ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

The DOE is required, under our contract and federal and state regulations, to provide a workplace free of recognized hazard, one that is safe, secure and well maintained.
The DOE is required to provide training to protect you against hazards that you are likely to encounter, including but not limited to dealing with blood that may carry disease, spilled cleaning products and damaged insulation that may contain asbestos. Those who work in science laboratories and vocational shops also must receive training on hazards specific to their facilities.
To ensure that the DOE adheres to our contract and the law, the union’s Safety and Health Committee has experts in each borough to respond to your environmental health and safety complaints or concerns. (It’s best to have your chapter leader contact them.) These concerns can include, but are not limited to, asbestos, lead paint, mold, rodents, indoor air quality, construction and renovation, communicable diseases and ergonomic hazards like lifting and transferring students with limited mobility.