In 1987, the NIEHS funded a proposal from the International Chemical Workers Union in cooperation with the United Steelworkers, the University of Cincinnati and the Greater Cincinnati Occupational Health Center to train hazardous waste workers and chemical emergency responders. With these funds an education center was established in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1990, a supplemental NIEHS award enabled the Center to welcome three additional unions, the International Association of Machinists, the Aluminum Workers and the Flint Glass Workers into its unique, multi-union cooperative organization. By the end of its initial five-year grant, the Center will have provided 150,000 person-hours of training to 12,000 industrial workers and supervisors actively employed in chemical emergency response or hazardous waste work. Initial results of a long-term program evaluation survey indicate that the Center's training has engendered significant improvements in workplace health and safety conditions at hundreds of sites across the country. In 1990 NIEHS site reviewers found the program to be fully competent, its. training appropriate and in line with regulatory requirements, educational objectives and numerical projections. This project now proposes to extend training to the United Rubber Workers bringing the total six union population to 1.7 million workers. Highlights of program expansion plans include: five-day programs over the three years to train 2,400 members of the priority target population of 35,000 workers actively employed in hazardous waste and chemical emergency response; programs to reach minorities, women and Spanish speaking union members; satellite training programs for members at Department of Energy facilities -undergoing environmental remediation; and expansion of the existing train-the-trainers program to meet increased training needs in the field including programs to be conducted at IAM and USWA facilities. The Center also plans, along with other NIEHS grantees, to establish an annual conference of and for worker-trainers. To achieve self-sufficiency, the Center will continue to aggressively promote its field training programs, and expects these programs to reach 10,500 workers over the three years of the proposed agreement. To date, over 50 corporations have sponsored training by the Center. To maintain and quantify the effectiveness of its training, the Center proposes to continue its long-term survey and data analysis. Preliminary results of the survey provide evidence that the existing curricula, materials and educational methodology used by the Center form a secure and capable foundation upon which to build future programs.
| Mahan, Bruce; Maclin, Reggie; Ruttenberg, Ruth et al. (2018) Labor-Management Cooperation in Illinois: How a Joint Union Company Team Is Improving Facility Safety. New Solut 28:227-239 |
| Mahan, Bruce; Morawetz, John; Ruttenberg, Ruth et al. (2013) Workplace safety and health improvements through a labor/management training and collaboration. New Solut 23:561-76 |
| Becker, Paul; Morawetz, John (2004) Impacts of health and safety education: comparison of worker activities before and after training. Am J Ind Med 46:63-70 |
| McQuiston, T H; Coleman, P; Wallerstein, N B et al. (1994) Hazardous waste worker education. Long-term effects. J Occup Med 36:1310-23 |
