 ADDRESSING
HEALTH ISSUES — Keynote speaker Dr. Charles
Levenstein enlightens the audience at the opening banquet
of the PEF Health and Safety conference. Levenstein is a
professor of work environment policy at the University of
Massachusetts, Lowell, and Director of Program on
Environment and Work. — Photo by Ken Dischel
Our jobs, our
lives
H&S conference aims to improve working conditions in
all agencies
By DEBORAH A. MILES
As many workers today are spending more waking hours on
their jobs than at home, PEF addressed multiple concerns
about safer working conditions at its 2003 Health and
Safety Conference called “Our Jobs, Our Lives.”
More than 300 health and safety activists from all state
agencies attended the conference which was held at the
end of January in Albany. The conference brought together
PEF and management leaders collaborating to protect
employees from work-related injuries and illnesses.
“Job safety and health is a day-to-day factor in our
well-being, our stress levels, and our ability to provide
high quality services to the citizens of New York,”
said PEF President Roger Benson at the opening ceremony
of the conference.
“PEF has a proud tradition of working to ensure
members’ workplaces are free of job hazards such as
infectious diseases, violence, patient lifting, awkwardly
designed work stations and poor indoor-air quality. This
conference is a continuation of that commitment,” he
said.
Along with the opening remarks from Benson, NYS Director
of Employee Relations George H. Madison addressed the
audience. Charles Levenstein of the University of
Lowell’s Department of Work Environment gave the
keynote address and spoke about the toll of workplace
death and injury in the United States.
The three-day conference offered several special programs
including a panel discussion about smallpox, workshops on
office ergonomics, emergency action plans,
needlestick-injury prevention, PESH rights and
responsibilities.
CURBING WORKPLACE VIOLENCE — Richard Denenberg,
co-director of Workplace Solutions talks about new
approaches in dealing with hostile, threatening and
uncivil behavior to PEF members at the 2003 PEF health
and safety conference held in Albany at the end of
January. More than 300 members attended the conference
which offered nearly 20 workshops. — Photo by Ken
Dischel
Activists recognized
In addition to the workshops, the conference featured an
awards banquet honoring PEF members and staff.
“Outstanding Service Awards” were presented to
PEF field representative Michelle Routi and to Greg
Turek, an associate industrial hygienist in PEF Division
205.
The “Judith Scanlon PEF Health and Safety Activist
Award” was given to nurse Jill Dangler of PEF
Division 183 for her activism after being badly beaten by
a patient at her worksite.
Deborah Egel and Thomas Torino — PEF and management
chairs, respectively, at the state Office of Alcohol and
Substance Abuse Services — received the
Labor-Management Award.
Raymond E. Rockwell, director of the Occupational Health
and Safety Program at the state Health Department was
also honored.
Reducing claims a goal
“Those who attended the conference walked away with
a wealth of information,” said PEF Health and Safety
Director Jonathan Rosen.
“About 25 percent of workers’ compensation
cases result from workplace violence and another 16
percent are from back injuries due to patient lifting and
other ergonomic hazards.
“The state of New York spends an estimated $300
million per year on these cases and related costs. This
conference was designed to reduce those human and
financial costs by improving employees’ worksites
and working conditions,” he said.
NIOSH
will circulate video worldwide
New DVD to
feature members’ accounts of workplace violence
Behind the scenes at
the 2003 PEF Health and Safety Conference, cameras were
rolling as five members gave a personal account of
violence in the workplace for a DVD being produced by the
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH).
“The last video we produced was on workplace
stress,” said John Diether, writer/producer for
NIOSH-TV. “It was so popular, we decided to do one
on workplace violence.”
Diether said Lynn Jenkins, a technical advisor at NIOSH
and considered “the guru of workplace
violence,” suggested talking to PEF Health and
Safety Director Jonathan Rosen for casting
recommendations.
“Because of the conference, we were very lucky to
have all the people we needed under one roof,”
Diether said. “Everyone we interviewed was very
charismatic and told their own story. They were varied
and all were high human interest. It was a good shoot, we
got lots of good stuff.”
PEF members Dennis Beagle, a health and safety inspector,
and psychiatric nurses Rhonda Bedow, Deborah Egel and
Jill Dangler participated, as well as Thomas Torino,
director of human resources management at the state
Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services. PEF
President Roger Benson was also filmed for the video.
“These PEF members put a personal face on the
program. It draws an audience to what you’re saying,
even though it may not be pretty, if you focus on a
victim,” Diether said.
Diether plans to interview more people in high-risk
occupations, such as those working in retail and possibly
taxi drivers. The thrust of the program will be on
NIOSH’s recommendations for preventing and dealing
with workplace violence.
He expects to complete production in the fall. It will be
distributed internationally as are other NIOSH videos.
“We send them everywhere, from Albania to
Zimbabwe,” he said. Visit www.cdc.gov/niosh for more information. — Deborah A.
Miles
Health and Safety E-mail
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Inside This Issue:
Features
New pact ends 20 years of
sick-leave inequity
PEF wins $1.75 million for
members
Downstate members to save on
fares
Stay in the know with
contract talks
Early Retirement window is
closing fast
Budge
Breakdown
PEF fires back against
proposed budget
Program, job cuts in
proposed state budget
• Office of Mental Health
(OMH)
• OMRDD
• Office of Children
and Family Services (OCFS)
• Transportation Department (DOT)
• Office of General Services (OGS)
• ENCON
• Education Department (SED)
• VESID
• Health Department (DOH)
• Department of
Corrections Services
• Division of Parole (DOP)
• Department of Motor
Vehicles (DMV)
Departments
President's Message:
Stopping job-killing layoffs
You Said It: Member's
letters this month
Health & Safety: Working
conditions symposium
Member Mobilization:
Exposing weakest links
Nurses' Station: LobbyDay
plans for May 5th
Health Notes: Expanded
coverage for women
Retirees In Action:
Death-benefit coverage
PEF Membership Benefits
Program & Travel Corp
Union Matters
DVD on members’
accounts of workplace violence
Hidden talents emerge among
members
State AFL-CIO offers
scholarship
Election Board meeting
DCAAccount user? File IRS
form 2441
2003-2006 Elections
Corrected Definitions
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