PDF Occupational Safety and Health Manual - CWA

COMMUNICATIONS WORKERS OF AMERICA

Occupational Safety and

Health Manual

NoveAmprbile2r0022008

On-the-job safety and health protection is a top priority of CWA. The CWA Occupational Safety and Health program includes District safety and health coordinators, hundreds of Local safety and health committees, and thousands of workplace safety and health activists. The CWA Safety and Health Department in Washington, D.C., is committed to providing information, technical assistance, and training to CWA Locals and activists as well as conducting research on safety and health issues experienced by the Union's members. The CWA Occupational Safety and Health Manual is intended to provide CWA leaders and members a basic understanding of occupational safety and health matters as well as identify resource organizations that can assist in dealing with specific problems. As stated in the 1970 Occupational Safety and Health Act, all workers have a fundamental right to a workplace free from recognized safety and health hazards. The material in this manual will assist CWA Locals to provide important protection and oversight to our members.

Larry Cohen Executive Vice President

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Table of Contents

I. The Local Union Safety and Health Committee A. Organizing A Local Union Safety and Health Committee . . . . . B. CWA Local Union Safety and Health Committee Form . . . . . . . . . C. Informing the Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D. Duty of Fair Representation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

II. Recognition of Safety and Health Hazards A. Safety Hazards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B. Health Hazards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C. Basic Equipment for Accident Investigations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

III. Workers' and Employers' Rights and Responsibilities Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 A. Workers' Rights and Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B. Employers' Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C. Penalties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D. Employers' Recordkeeping Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

IV. State Plans

V. Using the OSHA General Industry and Construction Standards A. How to Acquire and Use Them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

VI. Tactics and Strategies A. Whom Do You Call First? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B. Access to Medical Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C. File a Grievance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D. File an OSHA Complaint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E. Elect Party Status with the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F. Utilize the National Labor Relations Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G. File a NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H. File a Discrimination Charge under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I. File a Notice with the Employer Requesting a Leave of Absence under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

J. Contact the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) . . . . . . . . . . . K. Right to Refuse Unsafe Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

VII. "Right to Know" A. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B. "Right to Know" Resolution Passed at CWA's 45th Annual Convention, June, 1983 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C. Tactics and Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D. Preparation of "Right to Know" Legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

puter Workplace Ergonomics A. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B. Computer Workplace Health Complaints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C. Computer Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D. Workstation Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E. Workplace Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F. Work Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G. Other Health Concerns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H. Use of Computer Workplace Checklists and Surveys . . . . . . . . . . . . I. Sample Computer Workplace Collective Bargaining Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J. Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K. Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

IX. Resources A. CWA Occupational Safety and Health Fact Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B. Occupational Safety and Health Materials Order Form . . . . . . . . C. Recommended List of Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D. Occupational Safety and Health Administration Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Offices and Educational Resource Centers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F. Related Federal Agencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G. State Plan Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H. Colleges and Universities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I. Committees on Occupational Safety and Health J. Other Support Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

X. Glossary

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