national worker safety and health program...national worker safety and health presented by the cosh...

Presented by the COSH Network www.coshnetwork.org

2012

National Worker Safety and Health Conference

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Leading the Fight for Safe

and Healthy Workplaces!

The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health is a

federation of local and statewide "COSH" groups -

Committees/Coalitions on Occupational Safety and Health.

COSH groups are private, non-profit coalitions of labor

unions, health and technical professionals, and others

interested in promoting and advocating for worker health

and safety.

COSH organizations around the U.S. are committed to

promoting worker health and safety through training,

education, and advocacy.

www.coshnetwork.org

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

National Worker Safety and Health Conference 2012

Page 2: Table of Contents

-7: Day 1 Agenda - Thursday, December 6

Page 7-10: Day 2 Agenda - Friday, December 7

Page 11: Special Workshop Tracks

Page 12-13: Session 1 Workshop Descriptions

[10:45am-12:15pm Thursday, December 6]


[2:00pm-4:45pm Thursday, December 6]


[10:15am-12:15pm Friday, December 7]


[2:15pm-4:15pm Friday, December 7]

Page 20-21: Conference Planning Committee

Page 22: List of Local COSH Groups

Page 23: Endorsers and Acknowledgements

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AGENDA

Day 1: Thursday, December 6

7:30am-8:30am BREAKFAST

8:00am-9:00am Conference Registration

9:00am-10:30am Welcome and Conference Overview

[CLASSROOM 1]

PLENARY PANEL: Building Our Movement for Worker

Health and Safety! Moderated by Barbara Rahke, PhilaPOSH

National Health and Safety Battles

Peg Seminario, AFL-CIO

Engaging Immigrant Workers as Leaders

Josefina Luna, MassCOSH

CONT NEXT PAGE…..

Pre-Conference Session Auditorium

Wednesday, December 5:

Join us for a special Pre-Conference Session on planning our next steps in Health and Safety

Activism for 2013 and beyond!

7:00pm-9:00pm What Do the Election Results Mean for Our National Policy Priorities?

Policy Summit follow-up and other proposed plans to move forward on

actions to advance a Health & Safety activist agenda

Panel followed by breakout groups on specific topics.

Panel: Peg Seminario [National AFL-CIO]; Eric Frumin [Change to Win];

Steve Schrag [SEIU/ConnectiCOSH]; Nadia Marin Molina [National Day

Laborer Organizing Network]

Moderated by Rick Engler [New Jersey Work Environment Council]

5:00pm-7:00pm Conference Registration

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Worker Health and Safety in Non-Union Workplaces: the Flex-N-

Gate Experience Chris Schwartz, United Auto Workers

Fighting for Safe and Healthy Conditions for Warehouse Workers

Veronica Alvarado, Warehouse Worker United

“Our Loved Ones Died at Unsafe Workplaces” Video

PARTICIPANT SPEAK OUT!

10:45am-12:15pm WORKSHOP SESSION 1

WORKSHOP

ROOM

1. Basic Worker Health & Safety Rights under OSHA, NLRB and Other

Agencies Mark Catlin [SEIU]; Marsha Love [University of Illinois at Chicago]

A302

2. Four Dangerous Myths That Destroy Health and Safety Programs Jim Howe [Safety Solutions]; Bill Hoyle [Chemical Safety Board]

A303

3. Health & Safety Tools in Organizing Campaigns

How Health & Safety Can Be An Important Issue In Organizing

Campaigns - Part 1 of 4 Eric Frumin [Change to Win]; Barbara Rahke [PhilaPOSH]; Chloe Osmer [AFL-CIO],

Chris Schwartz [United Auto Workers]; Veronica Alvarado [Warehouse Workers

United]

A305

4. Fighting Under-Reporting of Injuries and Illnesses – Experiences from

the Field Nancy Lessin [United Steelworkers]; Richard Fairfax [OSHA]; Steve Mitchell [UAW

974]; Mike Phillips [UAW 8275] Moderator: Jim Frederick [United Steelworkers]

A306

5. Reaching the "Yet-To-Be-Reached": Non-Traditional Strategies for

Reaching Out to Workers Shirley Alvarado-del Aguila [SoCalCOSH]; Loyda Alvarado [National Day Laborer

Organizing Network]; Marien Casillas Pabellon [New Labor]

DECK A

6. Young Worker Health and Safety Melissa Hector and Nancy Luc [MassCOSH]; Susan McQuade [NYCOSH]

DECK B

7. Inherently Safer Technology and Worker Protection, Incorporating

Hierarchy of Controls and Strategies to Win Rick Engler & Denise Patel [NJWEC] Kim Nibarger [USW] Rafael Moure-Eraso [CSB]

DECK C

8. Spanish Track 1: Identifying Hazards - Using Hazard Maps and Other

Tools to Identify Hazards Luzdary Giraldo [NYCOSH]; Al Vega and Rick Raben [MassCOSH]

DECK E

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12:30pm-1:45pm LUNCH

[Dining Room]

2:00pm-4:45pm WORKSHOP SESSION 2

WORKSHOP

ROOM 1. Contract Negotiations for Health and Safety

Jim Howe [Safety Solutions]; Diane Brown [AFSCME]; Mike Wright [United

Steelworkers]

A302

2. Popular Education Techniques for Health and Safety Training - Training

for Action Fernando Tapia [The Labor Occupational Health Program]; Kristin Ryan [UFCW 881];

Hillary Blecker [PhilaPOSH]; Carl Wilmsen [Alliance of Forestry Workers and Harvesters]

DECK C


Case Studies – What Do We Know About Successes and Failures?

Part 2 of 4 Eric Frumin [Change to Win]; Barbara Rahke [PhilaPOSH]

A305

4. Advanced Legal Rights including OSHA’s General Duty Clause and

the Appeals Process Steve Schrag [SEIU]; Vince Gallagher [Safety Research, Inc.]

A303

5. Stop the BS! Confronting Practices that Blame Workers and

Discourage Injury/Illness Reporting Nancy Lessin [United Steelworkers]; Bill Kojola [AFL-CIO]; Steve Mitchell [UAW 974];

Mike Phillips [UAW]; Jim Frederick [USW HSE]

A306

6. Worker Health and Safety Protections in the Aftermath of Natural

Disaster -Sandy Chip Hughes [NIEHS] , Deborah Weinstock [NIEHS National Clearinghouse/MDB

Inc.]; Rick Engler [NJWEC], Maureen LaMar, [NYCOSH ]

DECK A

CONT NEXT PAGE…

Speaker: Jordan Barab, Deputy Assistant

Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety

and Health [OSHA]

Mr. Barab has worked for the U.S. House of

Representatives, U.S. Chemical Safety

Board, AFL-CIO, and AFCSME. He is the

creator of the award winning blog

“Confined Spaces”

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7. Elements of Effective Health, Safety & Environment Committees Jonathan Rosen [Rosen & Associates, LLC]; Anna Fendley [United Steelworkers];

Valeria Velazquez [Labor Occupational Health Program]

DECK B

8. Spanish Track 2: Controlling Hazards and Basic Worker Rights

Luzdary Giraldo [NYCOSH]; Al Vega and Rick Rabin [MassCOSH]

DECK E

5:00PM-6:30pm ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS

[CLASSROOM 1]

There will be brief 5-minute presentation on each of these topics

followed by an opportunity to have roundtable discussion in 2 of

the listed topics below.

Assess Your Health and Safety Management System - Using

ANSI Z10 Diane Brown [AFSCME]; Jim Howe [Safety Solutions]

Post-Election Strategy - What Proposals For Action Can We

Generate To Bring To The Delegates At The Conference Given

The Results Of The Election? Steve Schrag [SEIU/ConnectiCOSH]; Mike Wright [United Steelworkers]

Health & Safety for Construction Workers Keith Wrightson [Public Citizen]

Strategies for Working with Wage & Hour and OSHA Maria Gutierrez and Dianne Enriquez [Interfaith Worker Justice]

The New Wave of Health and Safety Activists United Food and Commercial Workers Representatives and Others

Close Call Reporting Systems

Ed Watt [Transport Workers Union]

RESOURCE TABLES: There will be resource tables with information and

materials on display throughout the conference by local COSH groups, labor

and community organizations, and government agencies. Tables will be on

display through Friday afternoon.

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7:30pm DINNER & AWARDS BANQUET [Dining Room]

MUSIC PROVIDED BY ANNIE AND JONATHAN ROSEN!

Day 2: Friday, December 7

7:30am-8:30am BREAKFAST

8:30am-10:00am Overview of the Day

[CLASSROOOM 1]

Worker and Family Panel Moderated by Jessica Martinez [National COSH]

Katherine Rodriguez [United Support Memorial for Workplace

Fatalities]

Reynalda Cruz [New Labor]

Oscar Alfaro [Casa Maryland]

Jim Savage [United Steelworkers 10-01]

COSH Network VIDEO

Speaker: Clarissa Martinez de Castro, National

Council of La Raza [NCLR]

Clarissa Martínez De Castro is the Director of

Immigration and National Campaigns at the

National Council of La Raza, the largest national

Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization

in the United States. Her expertise is in

immigration legislative advocacy and strategy;

Latino electorate, voter mobilization, and civic

participation; state advocacy efforts; coalition-

building; and management.

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10:15am-12:15pm WORKSHOP SESSION 3

WORKSHOP

ROOM

1. What You Need to Know About Third Party Lawsuits in Safety Marty Brigham [Raynes McCarty]; Vince Gallagher [Safety Research, Inc.]

A302

2. Fighting the Fear Factor: Whistleblower Protection Campaign

Steve Schrag [SEIU]; Steve Mitchell [United Auto Workers]; MassCOSH Workers Center

A303


Key Tactics for Integrating H&S into Organizing Campaigns


A305

4. Performing Incident/Accident Investigations - Part 1 of 2 Jim Howe [Safety Solutions]; Steve Sallman [United Steelworkers]

A306

5. Workplace Violence: Effective Programs to Protect Workers from

Violence at the Worksite Jonathan Rosen [Rosen & Associates, LLC ]; Matt Kozak and Janet Foley [Civil

Service Employees Union - CSEA]

DECK A

6. Hazards and Controls of Silica in Construction and Fracking

Operations Jim Platner & Pam Susi [The Center for Construction Research and Training -CPWR];

Walter Jones [Laborers Union, Laborers Health and Safety Fund]

DECK C

7. Substitution and Elimination: Using OSHA's New System for Managing

Chemicals to Achieve Safer, Healthier Workplaces - OSHA GHS Charlotte Brody [Blue Green Alliance]; Diane Brown [AFSCME]; Gail Bateson

[Worksafe]

DECK B

8. Spanish Track 3: Popular Education Techniques – Training for Action! Hillary Blecker [PhilaPOSH]; Fernando Tapia [Labor Occupational Safety and Health

Program]

DECK E

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12:30pm-2:00pm LUNCH

[Dining Room]

2:15pm-4:15pm WORKSHOP SESSION 4

WORKSHOP

ROOM


Next Steps for Developing Health & Safety Issues in Campaigns


A305

2. Performing Incident/Accident Investigations - Part 2 of 2 Jim Howe [Safety Solutions]; Steve Sallman [United Steelworkers]

A306

3. Management by Stress: Addressing the Health and Safety Impacts of

Work Restructuring Nancy Lessin [United Steelworkers]; Marsha Love [University of Illinois at Chicago];

Joe Zanoni [University of Illinois at Chicago]

A302

4. Worker’s Compensation Jonathan Rosen [Rosen & Associates, LLC ]; Joie Chowdury [National Economic &

Social Rights Initiative]; Joel Shufro [NYCOSH]

A303

5. Activating Workers in Health and Safety Campaigns Dave LeGrande [Communication Workers of America]; Ed Watt [Transportation

Workers Union] Tolle Graham [MassCOSH]

DECK A

CONT NEXT PAGE…

Speaker: Larry Cohen, President of

Communication Workers of America

[CWA]

Mr. Cohen was elected president of the

Communications Workers of America in

2005, after serving as Executive Vice

President for seven years.

Based on his long-held belief that unions

must unite with other like-minded

groups to further goals of economic

justice, Cohen founded Jobs with

Justice in 1987.

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6. Using Social Media to Promote Workplace Health & Safety Mark Catlin [SEIU]; Dorry Samuels [National COSH]

DECK B

7. Success with Families and Getting Families involved in Health &

Safety Advocacy Katherine Rodriguez, Tammy Miser Tonya Ford [United Support and Memorial for

Workplace Fatalities]

DECK C

8. Spanish Track 4: Organizing through Health and Safety/Taking

Action! Chloe Osmer [AFL-CIO]; Eduardo Victoria [UFCW]

DECK E

4:30pm-5:00pm CONFERENCE CLOSING

[CLASSROOM 1]

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SPECIAL WORKSHOP TRACKS

Health & Safety Tools in Organzing Campaigns

Track Workshop Topic Room Track 1

Thursday, December 6

10:45am-12:15pm

How Health & Safety Can Be An Important Issue In

Organizing Campaigns

A305

Track 2


2:00pm-4:45pm

Case Studies – What Do We Know About Successes

and Failures?

A305

Track 3

Friday, December 7

10:15am-12:15pm

Key Tactics for Integrating Health & Safety into

Organizing Campaigns

A305

Track 4

Friday, December 7

2:15pm-4:15pm

Key Tactics for Integrating H&S into Organizing

Campaigns

A305

Incident/Accident Investigation


Friday, December 7

10:15am-12:15pm

Performing Incident/Accident Investigations Part 1

A306

Track 2

Friday, December 7

2:15pm-4:15pm

Performing Incident/Accident Investigations Part 2

A306

Spanish Workshop Track



10:45am-12:15pm

Identifying Hazards - Using Hazard Maps and Other

Tools to Identify Hazards

DECK E

Track 2


2:00pm-4:45pm

Controlling Hazards and Basic Worker Rights

DECK E

Track 3

Friday, December 7

10:15am-12:15pm

Popular Education Techniques – Training for Action!

DECK E

Track 4

Friday, December 7

2:15pm-4:15pm

Organizing through Health and Safety/Taking Action!

DECK E

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WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS

WORKSHOPS IN SESSION 1: Thursday, December 6 10:45am-12:15pm

1. Basic Worker Health & Safety Rights under OSHA, NLRB or Other Agencies

This workshop, aimed at folks new to workplace health and safety, will cover basic

workers’ and unions' health and safety rights under OSHA and under federal collective

bargaining law. We’ll examine the right to know about hazards in the workplace, the right

to protection from hazards, the right to training in safe work practices, the right to report

hazards, and the right to refuse hazardous work. We’ll discuss how to exercise

these rights most effectively, including when to use OSHA rights or collective bargaining

rights or both. We’ll also provide resources from unions, worker centers, COSH groups,

universities, and government agencies to assist you in using these rights to solve

workplace health and safety problems.

2. Four Dangerous Myths That Destroy Health and Safety Programs

There are a number of concepts that have been widely promoted and often broadly

accepted that undermine the effectiveness of a health and safety program. We have all

heard people say “health and safety is nothing more than common sense.” Myths like

this often prevent well-intentioned managers, safety professionals and members of safety

committees from maximizing efforts to reduce injuries and illnesses in the workplace.

Come to the workshop and learn what research and experience has taught us about

these concepts

3. Health & Safety Tools in Organizing Campaigns: How Health & Safety Can Be An

Important Issue In Organizing Campaigns - Part 1 of 4

Help Organizers, Researchers and H&S activists learn new skills to advance organizing

campaigns. They will also better understand the importance of the close collaboration

needed amongst various parts of a campaign to maximize the effectiveness of H&S

tactics as part of an overall strategy.

Key topics will include research methods; moving health and safety issues with workers;

public messaging; and legal rights.

4. Fighting Under-Reporting of Injuries and Illnesses – Experiences from the Field

What is discouraging workers from reporting their job injuries and illnesses? What are the

problems associated with the underreporting of workplace injuries and illnesses? What are

some laws that can be used to prevent/address underreporting and under-recording of

work-related injuries/illnesses? A panel of labor representatives and an OSHA official will

speak from their experience, answer participants’ questions, and gather suggestions on

what should happen to assure every worker the right to report job injuries/illnesses without

fear of retaliation

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5. Reaching the "Yet-To-Be-Reached": Non-Traditional Strategies for Reaching Out to

Workers

In this workshop we will share and learn from each other about successful strategies that

are examples of effective worker outreach efforts beyond our base. We will learn about

the importance of being present in non-traditional spaces to meet workers where they

are and establishing partnerships and collaborations to increase our chances for effective

outreach.

We will focus on discussing strategies and tools to engage with workers in non-traditional

settings such as consulates, health clinics, street corners, etc.

Goals:

To highlight successful outreach efforts in non-traditional settings.

To learn each other’s outreach efforts, successes and challenges when engaging

community.

To gain a set of skills and tools to improve our outreach efforts to reach the “yet-to-

be-reached” worker.

6. Young Worker Health and Safety

Learn about MassCOSH’s Teens Lead at Work Program, a youth-led health and safety

initiative. This training will offer ways to engage and educate high school teens about

young worker rights and safety and health at work. The program provides skills-building

opportunities for young activists as they begin to play a larger role in the labor and social

justice movements. Programs for educating community-based leaders, and efforts to

better integrate occupational safety and health education into classroom curriculum will

also be discussed

7. Inherently Safer Technology and Worker Protection, Incorporating Hierarchy of

Controls and Strategies to Win

Preventing deaths on the job and harm to our communities and environment requires

that we examine the underlying causes of chemical accidents – and implement changes

to how chemicals are produced. This workshop will discuss: why adoption of “inherently

safer technology (IST)” can be the best way to reduce hazards; New Jersey’s landmark

policy for IST reviews; EPA’s authority to use it’s Clean Air Act General Duty clause to

promote IST; and the role of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board and United Steelworkers in

chemical accident prevention.

8. Spanish Track: Identifying Hazards – Using Hazard Maps and Other Tools to Identify

Hazards

When you work in a place everyday it is easy to overlook some hazards. In this session

participants will learn about a range of health and safety hazards that may be found in a

workplace. In addition, participants will learn to use hazard maps and other tools to

collectively identify hazards with co-workers.

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WORKSHOPS IN SESSION 2: Thursday, December 6 2:00pm-4:45pm

1. Contract Negotiations for Health and Safety

While the union is continually negotiating health and safety with management, formal

contract negotiations provide a unique opportunity to review the entire health and safety

program, mobilize members and make substantial gains. Writing a few last-minute health

and safety demands and pounding on the table won't cut it. Success takes planning and

a systematic approach.

2. Popular Education Techniques for Health and Safety Training - Training for Action!

This workshop is focused on training adults how they learn best. We will provide you with

tips to be a more effective occupational health and safety trainer as you apply some of

the participatory tools shared. We'll try out different approaches to engage the strengths

and knowledge of people in the room to move towards action. We'll discuss how and

when to use different techniques. We welcome people who are new to training as well as

those who would like to sharpen some of their skills.

3. Health & Safety Tools in Organizing Campaigns: Case Studies – What Do We Know

About Successes and Failures? - Part 2 of 4





4. Advanced Legal Rights including OSHA’s General Duty Clause and the Appeals

Process

This session will explore OSHA’s use of the general duty clause to abate hazards not

regulated by an OSHA standard. It will discuss what the general duty clause covers and

limits on the general duty clause imposed by the Review Commission and the Courts. The

session will provide practical insight into drafting complaints seeking general duty clause

inspections, negotiating with OSHA and employers to resolve general duty clause

citations, and how litigation in general duty clause cases may differ from citations for

violations of standards. Participants will be asked to discuss hazardous situations they

have encountered where OSHA did not have a standard addressing the hazard. The

OSHA Appeals process and other issues will also be covered.

5. Stop the BS! Confronting Practices that Blame Workers and Discourage

Injury/Illness Reporting

This workshop will discuss participants' experiences with safety incentive programs, injury

discipline/"accident repeater" policies, and behavior-based safety observation and

related programs and practices – all of which focus on workers' so-called "unsafe

behaviors" rather than on identifying and eliminating or reducing workplace hazards and

hazardous conditions. Pitfalls of these programs – including discouraging workers from

reporting injuries/illnesses, and negative impacts on union solidarity and collective voice

and power – will be examined. Approaches for dealing with harmful programs and

practices will be explored, and strategies will be identified for putting a focus back on the

identification, correction and prevention of hazardous workplace conditions.

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6. Worker Health and Safety Protections in the Aftermath of Natural Disaster -Sandy

Disasters of enormous proportions have drastic consequences of people’s lives.

Communities and governments try to respond quickly to these emergency situations to

restore some normalcy to people’s lives. But a consideration often neglected is protecting

the workers who are the first brigade to clean up the rubble and destruction and rebuild

the structure of a community. Recent disaster events such as Katrina, World Trade Center,

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and others have been fraught with abuses and dangers for

clean-up workers that were often not fully realized until after the work was finished. This

workshop will review the lessons we have learned from past events and what the current

experience is with clean-up efforts in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Recommendations for improving worker education, information and protections will be

discussed along with strategies to achieve these basic worker rights.

7. Elements of Effective Health, Safety & Environment Committees

Health and safety committees are an essential element of an effective health and safety

program. They provide an ongoing process for identifying and controlling workplace

hazards. In this workshop, participants will discuss the universal goals, key activities and

strategies that lead to successful committees.

8. Spanish Track 2: Controlling Hazards and Basic Worker Rights

This session will identify and evaluate different methods for reducing or eliminating

hazards. Participants will learn that not all solutions to hazards are equally effective and

will explore the hierarchy of controls to brainstorm solutions for different case studies. In

addition, participants will learn the functions of OSHA and some basic worker rights.

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WORKSHOPS IN SESSION 3: Friday, December 7 10:15am-12:15pm

1. What You Need to Know About Third Party Lawsuits in Safety

Vince Gallagher and Marty Brigham will moderate a workshop on the importance of third

party lawsuits, both as a financial resource for injured workers and to promote workplace

safety. By reviewing video vignettes from actual workplace accidents, they will highlight

the initial key issues that the worker needs to consider and the critical steps that unions

can play in supporting workers’ cases. Vince has investigated over 500 workplace

accidents to determine if there are potential third-party claims; Marty has represented

injured workers and their families in third party lawsuits for over 30 years.

2. Fighting the Fear Factor: Whistleblower Protection Campaign

The fear of retaliation for workers exercising their rights to a safe and healthy workplace is

the greatest barrier to worker involvement in H&S. Yet management has many ways to

discourage worker involvement, including outright discrimination, discipline and incentive

programs that use peer pressure to discourage workers from reporting injuries, illnesses

and close calls. Technically, these are all illegal under the OSHA Act, yet they are

routinely employed in company programs and unchallenged by a powerless system

within OSHA. This workshop will explore issues surrounding the whistleblower program of

OSHA and possible improvements.

3. Health & Safety Tools in Organizing Campaigns: Key Tactics for Integrating H&S into

Organizing Campaigns - Part 3 of 4





4. Performing Incident/Accident Investigations - Part 1 of 2

This workshop will give you the tools to effectively investigate accidents. The class will

cover preparation, interviewing witnesses, a powerful method to create a timeline by

sequence events, collecting and documenting information, photographing the scene,

and cause and effect charting to identify root causes and developing of reports. Major

shortcomings and pitfalls of popular methods of accident investigation will be covered.

5. Workplace Violence: Effective Programs to Protect Workers from Violence at the

Worksite

Workplace violence is a major cause of injury, death, and stress on-the-job. Developing

effective programs to prevent and respond to workplace violence is critical to the well

being of workers and the workplace. This participative workshop will review the New York

State experience in establishing workplace violence prevention programs and state

legislation, key elements of an effective program, best practices, and strategies for

getting programs started. The growing problem of co-worker violence and bullying will

also be addressed.

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6. Hazards and Controls of Silica in Construction and Fracking Operations

Exposure to silica is pervasive in construction. More recent reports from NIOSH and OSHA

indicate that silica exposures associated with hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) operations

may also be significant and pose a health risk. Silica is associated with silicosis and

increased risk for lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and

autoimmune disorders. While there is currently no comprehensive OSHA standards for

silica, one is expected to be released in the near future. This workshop will review the silica

hazards associated with construction and fracking, methods for controlling exposure and

the anticipated content of a new OSHA Silica Standard. Useful information resources will

also be presented.

7. Substitution and Elimination: Using OSHA's New System for Managing Chemicals to

Achieve Safer, Healthier Workplaces – OSHA GHS

OSHA’s recent adoption of the Globally Harmonized System for Managing Chemicals will

give American workers a new way to learn about the chemical hazards in their

workplace. The requirement that all workplaces that use chemicals train their employees

on how to read the new labels and safety sheets by December 1, 2013, gives organizers

and trainers one more way to engage workers and communities in safety and health

campaigns.

Just in time for GHS implementation, the Chemical Haxard and Alternatives Tool,

designed by workers for workers, has been launched to identify the health hazard of

chemicals and the availability of safer alternatives.

GHS isn’t the only new development on chemicals. The implementation of green

chemistry laws in California, Washington and Maine create more opportunities for action.

Come to this workshop to try out new teaching tools on GHS and safer chemicals and to

learn about new education and organizing resources on chemical issues.

8. Spanish Track 3: Popular Education Techniques – Training for Action!

This workshop is focused on training adults how they learn best. We will provide you with

tips to be a more effective occupational health and safety trainer as you apply some of

the participatory tools shared. We'll try out different approaches to engage the strengths

and knowledge of people in the room to move towards action. We'll discuss how and

when to use different techniques. We welcome people who are new to training as well

as those who would like to sharpen some of their skills.

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WORKSHOPS IN SESSION 4: Friday, December 7 2:15pm-4:15pm

1. Health & Safety Tools in Organizing Campaigns: Next Steps for Developing Health

& Safety Issues in Campaigns - Part 4 of 4





Key topics will include research methods; moving health and safety issues with workers;

public messaging; and legal rights.

2. Performing Incident/Accident Investigations – Part 2 of 2

This workshop will give you the tools to effectively investigate accidents. The class will

cover preparation, interviewing witnesses, a powerful method to create a timeline by

sequence events, collecting and documenting information, photographing the scene,

and cause and effect charting to identify root causes and developing of reports. Major

shortcomings and pitfalls of popular methods of accident investigation will be covered.

3. Workers’ Compensation

Workers’ Compensation, the nation’s oldest social insurance program, was created by

state legislation in the early part of the 20th century. In most cases, the comp system is the

only recourse for workers hurt on the job to receive medical coverage and lost wage

replacement. Yet today workers’ compensation is a deeply dysfunctional system

rampant with employer and insurance industry abuses that deny millions of workers

adequate, timely coverage. This interactive workshop will explore the basics of workers’

compensation and highlight the increasingly brutal legislative assaults on workers’ rights in

this field. Come learn the ways that workers’ compensation is intended to assist workers

and let us brainstorm together solutions and strategies to better advance the rights of

workers with occupational injuries and illnesses.

4. Activating Workers in Health and Safety Campaigns

This workshop will feature a panel discussing Health and Safety programs and campaigns

that have been implemented to involve and protect workers. Panelists will talk about

programs such as “Close Call” reporting systems in negotiated programs, Heat Stress

education, and other ways that safety and health can be used to energize and educate

workers about their rights. The panel will be followed by roundtables to discuss strategies

that participants can use in their workplace settings. Health and Safety con be a powerful

tool to involve, energize and organize workers, so next steps for doing just that will be on

the agenda here. Come and solidify your plan for attack!

5. Using Social Media to Promote Workplace Health & Safety

This workshop, aimed at folks just beginning to explore the use of social media, will cover

the major types of social media available today, including blogs, Facebook, YouTube

and Twitter. We’ll examine how they can be integrated into our existing health and safety

work with examples from COSH groups, unions and other organizations. We’ll then discuss

possible uses of these new tools in our campaigns, education and outreach.

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6. Management by Stress: Addressing the Health and Safety Impacts of Work

Restructuring

Employers are continuing to re-organize work, often resulting in too few workers doing too

much work, sometimes over too many hours. This work restructuring is contributing to

workplace injury, illness and stress. In this workshop we’ll discuss the ways in which work is

being re-organized and restructured in your workplaces. We’ll look at the impacts this is

having, and share recent research about the hazards of particular forms of work

restructuring. We will explore different ways to challenge harmful work restructuring, and

create plans for workplace campaigns that you can take back to your workplaces.

7. Success with Families and Getting Families involved in Health & Safety Advocacy

This workshop will present ideas on how worker centers, labor unions, COSH groups and

training centers can ease fears and work with family members who have lost a loved one

from work-related hazards. By working together, the effectiveness of the groups'

advocacy can be enhanced. At the end of the session, participants will be able to:

List at least two ways families can different from the traditional Health and Safety

organizations;

Describe at least 3 ways their group could help ease fears of a family-member

victims to get them involved;

List at least two ways to keep family member victims involved;

List resources that USMWF is able to provide; list resources other groups are able to

provide.

8. Spanish Track 4: Organizing through Health and Safety/Taking Action!

This workshop will focus on using health and safety in worker organizing efforts, particularly

with immigrant workers. Learn about successful strategies used in Los Angeles and

Chicago for taking action in the workplace, engaging government agencies and using

popular education on safety to support worker organizing and improve conditions. Work

with other union, worker center and safety activists to apply these strategies and tactics in

your own organizing efforts.

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CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE

Tom O'Connor is the Executive Director of the National Council for Occupational

Safety and Health. He has over 20 years of experience working as an advocate for

workers’ health and safety. He also coordinates the national policy advocacy efforts of

the Protecting Workers Alliance, a broad-based group of worker health and safety

advocates. Tom has written extensively on issues affecting immigrant workers, including a

2011 White Paper for NIOSH on effective training and education methods for immigrant

workers. He also wrote a study commissioned by the National Academy of Sciences

entitled “Reaching Spanish-Speaking Workers and Employers with Occupational Safety

and Health Information.” He has a B.A. in History from Duke University and a Master of

Public Health degree from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He is based in

Raleigh, North Carolina.

Jessica E. Martinez serves as the Assistant Director for the National Council for

Occupational Safety and Health. A native of Los Angeles, CA, Ms. Martinez has over 12

years of social justice endeavors throughout the United States, Venezuela, and Brazil. At

National COSH, she contributes her many skills to project trainings, program planning and

implementation, and network development. She served as Program Coordinator for the

UCLA Labor Occupational Safety and Health (LOSH) Program and Coordinator for the

Southern California Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (SoCalCOSH)

committing herself to the promotion of safety and health within the labor movement with

a special focus on immigrant and young worker populations. In 2010, she was awarded

the Peace and Social Justice Award by the Southern California Institute for Popular

Education (IDEPSCA) and most recently was awarded the Lorin Kerr Award by The

American Public Health Association. She holds a B.A. in International Development

Studies from UCLA and a Master of Public Health from the University of Illinois, Chicago

School of Public Health.

Dorry Samuels is the Communications Manager for the National Council for

Occupational Safety and Health. She joins the COSH network after a few years as Public

Citizen's press office coordinator, where she was actively engaged in a variety of

projects relating to worker safety and health and the battle against anti-regulatory

legislation, and as a reporter for the Loudoun Independent newspaper in Northern

Virginia. She holds a B.A. in Journalism from American University and is currently enrolled

in a Masters’ program in Digital Communications at Johns Hopkins University. Dorry

manages National COSH’s press outreach, social media engagement, and video

editing, and has begun developing mobile apps and a wiki for the COSH Network.

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Peter Dooley (MS, CIH, CSP) is a safety and health project consultant for National

COSH and President of LaborSafe. He worked for the UAW International Union

coordinating educational programs for more than 20 years. Previously, he worked for

Michigan State University in Labor Education. His work specializes in worker education,

with an emphasis in participative adult education and innovative programs to educate

and motivate workers about improving health and safety in their workplaces. Mr. Dooley

has or is currently providing educational services to OSHA, NIOSH, The United Steelworkers

Union, National COSH Network and many other organizations and institutions. Mr. Dooley

consulted in the meatpacking industry while consulting with UFCW International Union

where worker trainings and workplace assessments where performed. Peter currently

serves as a member of the NACOSH advisory board to federal OSHA as well as holding

positions in USMWF [United Support and Memorial for Workplace Fatalities] and APHA

[American Public Health Association].

Tolle Graham is a senior occupational health educator/organizer at MassCOSH, the

Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health. For over 20 years, Ms.

Graham has coordinated MassCOSH health and safety campaigns with unions and

environmental health coalitions, promoting policy development to secure safe and

healthy workplaces and communities. She has extensive experience developing

participatory/popular education curriculum and conducting trainings on all aspects of

worker safety and health including: hazards identification and control, ergonomics,

workplace violence, indoor air quality, building health and safety committees. Tolle is a

member of the USW and has been a health and safety advisor with the International

union.

Barbara Rahke retired from the national organizing staff of the UAW in 2003, where

she worked closely with its Health and Safety Department and led many successful

national and regional organizing campaigns. In 2005 she became Director of the

Philadelphia Area Project on Occupational Safety and Health (PhilaPOSH), a non-profit

founded in 1975 whose mission is the prevention of work-related fatalities, diseases and

injuries through training, technical assistance and advocacy. At PhilaPOSH she has

worked with area local unions, community organizations and agencies to develop

effective strategies to advance safety and health. Since 2007 this has included funding

from OSHA to provide outreach and training to small residential construction contractors

and workers.

Rick Engler is Director of the New Jersey Work Environment Council (WEC), a

collaboration of 70 labor, community, and environmental organizations working for safe,

secure jobs and a healthy, sustainable environment. Because of WEC’s leadership,

New Jersey has the strongest state policies for prevention of accidental chemical

releases in the nation. This includes the first policy to engage workers and their union

representatives during environmental inspections of high hazard facilities, which later

became national EPA policy, and a requirement that certain facilities review whether

they can potentially adopt safer chemicals and processes.vMore information about WEC

is at www.njwec.org.

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CONTACT YOUR LOCAL COSH GROUP:

Arkansas Coalition on Safety and Health

2801 S. University Avenue

Little Rock, AR 72204

Contact: Steve Copley

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: (501) 626-9220

Chicago Area Committee on

Occupational Safety and Health

(CACOSH)

940 W Adams St, Suite 300

Chicago, IL 60607

Contact: Emanuel Blackwell


Phone: (708) 359-3303

Connecticut Council on Occupational

Safety and Health (ConnectiCOSH)

683 N. Mountain Road

Newington, CT 06111

Contact: Mike Fitts


Phone: (860) 953-2674

Fax: (860) 953-1038

Web: www.connecticosh.org

Maine Labor Group on Health (MLGH)

PO Box 5197

Augusta, ME 04332

Contact: Peter Crockett


Phone: (207) 622-7823

Fax: (207) 622-3483

Web: www.mlgh.org

Massachusetts Coalition for


(MassCOSH)

1532B Dorchester Avenue

Dorchester, MA 02122

Contact: Marcy Goldstein-Gelb


Phone: (617) 825-7233

Fax: (617) 822-3718

Web: www.masscosh.org

Mid-State Education and Service

Foundation

123 S. Cayuga Street Suite 204

Ithaca, NY 14850

Contact: Tony Del Plato


Phone: (607) 277-5670

Fax: (607) 277-8344

New Hampshire Coalition for


(NHCOSH)

161 Londonderry Turnpike

Hooksett, NH 03106

Contact: Brian Mitchell


Phone: (603) 232-4406

Fax: (603) 232-4461

Web: www.nhcosh.org

New Jersey Work Environment Council

(NJWEC)

142 W. State Street 3rd Floor

Trenton, NJ 08648

Contact: Rick Engler


Phone: (609) 695-7100

Fax: (609) 695-4200

Web: www.njwec.org

New York Committee for Occupational

Safety and Health (NYCOSH)

61 Broadway - Suite 1710

New York, NY 10006

Contact: Joel Shufro


Phone: (212) 227-6440

Fax: (212) 227-9854

Web: www.nycosh.org

Philadelphia Project on Occupational

Safety and Health (Philaposh)

3001 Walnut Street 5th Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19104

Contact: Barbara Rahke


Phone: (215) 386-7000

Fax: (215) 386-3529

Web: www.philaposh.org

Rhode Island Committee on


(RICOSH)

741 Westminster Street

Providence, RI 02903

Contact: Jim Celenza


Phone: (401) 751-2015

Fax: (401) 751-2105

Southern California Coalition for


(SoCalCOSH)

1000 N Alameda Street, Suite 240 Los

Angeles, CA 90012

Contact: Shirley Alvarado-del Aguila


Phone: (213) 346-3277

Fax: (213) 808-1009

Web: www.socalcosh.org

Western Massachusetts Coalition for


(WesternMassCOSH)

640 Page Blvd.

Springfield, MA 01104

Contact: Mike Florio


Phone: (413) 731-0760

Fax: (413) 731-6688

Web: www.westernmasscosh.org

Western New York Council on


(WNYCOSH)

2495 Main Street, Suite 438

Buffalo, NY 14214

Contact: Germain Harnden


Phone: (716) 833-5416

Fax: (716) 833-7507

Web: www.wnycosh.org

Wisconsin Committee on Occupational

Safety and Health (WISCOSH)

1535 W. Mitchell St.

Milwaukee, WI 53204

Contact: Jim Schultz


Phone: (414) 933-2338

Web: www.wiscosh.org

Worksafe

55 Harrison Street, Suite 400

Oakland, CA 94607

Contact: Gail Bateson


Phone: (510) 302-1011

Fax: (510) 835-4913

Web: www.worksafe.org

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ENDORSERS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OUR CONFERENCE ENDORSERS:

American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO)

Change to Win

American Federation of Teachers (AFT)

Service Employee International Union (SEIU)

United Steelworkers (USW)

Communication Workers of America (CWA)

American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

International Chemical Workers Union (ICWUC)

The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR)

University of Chicago Illinois School of Public Health

Interfaith Worker Justice

United Suppport Memorial for Workplace Fatalities (USMWF)

APHA OHS Section

The COSH Network would like to acknowledge the generous support of the American

Federation of Teachers in providing funds for scholarships for this conference and the

Service Employees International Union for printing this program and other materials

for the conference.

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