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The Industrial Relations Director is charged with responsibility for the health and safety of all divisions of the Union. Article 14 of the National Agreement requires management to provide a safe and healthy work environment for all employees covered by the agreement. To achieve this end, the contract provides for the establishment of joint safety and health committees at various levels throughout the Postal Service.... [read more]
For assistance with Safety and Health matters, contact Corey Thompson, APWU Safety & Health Specialist, at (202) 842-4273.
Latest Safety and Health News
OSHA Releases Ergonomic Strategic Partnership Report for Denver P&DC
(05/21/05) The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Strategic Partnership Program has released their Ergonomic Verification Report for the Denver P&DC's Ergonomic Risk Reduction Process. The Verification Team visited the Denver site on Oct. 25-27, 2007. The overall evaluation of the process as it is functioning at the Denver P&DC was overwhelmingly positive. You can read the OSHA report and an APWU Summary of the report by clicking the preceding links.
New USPS "Observation of Work Practices" Forms Appealed to Arbitration
(05/05/08) The APWU has appealed to national-level arbitration the creation of two new USPS "Observation of Work Practices" forms. It is the union's position that the observation forms are redundant and also conflict with Chapter 8 of the ELM and Section 8-14 of the Handbook EL-801, Supervisors Safety Handbook. Furthermore, it is the union's position that these forms are records covered under the Privacy Act; however, the Postal Service was unable to identify the System of Records under which these forms would be protected.
Click here for a copy of the Appeal to Arbitration and the Union's 15-Day Statement
Implementation Process Agreed To For
Off-Site Safety and Health Inspections
(04/25/08) Pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding MOU Re: Off-Site Safety and Health Program found on page 324 of the 2006 National Agreement requiring the National Joint Labor Management Safety and Health Committee to create an implementation process to ensure employees in off-site locations are fully protected by the Postal Service’s Safety and Health Program, the parties agreed to the following implementation process ... [read more]
Click here for a listing of detached mail units (DMUs)
Other Safety and Health Issues
Stand-Up Talks
(Updated 10/13/06)
This is a link to Postal Service safety-related stand up talks for which the national union has been officially notified. Safety talks that are given by management that are not listed here have not been provided to the national union.
Ergonomic Risk Reduction Process - ERRP
(Updated 04/06/06)
The Ergonomic Risk Reduction Process was started in the summer of 2003 following the signing of an MOU between the USPS, APWU, OSHA and the NPMHU. The agreement provides an outline and goals of the process and defines the obligation and responsibilities of the parties to reduce the number of injuries and ergonomic-related hazards.
Voluntary Protection Programs - VPP
(Updated 09/10/07)
OSHA's Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) is intended to promote effective worksite-based safety and health. In the VPP, management, labor and OSHA establish cooperative relationships at workplaces that have implemented a comprehensive safety and health management system.
In the wake of the Anthrax crisis of 2001, the Postal Service has begun installing Bio-Detection Equipment in a number of plants throughout the country. The BDS basically works by collecting a continuous air sample on a specific piece of mail processing equipment. The machine performs a rapid DNA test of the collected sample and sends the test results electronically to Postal officials.
Ventilation Filtration Systems - VFS
Following the Anthrax attacks of 2001, it was determined that the Anthrax spores became "aerosolized" as they passed through specific "pinch points" on mail processing equipment. The Ventilation Filtration System (VFS) is designed to collect and contain these and other potentially hazardous airborne particulates that may be released during the automated processing of mail.
Homeland Security Threat Advisory Codes
The current terrorist threat level as determined by the Department of Homeland Security, and an explanation of what the codes mean.
This is a list of safety and health related links on the web.
ABOUT THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS DEPARTMENT
Greg Bell, Director
Phone: 202-842-4273
Fax: 202-371-0992
The Industrial Relations Department is charged with responsibility for labor management, national negotiations, mechanization, safety and health for all divisions of the union, and the administration of the collective bargaining agreement…
