The American people responded to the attacks of September 11 with compassion and resolve. Virtually every American participated in one way or another in helping our Nation recover and grow stronger. Some rushed into burning buildings to save the lives of colleagues, friends, and strangers. Others demonstrated their solidarity by wearing an American flag on their lapel.
While the work to protect Americans and our way of life continue, we as workers can be confronted with tighter security policies on the job and loss of civil rights we once took for granted. New legislation will be passed to protect Americans from terrorist threats from within as well as from out side our borders. The IAM and other international unions are watching closely and are aware of the possibility that legislation and presidential order may infringe on both bargaining and civil rights.
There is more to workplace security than the threat from terrorists. Other issues that affect most every workplace in the United States were also raise threats to workers include workplace violence, emergency planning, building evacuation, building and facility security, biological and chemical threats, decontamination and worker training. The IAM Safety and Health Department will continue its support and assistance to members, local and district lodges in providing guidance and training on issues that affect our health and safety.
This web site is dedicated to providing workers easy access to articles and links to information. At the bottom of this page are links to inform and help you find answers to some of these issues. The IAM may not agree and support these views and you should solicit guidance from your local and district lodge. For example, most government websites on the smallpox gives a positive view. However, the IAM and other international unions, hospitals, and experts in the field are less enthusiastic of vaccines.
What this web site wishes to accomplish is to provide the latest facts or opinions of the issues from various sources through article and links to web sites. Many of these issues come so fast we are not absolutely sure what is good or bad since there may not be sufficient time to apply the appropriate science to each and every potential threat we could face. If you have questions contact the Safety and Health Department at (301) 967-4704.
Other Resources
Many unions, agencies and organizations offer fact sheets, checklists and other helpful information on the smallpox vaccination. Here is a sample of resource sites:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
International Association of Fire Fighters
New England Journal of Medicine
Medical and Public Health Law website
U.S. National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health
LINKS
New York Committee for Occupational Safety & Health (NYCOSH)
American Postal Workers Union; and United States Postal Service, security of the mail
Washington Post – Smallpox Vaccine Program and other related articles Enter Key Word Smallpox
Emergency and Terrorism Preparedness for Environmental Health Practitioners
Bio-Terrorism:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/photo/nation/bioterror/
Anthrax:
Anthrax—Centers for Disease Control
Agents and Threats:
http://www.cdc.gov/
Radiological Destructive Devices- “Dirty Bombs”
This webpage provides useful information on radiological destructive devices, also known as “dirty bombs”.
Agencies:
Centers for Disease Control
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Violance
Homeland Security
