TURI - Toxics Use Reduction Institute

Worker participation has long been accepted as an important part of a successful occupational health and safety program. This has not been commonly accepted in environmental policy. Pollution prevention interventions are often seen as engineering problems, separate from workers on the shop floor. Workers, however, are the individuals who are exposed to the highest concentrations of toxic chemicals in a manufacturing process. They often are aware of concrete problems and details of production that management hasn't considered. In a growing number of plants, workers are being given a voice in environmental decision-making and implementation. What is the nature of worker participation, and what are its effects? How can companies implement successful programs with joint labor-management involvement?

This presentation will describe a model framework for increasing levels of worker participation based on extensive literature review. It will then discuss a proposed research plan to apply the model to three major plants in which workers are involved in pollution prevention policy. The goal of this research is to develop a tool that can be widely used to implement worker participation programs in pollution prevention.

Marian R. Flum, is a doctoral candidate in Work Environment Policy at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Ms. Flum currently directs an environmental justice job training program for low income minority residents of Lowell and Greater Boston at UML. She has over 20 years experience in worker health and safety education and in developing OHS programs for government agencies, schools, and private companies.