Senate passes bill
Progress made in Stop Workplace Violence Campaign


By DARCY WELLS
While training and mobilization meetings continue to take place for PEF members statewide, there is movement in Albany on one of PEF’s Stop Workplace Violence bills.

The Senate unanimously passed S.6480/A.9692 which would require the state Department of Civil Service to prepare an annual report about workplace injuries and the cost incurred by the state for those injuries. The bill was in an Assembly committee for review at press time.

Meanwhile, the Stop Workplace Violence Web page www.pef.org/stopworkplaceviolence/index.htm , has received nearly 1,000 hits and members have been sending in postcards that will be delivered to legislative leaders.

Campaign buttons and stickers are also available through the Web site, as is a copy of the Stop Workplace Violence DVD. The campaign, rolled out earlier this year includes an aggressive legislative agenda to get three bills passed. Bill S.6441/A.9691 requires all public employers to evaluate their worksites to determine risk facts that may lead to violence and implement reasonable controls. The bill had been referred to committees in both houses as we go to press.

The Judi Scanlon bill, S.207/A.2570, was also in committees. It would heighten safety measures for community mental health workers, including a requirement for employees to make home visits in pairs when the client has a serious mental illness.

To date, five one-day regional mobilization trainings have been held and 200 PEF members trained and empowered to advocate for the proposed legislation. They are better able now to identify risk factors for workplace violence, and develop measures to prevent the violence. Five similar trainings will be held in central and western NY over the next six weeks.

If you were assaulted or threatened at work, your story could be a vital part of the documentation needed for legislation and effective workplace violence prevention programs. You have the option of remaining anonymous, but send in all the details of the incident, what could have been done to prevent it, and the type of support you received. Mail your story to: Workplace Violence Campaign, PEF Health & Safety Department, PO Box 12414, Albany, NY 12212 or e-mail it to JRosen@pef.org.

The Communicator April 2006

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