October 2022 Volume 2 | Issue 5:

Member Alert – Protect Your Rights!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Be an Advocate for Safety: Help Rebuild CSEA’s Safety Network!

Download/print this newsletter in bulletin format: cseany.org/safetynet

Show us a photo of the bulletin posted in your workplace to receive a prize!

*Send photos to bernadette.foley@cseainc.org

Get Featured in the Safety Net!

We love hearing from you! Share your content by responding to the Safety Net’s “Reader’s Response,” “Member Spotlight” or “Dear Bernie” newsletter column(s) and receive a prize!

*Submissions can be emailed to bernadette.foley@cseainc.org

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Write to “Dear Bernie” with your questions or concerns relating to workplace safety and health and receive advice from our OSH professionals!

*Submissions will be published anonymously.

SAFETY NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

SEPTEMBER 9, 2022 | Albany, NY

Governor Hochul Signs Legislation to Support 9/11 Victims, First Responders, and Their Loved Ones

“Ahead of the 21st anniversary of 9/11, Governor Kathy Hochul today signed five pieces of legislation to provide support to 9/11 victims and survivors and their families. This support will help to remove barriers and delays from the Victim Compensation Fund and workers’ compensation claims.”

Read full article here: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-signs-legislation-support-911-victims-first-responders-and-their-loved-ones

MEMBER ALERTS: CALL TO ACTION

CSEA Member Fatality: Please Be Advised and Notify Your Region Network

Last month, a motor equipment operator at the Town of Yorktown in the Southern Region was struck and killed in a work zone incident. The incident is currently under investigation by the New York State Police, and preliminary reports indicate that safety precautions were in place.

This tragic event serves as a reminder that working on traveled roads is inherently hazardous and every work zone is at risk from distracted or aggressive drivers.

We must take care to ensure that members working on traveled roads are properly trained, equipped with proper high-visibility garments, and protected by a comprehensive traffic control plan.

**Please notify and advise the members of your region health and safety committees.

October is Distracted Driving Month: Help Spread Work Zone Safety Awareness

More than 50 CSEA members have been killed working on traveled roads since 1983, and more than half of those fatalities were caused by the traveling public.

**If you plan to attend the upcoming CSEA Annual Delegates Meeting, please stop by the CSEA Statewide Standing Safety & Health Committee table, where you can pick up materials to help spread awareness about work zone safety.

**Or, contact us to order Don’t Zone Out magnets, stickers, and other print materials.

View/download our new Work Zone Safety fact sheet.

SAFETY TERM OF THE MONTH

Threshold Limit Values (TVLs):

Threshold Limit Values (TVLs) refer to airborne concentrations of chemical substances and represent conditions under which it is believed that nearly all workers may be repeatedly exposed, day after day, over a working lifetime, without adverse effects. (U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration)

A substance is defined as hazardous if it is specifically listed by regulation or has one or more of the following characteristics:

• Flammable
• Corrosive 
• Toxic
• Reactive

THIS MONTH IN OSH HISTORY

Tragedy Leads to Groundbreaking Legislation: Schuyler County DSS Shootings

On Oct. 15, 1992, one of the most horrific events in CSEA’s history took place. In the Finger Lakes Town of Watkins Glen, four Schuyler County Department of Social Services workers were brutally murdered while simply doing their jobs: CSEA members Phyllis Caslin, Florence Pike, Nancy Wheeler, and Denise Miller Van Amburg.

The gunman, who was angry that his wages had been garnished to collect unpaid child support payments, walked into the Social Services office and shot the workers without warning before turning the gun on himself.

The incident shocked CSEA and the nation, and focused attention on the increasing problem of workplace violence. After the shootings, CSEA set to work on developing a worksite security standard that called on public employers to assess worksite risks and establish appropriate security plans.

CSEA spent years trying to persuade New York State of the importance of a consistent statewide standard. After years of frustrations and setbacks, CSEA persevered in memory of our union’s four sisters in Watkins Glen. The Worksite Security Act was finally enacted in 2006 and has been in effect across the state since.

WORKERS COMPENSATION: COVID-19 ILLNESS CLAIMS

Time is Running Out!

Time may be running out for members to file a workers’ compensation claim if they were potentially exposed to COVID-19 at work. State law requires that these claims be filed within two years of diagnosis. There are no out-of-pocket costs for workers’ compensation claims. Don’t be left out in the cold – protect your right to file a claim by contacting a workers’ compensation attorney today!

CSEA endorses the law firm of Fine, Olin and Anderman – Get started now by clicking https://www.foalaw.com/csea-members/

Increasing scientific evidence shows that even mild cases of the COVID virus can result in long-lasting symptoms and chronic medical problems (long COVID). CSEA members were among the most vulnerable during the pandemic. That said, the vast majority of claims that are filed for work-related COVID are found in favor of the injured worker.

DID YOU KNOW?

• More than 5 million New Yorkers have been diagnosed with COVID-19 – over half account for working adults, of which about 1 in 5 are work-related?
• Between 300,000 and 500,000 New York workers could and should have filed for workers’ compensation for work-related COVID?
• According to the state Workers’ Compensation Board – fewer than 40,000 claims have been received or are in process, and fewer than 4,000 workers statewide have been compensated to date?

HURRICANE SEASON & EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Natural and artificial disasters aren’t always preventable. In fact, they’re likely to become increasingly frequent and severe in years to come. Many CSEA members work at disaster sites whether they’re first on the scene or in cleanup operations. To learn more about emergency preparedness, what employers should do to keep workers safe, and actions you can take for your home and family, check out our fact sheets:

• Home Emergency Preparedness
• Emergency Preparedness at Work

MEMBER RESOURCES: OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY & HEALTH

Materials & Publications

View/download our A-Z list of fact sheets, publications and more: cseany.org/safety-resources

Order a supply of occupational safety & health publications for your workplace – Free!

Access our Publication Order Form

*Mail or email Publication Order Forms to bernadette.foley@cseainc.org

Workshop Trainings & Webinars

This month’s training highlights:

• Workers’ Compensation and COVID-19
• Workplace Violence Committee Training
• Emergency Response Awareness: All Hazards; Work Zone All Hazards; Temporary Traffic Control
• Hazardous Waste Operations First Responder Awareness
• Disaster Site: Awareness; Preparedness; Deployment 
• Domestic Preparedness Awareness
• Clean-Up Safety
• Working in and Around Toxic Water

View all on-demand webinar trainings: https://cseany.org/osh-webinars

CSEA Occupational Safety & Health (OSH) Specialists

CSEA OSH Specialists can provide training, technical assistance, labor-management services, and even help establish a safety and health committee in your workplace.

Contact your OSH Specialist: cseany.org/member-support

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