff, the NLC offers undergraduate degree and certificate programs as well as continuing education courses specific to occupational safety and health. In addition, through its OSHA-funded training grant, NLC staff are able to provide courses at union facilities on identified safety and health courses. The primary goals of the NLC safety and health training are to:

• Educate workers on a union approach to workplace safety and health and
• Increase the involvement of members in labor's efforts to improve occupational safety and health.

For additional information, please contact Sharon at Ssimon@nlc.edu.

Workplace Violence
Micki Siegel de Hernandez, Director, CWA District 1 Occupational Safety and Health Program, Facilitator

Protecting Our Workers from Workplace Hazards and Violence
James Huntley, President, CWA Local 1182

Addressing safety and health issues of CWA Local 1182 members employed as traffic enforcement agents, James Huntley identified the unique safety and health hazards involved with this work. He reported during 2007 there were 87 cases in which New York City traffic enforcement agents were victims of reckless endangerment, assaults, menacing, and larceny. However, with the effective lobbying efforts of CWA District 1 and Local 1182, in 2008 legislation was enacted by the New York State legislature making assaulting a traffic agent a felony. In addition, in March, 2009, Brooklyn (New York City) announced the creation of a special enforcement unit to target these concerns.

In addition, James discussed the workplace safety and health hazards linked to members employed as sanitation agents. Outlining workplace violence such as assaults and dog attacks as well as exposure to rodents and infectious diseases, he stressed the need for legislation to provide necessary protections. In conclusion, James spelled out the need for and contents of a workplace violence prevention policy. Such elements include:

• Identification of risk factors that cause or contribute to workplace assaults
• Education and training of workers, supervisors, and other related parties and
• Development and implementation of policies and procedures focused upon use of the "buddy system," multi-cultural diversity, and the provision of appropriate medical care, counseling, and legal protections.

For additional information, please contact James at Jhuntley@cwalocal1182.org.

Building a Safe Workplace: Preventing Workplace Violence
Evelyn Evans, President, IUE-CWA Local 81381

Placing emphasis upon ensuring safe and healthful working conditions for social and case workers, Evelyn Evans highlighted work within the regulatory as well as the collective bargaining environment between IUE-CWA Local 81381 and Monroe County, New York. Referring to the 2006 New York Stare Workplace Violence Prevention Act as a basis for action, she highlighted certain elements of the law which require employers to:

• Perform a workplace violence evaluation or risk assessment at each worksite and  
• Develop and implement programs to prevent and minimize workplace violence and

For additional information, please contact Evelyn at fswpresident09@aol.com. 

Workplace Violence in New Jersey Correctional Facilities
Chris Young, Chair, Occupational Safety and Health, CWA Local 1040

Workplace violence issues are a primary concern for Local 1040 members employed as correctional officers, social and case workers, as well as health care workers. Focusing primarily upon correctional workers, Chris Young discussed the many and varied occupational safety and health hazards associated with workplace violence which are experienced by correctional officers. Facing issues such as physical and verbal abuse, exposure to infectious diseases (including H1N1 Influenza A/Pandemic Flu) and blood borne pathogens, Local 1040 safety and health staff and represented correctional officers developed an action agenda to provide safe and healthful working conditions.

Also, after helping to draft, introduce, and pressure the State of New Jersey to establish workplace violence guidelines, the local worked through the jointly established occupational safety and health committee to involve members in conducted education and training sessions and to provide protective engineering and administrative controls. To date, this committee and the related activities have helped to ensure more safe and healthful working conditions in extremely hazardous work environments. 

For additional information, please contact Chris at local1040@aol.com.