WORKER HEALTH AND SAFETY TRAINING COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT

International Chemical Workers Union, Akron OH

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The International Chemical Workers Union (ICWU) is applying for the Hazardous Materials Health and Safety Training Cooperative Agreement for the EPA-HWWT program, with a first year cost of 2,225,000 dollars and a five year cost of 11,954,477 dollars. The long term organizational goal of the ICWU Consortium is to institutionalize our model program within the member unions and through their companies' support. The immediate educational goal is to continue delivering, chemical emergency response training (1910.120, paragraph q) to thousands of industrial workers with collateral duty who respond to a variety of emergencies. The long term educational goal of the Consortium is to provide students with the confidence, tools and problem solving skills to identify inadequacies in their facilities' chemical emergency response programs. We will continue to evaluate our successes in making programmatic and institutional workplace improvements. This Consortium founded and operates the ICWU Center for Worker Health and Safety Education in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Center has developed the institutional capabilities and competencies of educational staff, trainers, curriculum and physical facilities to deliver nationwide hazardous waste and chemical emergency response training to thousands of workers. The current Consortium members are: the ICWU, the United Steelworkers of America, the International Association of Machinists, the American Flint Glass Workers Union, the Aluminum, Brick and Glass Workers Division (USWA), the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, the Rubber/Plastics Industry Conference (USWA), the University of Cincinnati and the Greater Cincinnati Occupational Health Center. The grant proposes to add the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (1.4 million members) and the American Federation of Teachers (1.1 million). Through these additional members, we propose to increase the amount of training by 25 percent, reaching nearly 111,000 trainees over the five year period in 3660 courses (including field classes). This proposal aims to continue and expand the successes of a multi union consortium in training industrial workers in the dangers of chemical emergency response and launch a Multi Grantee Project with four other existing NIEHS grantees. Through these activities we will raise awareness of proper Chemical Emergency Response procedures and return thousands of active participants to improve their working conditions.