Safety Corner July/August, 2000

Safety is everyone’s job. We hear these little words of wisdom all the time, and do you know what? It’s true! But what is even more true is the fact that each individual is solely responsible for their own safety and well-being, both on and off the job.

The finest, most stringent, safety and health guidelines ever developed could be in force but if you as an individual decide to ignore them you not only put yourself in jeopardy but you also undermine the well-being of your fellow employees and Union members.

Some examples:

WISHA and USWest mandates concerning work area protection; wearing of high visibility clothing; lashing of ladders; utility hole guidelines; wearing of PPE; wearing of full-body harnesses; et cetera, et cetera, are in effect for us as workers’ protection, but why do some workers continually ignore them? Laziness and stupidity? A need to keep their supervisors’ numbers up? An in-born death wish? Who knows! But eventually someone will die or be seriously hurt, and the powers that be will stomp around pounding their chests in an attempt to solve the riddle: “How could this have happened?” I’ll tell you how: in 90% of the cases someone failed to follow the rules. It’s as simple as that. I cover the following items on my daily safety message: my state and local safety committee meeting minutes, and this column on a regular basis but for the benefit of new employees and for those who slept through class I will patiently run through them again. These are the WISHA, OSHA, and USWest mandates:

  1. All employees are to receive a monthly safety meeting—it’s the law.
  2. All employees are to be provided with all necessary up-to-date safety equipment and training. It’s the law.
  3. If any employee has out-of-date rubber gloves or 188s they are to turn them over to their supervisor and demand current ones. It’s the law.
  4. All outside techs are to have been covered with the “Other than competent person trenching and shoring “ training. It’s the law.
  5. All employees are to have been thoroughly covered and documented with the new USWest “Safety violation disciplinary policy.” USWest employees are presently being suspended for experiencing personal injuries and motor vehicle accidents on the job. Demand coverage. It’s your right and It’s the law.
  6. Under the imminent danger and general duty clause of OSHA and WISHA every employee has the right to refuse any what they feel to be unsafe or unhealthy work assignments.. It’s your right and it’s the law.
  7. The SLPP manual is the safety guide for USWest employees and every employee IS to have one—no exceptions. Demand it and also ask for the WAC32 Telecommunications manual . It is one of WISHA’s many available manuals on mandatory workplace safety gurantees.

The list goes one and on—if you have safety questions ask your supervisor for an answer and by the way good luck, but then call me or ask any other CWA steward, officer or safety person for the the unbiased right answer.

Demand your rights and remember 23 personal injuries and 17 motor vehicle accidents on the average each month are not acceptable. If the pyramid theory is correct, an on the job fatality is very, very close. Don’t let it be you—follow the rules

Listen to the safety line each morning for some sage safety information presented by yours truly. Dial 1-888-772-5491 or 206-345-SAFE (7233).

Yours in Safety,

Dennis Garrett
Vice President
Safety Officer

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