Joseph Chip Hughes Director, WETP

Transcription

1 1 Joseph Chip Hughes Director, WETP Green Jobs and Sustainability Concerns 2010 EPA NIEHS EJ Conference

2 2 Hazardous Waste Worker Training Program

3 3 NIEHS Worker Education and Training Program Implications for Safety and Health Training in a Green Economy Report from Fall Technical Workshop October 16-17, 2008 Chapel Hill, NC Report Issued: January 2009

4 4 $ 7 Million for Hazardous Waste Worker Training Program Administrative Supplements Target Population for Green Jobs Safety Training Support: hazardous components of ARRA jobs dealing with potential exposures in regular cleanups, large-scale construction, demolition, brownfields-type redevelopment and public works projects. emerging green sector jobs - customization of safety and health training in commercial and residential weatherization, alternative energy development, green remediation, green construction and emerging industries like nanotechnology. for new workers for stimulus projects and emerging green jobs careerenhancement and life skills training Creation of federal, state and local safety and health training partnerships to support ARRA activities.

5 5 ARRA: Worker Education Administrative Supplements Fostering Research Collaboration and Dissemination "ICWUC/CBTU trainers and coordinators from Chicago, Anniston, AL and Oakland, CA are excited to be able to train unemployed and underemployed people to work in the stimulus, remediation and green jobs sectors. Using unemployed and retired trainers and their training experience, initial recruitment already underway and the ICWU Center resources they will be able to initiate training in the next few weeks." -- John Morawetz, International Chemical Worker Union Council For Frank Cyphers, recipient of an administrative supplement under ARRA for U45, Worker Health and Safety Cooperative Agreement

6 6 Green Jobs Safety and Health Concerns Sustainability must include worker safety Green jobs must be safe jobs Enhance the safety and health protection of the American workforce Expand and apply our knowledge in occupational safety and health to new workplaces, processes, and products Ensure the training and re-training of the workforce that will fill these new jobs includes relevant safety and health information

7 7 New Green Economic Sectors and Work Processes * NIEHS WETP has documented the need for safety and health training in the emerging green sector including: commercial and residential weatherization alternative energy development green remediation and environmental cleanup green construction emerging industries like nanotechnology

8 NIOSH Conference on Safe Green Jobs 8 Sustainability must include worker safety and green jobs must be safe jobs Enhance the safety and health protection of the American workforce Expand and apply our knowledge in occupational safety and health to new workplaces, processes, and products Ensure the training and re-training of the workforce that will fill these new jobs includes relevant safety and health information Making Green Jobs Safe Workshop December 14 16, 2009

9 Green Jobs Emphasis Areas 9 1. Construction / Infrastructure / Re-Purposing Buildings, bridges, roads, weatherization projects 2. Manufacturing and Emerging Technologies Green chemistry, green nanotechnology, green products 3. Transportation Rail, car, truck, air, battery and solar-powered 4. Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, including food and food processing New hazards, equipment, and chemicals linked to green practices, alternative fuels 5. Energy and Mining Smart grid, wind farms, solar power, biofuels, alternative energy 6. Waste Management and Recycling

10 Green Jobs Occupational Hazards 10 Old New Traditional Jobs Green Jobs What we know Utilize the body of knowledge from safety, industrial hygiene and occupational medicine Identify where old hazards are not being addressed adequately. How do we apply what we already know to a re-employed / re-deployed workforce? What we don t know we know Determine the extent to which old hazards will be manifest in green jobs Determine how to adapt old guidance to new jobs How do we identify and apply old knowledge to these new jobs? What we know we don t know Develop research agenda and planning Conduct ongoing assessment of guidance and regulations How do we (quickly) support research, disseminate results and transfer it into practice? What we don t know we don t know Be alert for sentinel events Consider leading indicators

11 11 Inclusion of Green Sustainability Principles within the Environmental Justice Community Create strong green sustainability principles for EJ that have robust environmental management systems (EMS) systems, safety, health and environmental (SHE) policies and worker health protections. Document that a green economy improves public health by including worker and community health concerns; Continue to foster the links between environmental justice organizations, community health groups and unions in developing green jobs; Include the impacts of green work on worker safety and health within the LEED certification process for green buildings; Include green building principles in health and safety plans for all government contracts for remediation, construction and renovation. Incorporate and integrate green chemistry principles and life-cycle analyses into environmental justice initiatives.