energyinhealthandsafetyactivists
Yearsago,Rodriguez-Martinezwas AddictionTreatmentCenterinUtica,
H
exposedtochemicalsinafloorstripper wheregettinginvolvedinhealthand
E
usedatherworksiteanddeveloped safetyissueshaspaidoff.
A
asthma. “OASASwasoneofthefirsttoget
“Ihadtodoalotoffightingonmyown involvedwiththeNationalInstitutefor
L
togethelp.Imadealotofphonecalls OccupationalSafetyandHealthproject
T
andIupsetalotofpeople.Asaresultof withtheUniversityofMarylandon
H
retaliation,Ilostajobassignment. workplaceviolenceprevention.Iamon
“Thisconferenceisawonderfulwayto thecommitteeandithasdone
&
getpeopleinvolved.Moreandmore outstandingwork.Weareaheadofthe
peoplearebecomingawareoftheissues gameandstartedthepreventionplan S
wehaveintheworkplace,andhowthese beforethestatemandatetookeffect.
A
issuesaffectourhealth.Becauseofmy “Themoreinformationwehave,the
ownexperienceandwhatIhavelearned betteritisforouremployeesandthe
F
atPEF’shealthandsafetyconferences,I patientstheyserve,”Woodensaid.
E
amnowabletohelpmorepeoplenavigate APEFDivision240memberatthe
T
theredtapewhentheybecomeexposed StateInsuranceFund,Kenneth
Y
tochemicals,”Rodriguez-Martinezsaid. Johnson,saidthe
Themessagesheintendstobringback informationatthe
tomembersis,“Fightforyourrights,seek conferenceexpandedhis
help,andfiletherightforms.” knowledgeofhealthand
safetyissues.
Getinvolved “Iameagertobring
JackieWooden,ahealthandsafety backalltheinformation
advocateatthestate tomembers,”Johnson
OfficeofAlcoholand said.“Toprotect
SubstanceAbuse ourselvesandeachother,
Services(OASAS)inPEF itisimportantforall
GOINGUP—JuneEdwardsofPEF’s
Division183,said‘Build memberstogetinvolved
NursesCommitteeandMarcBadalucco,
theCoalition”wasthe
JOHNSON
withunionactivitiesand
NERegionalDirectorofArjoHuntleigh,
fifthhealthandsafety learnabouttheimportanceofhealth
demonstrateasafe-patient-handling
conferenceshehas andsafetyintheworkplace.This
hoist. —PhotobyDeborahA.Miles
attended. conferenceprovideditall.”
“Itisimportantforparticipantstotake
theinformationbacktotheirworksites.It
WOODEN
Sheisaresources
andreimbursement
agentatMcPike
reinforcesourtheme—Buildthe
Coalition.Workingtogether,wecanmake
certaineveryfacilityinNewYorkprovides
asafeandhealthyenvironmentforour
members,”D’Arminiosaid.
PEFDirectorofOccupationalSafety
andHealthJonathanRosensaid
D’Arminio’sfocusonbuildingand
rebuildinglocalhealthandsafety
committeesinspiredmanynewPEF
activiststoattendtheconference,aswell
asrekindlinganinterest
amongveteranactivists.
Workingtogether
“Buildingacoalition
withco-workersupportin
healthandsafetyissuesis
akeyelementinimproving
workingconditions,”said
PEFDivision229member
MigdaliaRodriguez-
Martinezwhoworksatthe
stateDepartmentof
R
CorrectionalServices.
-M
O
A
D
R
R
T
IG
IN
U
E
E
Z
Z
TAKINGITALLIN—PEFDivision244leadersCarrieSaundersandSharonHebb
joinDivision253memberCharlesRolandattheCo-WorkerViolencePrevention
www.pef.org
workshop.
TheCommunicato
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