HEALTH AND SAFETY TRAINING

WHEREAS, schools and colleges are complex industries, much like factories, and paraprofessionals and school-related personnel, as well as other staff, face significant hazards that put them at risk for work-related illnesses and injuries.  These workers face exposure to dilapidated infrastructure and poor indoor air quality, ergonomic hazards, hazardous chemicals and waste as well as to communicable disease and infectious disease.  In addition, many of our members are required to work with dangerous equipment while performing their jobs; and

WHEREAS, there are procedures and practices that can make workplaces safer, for example, research has shown that "cleaning for health" methods can significantly improve the health and well-being of school children and staff and therefore improve the learning environment; and

WHEREAS, the federal government continues to ignore the need for a safe and healthy workplace for many of our members as OSHA rights and protections are extended to public workers in only 26 states; and

WHEREAS, studies have shown that custodial and maintenance personnel, food service workers, paraprofessionals who physically lift and move students and school bus drivers have some of the most severe work-related injuries.  These injuries, translating to high costs for school districts and colleges, could be prevented if the proper training and information were made available; and

WHEREAS, the lack of training and information is compounded because many of our members performing these hazardous tasks have communication problems since English is not their first language.  They work every day in conditions that put them at risk, as training and safety information is not available in their language:

RESOLVED, that the AFT provide resources and information to assist state and local affiliate efforts to ensure that all school employees receive adequate training, equipment and information from their employer to enable them to perform their jobs safely and protect themselves from hazardous exposure; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT provide local leaders and activists with information on "cleaning for health" principles and methods.  The AFT will also advocate for state and federal laws that provide guidance and resources to school districts to institute these methods; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT work with its affiliates to encourage school districts and the government agencies responsible for occupational health and safety to make training and safety material available in languages that are readily understood; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT continue to work with affiliates and other unions to petition the federal government to provide OSHA coverage for all public workers. [Executive Council, February 2005]