Effective worker and union participation has been a cornerstone of occupational and environmental safety standards for decades. This role has been especially important at refineries, chemical plants, and manufacturing facilities where failures could have deadly consequences for both workers and residents of nearby communities. Several high-profile chemical disasters in recent years — including those resulting in worker deaths — have underscored what could happen if frontline workers’ perspectives on problems at these types of facilities are not addressed. However, worker and union participation in safety programs is currently under attack at both the federal and state levels. This panel discussion will examine the critical importance of worker and union participation in protecting the safety of workplaces and communities and the role that public health professionals can play in promoting this participation, including through advocacy efforts at the policy level. Speakers:
- Charlotte Brody, BlueGreen Alliance
- Bill Hoyle, U.S. Chemical Safety Board (retired)
- Norman Rogers, United Steelworkers
- Kevin Riley, UCLA Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program (moderator)
Sponsored by American Public Health Association-Occupational Health & Safety section
