Fall 2008 In this issue: Independent Accreditation The Need for Economic Stimulus First Aid in Action Winter and Cold Stress Risk Winter 2009 Class Schedule Apprenticeship Graduates Health & Safety Laborers Training: Independently Accredited The Northwest Laborers-Employers Training Trust facility in Kingston, Washington, is one of two training sites that will be persuing individual ac- creditation. “We’re very excited to be part of the two pilot programs,” stated NWLETT Director Mike Warren. At press time, no date had yet been scheduled for start of the certification process. T hese days, a lot of construction industry training programs claim accreditation. But most have not been accredited by independent, third-party agencies, and some have even “accredited” them- selves. The Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) and its official training organization, the Laborers- AGC Education and Training Fund, operate differently. It sought, and received, accreditation from the Inter- national Accreditation Service (IAS), an independent, third-party accreditation body. The IAS has certified that Laborers-AGC meets the highest industry standards for instructor development, curriculum development, and ciriculum. That’s the LIUNA advantage, and it is avail- able only to contractors and owners who work with LIUNA. Skill &P ride A publication of the Northwest Laborers- Employers Training Trust Fund, serving Washington, Northern Idaho, and Utah.
Transcript
Fall 2008
In thisissue:Independent Accreditation
The Need for Economic Stimulus
First Aid in Action
Winter and Cold Stress Risk
Winter 2009 Class Schedule
Apprenticeship Graduates
Health & Safety
Laborers Training:Independently Accredited
The Northwest Laborers-Employers Training Trust facility in Kingston, Washington, is one of two training sites that will be persuing individual ac-creditation.
“We’re very excited to be part of the two pilot programs,” stated NWLETT Director Mike Warren.
At press time, no date had yet been scheduled for start of the certification process.
These days, a lot of construction industry training programs claim accreditation.
But most have not been accredited by independent, third-party agencies, and some have even “accredited” them-selves.
The Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) and its official training organization, the Laborers-AGC Education and Training Fund, operate differently. It sought, and received, accreditation from the Inter-national Accreditation Service (IAS), an independent, third-party accreditation body.
The IAS has certified that Laborers-AGC meets the highest industry standards for instructor development, curriculum development, and ciriculum. That’s the LIUNA advantage, and it is avail-able only to contractors and owners who work with LIUNA.
Skill & Pride
A publication of the Northwest Laborers-Employers Training Trust Fund, serving Washington, Northern Idaho, and Utah.
The trustees of the fund serve without compensation. They are
appointed by their respective organizations and meet quarterly to
review and set policy.
Skill & Pride
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LEGAL NOTICE TO ALL PARTICIPANTS: The Northwest Laborers-Employers Training Trust Fund, identification number 91-1283259, provides training and retraining for those in the industry and those already in the industry.
The Northwest Laborers-Employers Training Trust Fund admits students of any gender, race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, administration policies or other school-administration policies or other school-administered programs. For information about any existing or anticipated future courses of study sponsored or established by the plan, including any prerequisites for enrolling in such courses and for a description of the procedure to enroll in such courses, please contact: Mike Warren, NWLETTF, 27055 Ohio Avenue, Kingston, Washington 98346.
WE TRAIN PARTICIPANTS OF ANY RACE, COLOR, GENDER, NATIONAL AND ETHNIC ORIGIN.
LIUNA – Washington, D.C. - Today’s troubling job market report cries out for an immediate economic stimulus program that will address the employment crisis American workers and their families face.
The report (released September 5, 2008) by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that 8,000 construction jobs were lost in the previous month, the 14th consecutive month with significant jobs lost in the construction industry. In total, 558,000 construction jobs have been lost since the start of 2007.
America needs immediate action to create jobs and there is no better way to do it than with a serious commitment to take care of America for a change - our highways, bridges, waterways, energy systems and other basics.
The American Society of Civil Engineers gives the backbone of the United States a near-failing grade due to years of neglect, citing more than 150,000 unsafe bridges, 3,650 unsafe dams and levees, and a highway system so stretched that the typical American spends more than $1,000 per year in wasted gas due to traffic, while our decaying energy systems threaten our national security and enslave us to foreign oil.
America has work to do and Americans need work.
If we redirect resources to building America, we can create millions of family-supporting jobs now - an American Association of State Highway and Transpor-tation Officials study shows that 44 states have 2,735 projects that can be put to contract in 90 days.
When Congress returns to work, their first priority must be a new economic stimulus package that creates jobs by investing in America.
Source: www.liuna.org
The Need for Economic Stimulus
Laborers-AGC Education and Training Fund (Laborers-AGC) announced recently that it re-ceived independent accreditation for its curricu-lum development and instructor training pro-grams for Construction Craft Laborer Training.
Awarded by the International Accreditation Service (IAS), it is the first ever accreditation of workforce qualification programs by an inter-nationally recognized accrediting organization. IAS accreditation requires that Laborers-AGC training programs meet rigorous qualifications and pass comprehensive reviews. Accreditation criteria (IAS AC371 and AC372) for these pro-grams were developed by industry experts and approved through a public hearing process.
“Independent accreditation by a well-respected organization like IAS sets our training apart. LIUNA members know they’ll receive the best skills training available because it must pass in-dependent quality standards. It’s not just qual-ity training and curriculum because we say so. It’s the best because industry experts hold it to agreed upon criteria,” said Laborers-AGC Execu-tive Director John J. LeConche.
The Laborers-AGC provides curriculum and in-structor training for LIUNA (Laborers Internation-al Union of North America) training funds where members attend apprentice programs and take courses in construction, environmental remedia-tion and health and safety. In the highly complex and increasingly specialized construction indus-try, up-to-date, accurate, and comprehensive training is a necessity; but finding quality train-ing can be difficult. Accredited programs give the worker a guarantee that what they learn reflects best industry and educational practice.
“Laborers-AGC has always been dedicated to high quality products and services. Accreditation
confirms that commitment; but we don’t intend to rest on this accomplishment. We’re proud to be the first to achieve this distinction; now we want to make sure as many workers and employ-ers as possible benefit from the quality training that is available;” said LeConche.
Over 70 training sites in the United States and Canada use the training programs developed by Laborers-AGC. They reach more than 120,000 workers each year, and the amount and variety of training is growing.
Information on LIUNA training is available from Laborers-AGC at www.laborers-agc.org.
Source: Laborers-AGC
Laborers-AGC Awarded Independent Accreditation
This past August, Kevin MacDonald, one of our environmental instructors, utilized his Medic First Aid experience while vacation-
ing in the United Kingdom.
One evening at dinner, a gentleman from his tour group fell from his chair and hit his head on the floor. Kevin used the SETUP method (used in our Medic First Aid classes) to assess the situa-tion. The gentleman was non-responsive.
After asking the waitress to get an aid cart, the man grabbed his hand and responded, saying he was light headed. His passing out was the result of not having eaten properly during the day (he had been recently disgnosed with a gluten dis-order). At that time the medics showed up and took over.
“Instructing Medic First Aid and my experience as a USAF firefighter helped me react to the situation in the restaurant,” said MacDonald. “I can say without a doubt that that repetition helped me respond to this situation.”
First Aid Training in Action
A note from your Apprenticeship Coordinators
We want you to succeed! We will work with you and help you. You are responsible for your obligations; here are some guidelines to
make your apprenticeship proceed smoothly.
nReport OJT hours weekly.Your upgrades in pay are determined by your work and classroom hours. If you do not turn in hours in a timely manner, you may be late in getting your pay upgrade. Pay upgrade is not retroactive for your failure to turn in hours. Hours over 60 days late will not count towards your upgrade. Send in report monthly when not working.
nAccept any and all jobs offered for dispatch.You must take any job call; you may not quit a job for any reason.
nSign the out-of-work list (OOWL) when not working. Learn the rules for the OOWL at your local. Learn and understand what is required to keep your membership in good standing. You cannot be on the OOWL or dispatched for a job if you are not in good standing. Follow these rules to stay current on the OOWL. Stay on the list until dispatched for work.
nAttend classes when scheduled.You must have 80 hours of classroom instruction for each 1,000 OJT to receive an upgrade. Work with your coordinator if there is a particular class you would like to take. Call your coordinator when you are laid off so you may attend a class when you are not working. This may prevent you from having to leave a job to attend class.
nKeep your phone number & address current.If you have a change, you must notify all three of the following: NWLETT Apprenticeship Program, your
local union, and Zenith Administrators. Without your current information you may miss something impor-tant. You may want to inform your credit union and all employers so that you receive financial state-ments and W2 forms.
nPractice a good work ethic.Arrive before the start of your shift, keep busy during work hours, and don’t stop until the end of your shift. If an emergency arises, call in and tell your employer what has happened. Dress for success. In construction you must have leather boots for good ankle support. Baggy clothes, watches, rings, necklaces, piercing jewelry, et cetera can all snag and be ripped from your body; for safety, wear proper clothes and leave the jewelry at home.
nWork safely.You are responsible for your own safety and the safety of those around you. If you are not sure about something, ask questions.
nDon’t do drugs.Substance abuse testing is a regular part of the construction industry. You may be required to test pre-employment for each contractor and randomly once employed. This includes alcohol abuse. Failure of a substance abuse test will result in disciplinary action and/or termination from the apprenticeship program.
Remember that you are an apprentice and are there to learn. Ask questions! Your apprenticeship coordinator can help with questions about apprenticeship. Your business manager or field rep-resentative can help with questions about your local; the journeyperson you work with can help with questions about the job process.
Despite cold temperatures, the activity of winter work may fuel a false sense of pro-tection against cold weather hazards. If
unprepared, Laborers can be numbed into seri-ous cold stress injuries, including hypothermia, frostbite and trench foot.
Planning for work in cold weather is the most important defense. Be aware of how the body reacts to cold and wear appropriate clothing. Proper insulation and good ventilation is critical.
Employers can help protect workers from cold stress by providing training, controlling temper-ature and wind with heaters and windbreaks if
Winter Raises Cold Stress Risk possible, rotating workers in cold jobs, schedul-ing work at the warmest times, providing extra breaks as necessary, establishing a buddy system and keeping first aid supplies and equipment available.
The LHSFNA publishes Cold Stress Education for Laborers (an instructor’s manual) and the Cold Stress in Construction health alert. Both are available through the online publications catalog at www.lhsfna.org.
General Construction 2 40 hours01/26/09 - 01/30/09
Hazardous Waste Worker REFRESHER8 hours01/17/09
MSHA Part 4824 hours01/14/09 - 01/16/09
OSHA 1012 hours02/19/09 - 02/20/09
OSHA 3040 hours02/09/09 - 02/13/09
Satsop
Blueprint Basic40 hours03/02/09 - 03/06/09
Blueprint Reading 240 hours03/09/09 - 03/13/09
Mason Tending80 hours03/16/09 - 03/27/09
Grade Checking80 hours03/02/09 - 03/13/09
Hoisting & Rigging40 hours02/02/09 - 02/06/09
Mason Tending80 hours01/19/09 - 01/30/09
Elevation Control40 hours03/16/09 - 03/20/09
General Construction80 hours02/09/09 - 02/20/09
Grade Checking80 hours01/05/09 - 01/16/09
Mason Tending80 hours03/02/09 - 03/13/09
Road Excavation & Plan Reading40 hours03/23/09 - 03/27/09
Transit & Level40 hours01/19/09 - 01/23/09
Juan BalanzarRaleigh BamerJames W. Davis
Shanda Napoleone
The Northwest Laborers-Employers Training Program is proud to announce the latest graduates of the apprenticeship program. These men and women have completed some 4,000 hours of intense hands-on and on-the-job training and are now considered Journeymen Construction Craft Laborers.
For more information on the health and safety issues that af-fect Laborers, please visit the following sites:
Laborer
It is age-old advice and the corner-stone of parental wisdom. Three simple words: “Wash your hands.” It
helps keep you and others around you healthy. It’s quite basic. So, why did a recent study find that 23 percent of men do not wash their hands after us-ing the restroom? Roughly 12 percent of women are just as guilty. Disease-causing germs are everywhere, yet not everyone is taking the necessary precautions.
You can pick up bacteria almost any-where, even places that appear to be clean. Health Magazine lists some of the “germiest” areas as: airplane lavatories, public drinking fountains, shopping cart handles, ATM machines and the hotel remote control. Think of items in public that are touched by hundreds, if not thousands, of hands every day. Those hands carry bacteria from touching other contaminated sources. According to the Mayo Clinic, people become sick when they come into contact with bacteria. It is as easy as rubbing your nose after pressing the elevator button or using a doorknob. Also, it is not just places outside your home that carry germs. Your kitchen sink, your bathtub and other wet sur-faces are breeding grounds for bacte-ria.
Upon entering your body, certain germs can mutate and grow resistant to an-tibiotics, which can make you sick for a longer period of time. For example, John Hopkins Magazine recently docu-mented a case of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (more common-ly called MRSA). As the name implies, this group of common staph germs withstood the antibiotic methicillin and housed its own toxins that eventually put a man in the hospital for weeks. Drug-resistant germs like MRSA can be deadly and easily spread around.
Good hygiene is the best form of defense against such infections.For those of you who diligently wash your hands after using the restroom and before meals, you definitely have the right idea. However, take it a step further. How long do you wash your hands? Is it a quick rinse or a thorough scrub? The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has these tips for making the most of your time at the sink:
Use soap and warm water.• Lather up by rubbing the front and • back of your hands. Don’t forget to get under your fingernails.Count to 20 while rubbing your hands • together. If you need a point of refer-ence, sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice all the way through.Rinse your hands under running water.• Dry with a paper towel or air dryer.• If applicable, open the door with a • paper towel.
Make washing your hands a habit through-out the day. The CDC suggests washing up before eating, after going to any bath-room (including your own), after diaper changes, after taking out the garbage and after handling animals or animal waste. Be especially mindful to wash often when you are sick or dealing with sick people. If you are not able to find soap and water, cleanse your hands with alcohol-based anti-bacterial soap; it’s a gel that you can carry with you anywhere.
You can make the world a safer place from germs and disease. For more infor-mation on the benefits of clean hands, go to the Centers for Disease Control’s web-site, Clean Hands Save Lives. Find more good reasons to wash up on the Toronto-based website www.WashYourHands.tv.
Laborers’ Health & Safety
Did You Wash Your Hands?
Source:Jennifer E. Jones/Lifelines Online, www.lhsfna.org
SStress is not a particular incident, but rather how we respond to incidents and demands (i.e., becoming angry, withdrawing or suppressing our feelings). It can be caused by both good and bad experiences. Everyone experiences stress in some
capacity. If not managed properly, it can hinder not only your quality of life, but also your job performance and your company’s bottom line.
“Short moments of stress are normal and even useful when faced with a task that requires extra energy to accomplish,” says Noel C. Borck, the Management Co-chairman of the LHSFNA. “However, ongoing (or chronic) stress is not healthy and can have a negative impact on your physical and emotional health.”
Stress that goes unmanaged can cause high blood pressure, which is often a precursor to stroke, heart attack, kidney disease and other potentially fatal illnesses. It also produces back pain, migraines and sometimes can lead to cancer. Highly stressed indi-viduals can develop a compromised immune system, leaving themselves open to airborne illnesses. For an interactive view of what stress does to your body, see the patient tutorial by the National Library of Medicine online.
Stress also takes a toll on one’s emotional health. In addition to anxiety, depression and trouble sleeping, stress can have a negative impact on your relationships both at work and at home. It can cause safety issues on the job and impair your ability to drive.
Although the problem sounds personal in nature, the effects of stress on workers should be a concern to employers, because an overly stressed employee can be less produc-tive. Not only can stress be an underlying reason for sickness that causes absenteeism, it also can reduce the efficiency of employees who are working. Researchers use the term “presenteeism” – the ability to be present at work, but less productive due to physical/emotional problems – to describe this condition.
“Workers exhibiting presenteeism can also be a danger to themselves or others. If a person is distracted, he or she is more likely to make costly mistakes,” explains Borck. “Not finishing tasks, poor decision-making and an increase in minor, avoidable accidents could put workers in harm’s way. Mishaps due to distracted employees can cost more than money – they could cost any number of physical injuries, ultimately a life.”
You cannot avoid stress; however, you can learn coping mechanisms that will keep it from becoming chronic. The following stress management tips are beneficial for both the body and mind:
Take care of yourself. Maintain a healthy diet and get plenty of sleep and exercise. Prioritize your time and responsibilities. Reduce your caffeine intake. Quit smoking and using tobacco. Do not rely on alcohol or drugs to reduce your stress. Pick your battles. Some arguments are not worth having. Remain calm and, if possible, avoid confronta-tion. Have an outlet. Develop a hobby that is relaxing for you. Participate in religious or spiritual activities.
If stress becomes chronic or you feel overwhelmed beyond your control, Borck adds, “Consider speaking with a mental health professional. Contact your local health and welfare fund to see if a Member Assistance Program is available to help you.”
The Laborers’ Health and Safety Fund of North America offers the publication Ways to Manage Your STRESS for trainers teaching on stress management. This resource is available online (at the www.LHSFNA.org site).
Source:Jennifer E. Jones/Lifelines Online, www.lhsfna.org
The Toll of Stress on Health & Productivity
For more information on the health and safety issues that affect Laborers, please visit the following sites:
Laborers’ Health and Safety Fund of North America:www.lhsfna.org
OSHA:www.osha.gov
Laborers’ Health & Safety
Kingston, WA800.240.9112
Spokane, WA509.467.5239
West Jordan, UT 801.280.7195
Northwest Laborers - Employers Training Program
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Skill and Pride NewsletterNorthwest Laborers-Employers Training Trust Fund27055 Ohio AvenueKingston, WA 98346
