2007 CWA Occupational Safety and Health Conference Strategy and Discussion Sessions

The Occupational Safety and Health Conference will:

•Emphasize tactics and strategies to identify, resolve, and prevent workplace safety and health hazards;

•Present ideas and tools which the union's occupational safety and health (OSH) activists may use to educate and involve other OSH activists and CWA leaders in occupational safety and health committees and activities;

•Demonstrate the advantages to developing and implementing cooperative workplace and environmental safety and health programs and activities with represented employers and external allied organizations.

In addition, these activities will emphasize the importance of conducting the union's safety and health functions within the context of CWA's action triangle, i.e., organizing, collective bargaining, and politics and legislation.

Strategies for Preventing Exposure to Electrical Hazards within the Telecommunications Industry

This session will focus upon practical tactics and strategies regarding the prevention of exposure to and related health problems associated with electrical hazards within the telecommunications industry. Primary issues of importance will include the role of craft employees assigned to work with/in close proximity to power lines/electrical hazards, the role of local union OSH activists, education and training, and the employer's provision of the appropriate work equipment, tools, and personal protective equipment necessary to perform the job in a safe and healthful manner.

Indoor Air Quality

In part, this session will translate issues raised during the "Indoor Air Quality" panel and discuss practical tactics and strategies targeting the identification and resolution of indoor air quality design and member health problems. Targeted action items will include the design and use of identification/survey tools, making requests for employer-held information, summarizing union activities related to and key elements of the New Jersey Indoor Air Quality Standard (the only indoor air regulation in the U.S.), as well as reviewing airline cabin issues both from the viewpoint of affected flight attendants as well as passengers.

Legal Rights to Safety and Health Information

This session will target a discussion of three OSHA right to information standards: Hazard Communication, Access to Exposure and Medical Records, and Recordkeeping (OSHA Logs). Emphasis will be placed upon union and worker rights under these standards as well as how to effectively use these rights. Also, union rights to safety and health information under federal and state bargaining laws will be examined

Effective Occupational Safety and Health Committees

This session is designed for members of local union and/or of joint labor management safety and health committees as well as other OSH activists who want to make safety and health a priority in the workplace. Further, emphasis will be placed on describing workers' rights and responsibilities in a framework that helps to build and strengthen the union as well as promoting worker empowerment in a collective bargaining environment.

Workplace Ergonomics

This session will target information demonstrating methods used to educate members about the importance of office/computer workplace ergonomics, identifying elements/factors of (proper and) improper design and related member repetitive motion/musculoskeletal illnesses and injuries, and suggesting methods by which these design and health problems might be resolved/prevented. Also, examples used to resolve/prevent member computer workplace ergonomic design issues and health problems will be discussed.