Michele Ochsner

Factors Which Support Effective Worker Participation in Health and Safety: A Survey of New Jersey Industrial Hygienists and Safety Engineers

Strategies for increasing worker involvement in health and safety are wide-spread and have received emphasis in various OSHA reform proposals; however, much remains unknown about the effectiveness of these strategies. This paper draws on a survey of more than 400 New Jersey members of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) and the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) which addressed a broad range of issues relating to health and safety conditions and practices, including the use of worker or labor/management health and safety committees (HSCs) and worker health and safety representatives. Stepwise discriminant analysis was used to explore the relationships between effective participation and variables which describe worksites and potential health and safety resources and barriers. Effective strategies for involving workers appear to be conditional on a number of variables, most importantly on worker activism and the effective use of formal union negotiations. Findings are consistent with studies from both the U.S. and abroad which emphasize the role of unions in shaping opportunities for effective worker participation.

Pollution prevention at the 3M corporation : Case study insights into organizational incentives, resources, and strategies

Abstract 3M initiated its “Pollution Prevention Pays” (3P) program in 1975 and is probably the U.S. corporation which has been most identified with using preventive strategies to reduce toxic releases. This case study draws on interviews conducted with representatives of 3M manufacturing plants and corporate staff to provide both an overview of 3Ms pollution prevention efforts and explore the organizational dimensions of two types of pollution prevention projects. The analysis addresses two key questions: (1) what do 3Ms accomplishments indicate about the potential for pollution prevention approaches? and (2) what are the organizational incentives, resources and strategies which underpin 3Ms pollution prevention efforts?

A Case Study of Oshep's Training Partnership with the American Standard Corporation's Trenton Facility and Gmp Local 175

This case study examines the evolution and impact of a training partnership between the Rutgers University/N.J. Industrial Union Councils (IUC) Occupational Safety and Health Project and the American Standard Corporations Trenton facility. The study draws on on-site interviews with three employees who played a key role in the training program as well as survey data from a broader cross-section of the facilitys workforce. Insights about the impact of training are viewed within the context of the adult education and evaluation literature, particularly studies focusing on participatory, interactive training techniques. Committed activists, a supportive union and management, and the infusion of skills and ideas from the Rutgers/IUC worker-to-worker health and safety program are viewed as key factors in understanding developments at the facility. In addition, the study emphasizes the importance of relationships developed between union activists, facility management, and the OSHEP training staff. On January 2, 2001, the corporation announced plans to shut down the facility within the year, and plans for training the rest of the work force were dropped. Although the site-specific training program was cut short, this case study traces changes in the plants health and safety culture that occurred over a three-year period.

Evaluating goals in worker health protection using a participatory design and an evaluation checklist

Spanish-speaking immigrant workers in construction are considered hard to reach and at high risk for work-related injury and fatality. This evaluation study describes the use of participatory methods and an evaluation checklist to consider a health and safety (H&S) training program for these workers. A previously developed training manual and model were disseminated to eight worker centers (WCs) through participatory research collaboration. It incorporated H&S training for workers while strengthening the role of WCs as sources for leadership development and worker empowerment. Design, delivery, reaction, application, and extension were assessed through individual interviews with participants, trained trainers, and center staff and through observation of training sessions and partner debriefs; pre- and post-training tests assessed participant learning. Results indicate moderate learning and application by participants and strong evidence for structural gains in and among WCs. We conclude that such partnerships and models are valuable tools for collaborating with hard-to-reach workers.

Case study: Chemical approval at HADCO Corporation

This case study is the second in a four-part series profiling environmental decision making at leading companies.

Safety and Health Conditions, Practices, and Priorities for OSHA Reform: A Comparison of Views of New Jersey Union Members and Safety and Health Professionals

This article draws on survey and interview data from New Jersey occupational health and safety professionals and union members to provide insights into the interactions among workers, management, unions, and health and safety professionals that shape work place conditions and practices. A substantial number of both professionals and union members reported: serious or very serious health and safety problems; limited access to effective resources for addressing these problems; and the presence of serious barriers to resolving these problems. Fewer than half of the union and professional respondents reported that effective participatory mechanisms such as union/management health and safety committees existed at their work sites, and many interview respondents described situations in which serious problems might be aired but seldom resolved.

Pollution Prevention's Promise, Limits, and Relevance to Planners

This article reviews the promise and limits of pollution prevention efforts to date in the context of federal and state pollution prevention programs and data on industry prevention initiatives. The authors argue that knowledge of pollution prevention strategies provides planners with an important perspective as they seek to encourage economic development while minimizing the impact of development on the environment.