ABLE Health and Safety Violations
The effects of exposure to cleaning agents used by ABLE custodial workers are deleterious and range from moderate irritation to severe burns and central nervous system damage. While working at UCI, ABLE workers are not provided any Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) or training on the use of PPE and the handling of hazardous chemicals (carcinogens, toxins, irritants, corrosives, sensitizers, hepatotoxins, nephrotoxins, neurotoxins) and biological wastes (infectious agents, blood borne pathogens, other biohazardous materials), which results in irreparable worksite injuries. For instance, since ABLE workers are not provided with impervious gloves, they have been severely harmed by used and uncapped syringes and broken glassware, which are often mistakenly disposed in regular trash bins, and exposed to the aforementioned biological and chemical hazards.
ABLE’s practices are in direct violation of the Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, which requires that workers be provided PPE if exposed to chemicals causing “injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body through absorption, inhalation or physical contact” (Standard - 29 CFR: 1910.132a).1 Additionally, all employers who engage in the laboratory use of hazardous chemicals are required to give workers “information and training to ensure that they are apprised of the hazards of chemicals present in their work area” (Standard - 29 CFR: 1910.1450a).2
ABLE workers have also been experiencing respiratory system irritation, headaches, dizziness and nausea due to poorly ventilated work environments and lack of proper protective equipment. According to Standard - 29CFR 1910.134(a): “In the control of those occupational diseases caused by breathing air contaminated with harmful dusts, fogs, fumes, mists, gases, smokes, sprays, or vapors, the primary objective shall be to prevent atmospheric contamination. This shall be accomplished as far as feasible by accepted engineering control measures (for example, enclosure or confinement of the operation, general and local ventilation, and substitution of less toxic materials). When effective engineering controls are not feasible, or while they are being instituted, appropriate respirators shall be used pursuant to this section.” 3
ABLE workers are currently not provided with proper cleaning supplies, posing a serious health risk to the entire UCI community. ABLE has continued to lower sanitation standards by limiting the use of detergents and protective materials from workers forcing them to dilute scarce detergents at hand and in many instances cleaning surfaces and public areas solely with water.
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1http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owasrch.search_form?p_doc_type=STANDARDS&p_toc_level=1&p_keyvalue=1910
2http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10106
3http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=12716
