2Q2022 D3 OSH Call minutes

CWA District 3 Occupational Safety and Health Conference Call

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Vice President Honeycutt welcomed participants to the call and thanked everyone for joining.

An announcement was made that we had an on the job fatality on June 15, 2022. A member of Local
3603 became unresponsive while in pole climbing training and died after being transported to a hospital.

Participant Reports:

Local 3603 President Mike Dolan provided more information regarding the on the job fatality noted above, and reported that OSHA’s preliminary investigation found there is no safety training until after pole climbing training is completed.

Local 3603 reported that they discovered the Company’s ice machine cleanings which are regularly scheduled did not include replacing the water filters. The Local found a filter that was extremely unsanitary and reported it to the building manager to create a work order to have it replaced. [Following the call, VP Honeycutt addressed Labor Relations with this issue. They assured him the issue of old filters has been made a priority receiving immediate attention, and should be corrected now.]

Local 3201 reported an-on-the job accident in Georgia involving a chainsaw that resulted in a personal injury. The Georgia Local Presidents discussed this matter and no one could recall having taken Company provided training for operating a chainsaw. They have addressed the issue of the lack of training at their LGP meetings and are following up with the Company for answers to their questions. [This item has been added to the agenda for the next D3 Joint OSH Committee Meeting and current Job Aids and training course information have been requested from Labor Relations.]

[It was noted at this point that Labor Relations has committed to notify District 3 of all on-the-job incidents that result in either hospitalization or death, but we were not advised of this incident.]

Local 3803 reported an on the job incident where a member had an apparent heart attack. A coworker saw him slumped over and performed CPR until emergency personnel arrived and transported him to the hospital. Fortunately, he survived although he had a defibrillator implanted and also had some broken ribs. [When we approached Labor Relations about this issue they did not provide a reason why District3 wasn’t notified, but committed to reporting future on-the- job incidents that result in either hospitalization or death to District 3.]

Local 3908 reported a member died while in a group meeting. [When we approached Labor Relations about this issue they stated the manager responsible for notifying District 3 was out of the office. They did provide notice after our inquiry that “…there was a fatality at this site and the cause was a sudden medical emergency”. Labor Relations committed to reporting future on-the-job incidents that result in either hospitalization or death to District 3.]
[During this call, Local 3704 reported via email that a member had a stroke while at work. When we approached Labor Relations about why District 3 wasn’t notified about this issue they stated that local management didn’t realize an incident report should be filed due to the circumstances and that they corrected the misstep and had a report filed.]

Several participants reported they had not attended any Company provided hands-on CPR training. [This item was added to the District 3 Joint OSH Committee agenda.]

Local 3108 reported that something needs to be done to alert aggressive drivers that Company vehicle speeds are monitored by GPS. Local 3607 suggested decals stating “This vehicle speed is monitored by GPS”. [This item was added to the District 3 Joint OSH Committee agenda.]

Several Locals reported that heat stress has become a huge concern, especially due to the abnormally high temperatures this early in the summer and that the Company was aggressively monitoring vehicle idle times. [The EH&S Practice regarding idling of Company vehicles states: “E.2.1 The RP (Responsible Party, or driver) is to eliminate all unnecessary idling; including idling for personal comfort, such that idling time is minimized in all aspects of our operation. Although the regulations currently in effect have specific allowances for vehicle idling, the Company has adopted a requirement eliminating vehicle idling, except as provided below: E.2.1.1 Idling necessary to operate defrosters, heaters, air conditioners, or
other equipment to prevent a safety or health emergency, but not solely for the comfort of the driver”.]

Local 3301 reported they have a Mobility retail store that has unsanitary conditions. [Staff
Representative Charlie Maxwell was on the call and said he would be able to help get this corrected.]

Local 3108 reported that one of their Mobility retail stores had a mold issue and the Local contacted the
Company’s EH&S help desk and repairs began the next day.

Local 3806 reported their technicians have had a rash of robberies and gun violence encounters. They spoke with the Company about addressing the issue by limiting the technician access window. There is also an issue of technicians involved in these incidents being able to qualify for workers’ compensation. Local 3205 said they are also having the workers’ compensation issue. Local 3104 suggested that dispatches be auto-flagged to double dispatch in known high violent crime areas. Local 3803 suggested panic buttons may help.

[Locals should address violent crime issues at the Local safety committee level as well as the State LGP level as locations and circumstances vary widely and are best addressed by parties with direct knowledge of problem areas. CWA Staff Representatives are available to assist at either of those meetings. Workers’ compensation laws vary widely from state to state. Each Local should have one designated benefits specialist who can contact the District 3 Claims Facilitator for assistance. Various types of panic alert devices have been discussed at the D3 Joint OSH Committee over the past 10 years but the Company has repeatedly rejected them. ]

Local 3108 inquired about manhole safety, specifically that the Company does not require a 2nd person when working in a manhole. [Requirements for working in manholes are covered by the
OSHATelecommunications Standard and the section that covers when a second person with basic first
aid training must be available is in 1910.268(o)(1)(ii). The language is vague in that a second person may not even be required for the conditions listed if employees are protected by other requirements in the standard, i.e. 1910.268(d) Employee Protection in Public Work Areas and exceptions
in 1910.268(o)(3) Joint power and telecommunication manholes. That doesn't mean that it is safe, just that it is legal. Also, manholes are not considered permit required confined spaces unless there are specific hazards that cannot be controlled by the requirements of the telecom standard. There is a Company policy that requires 2 technicians for “oversized, offset, and deep-neck manholes” for safe
entry and operations. ]

Local 3908 asked about an item that has been discussed on previous calls, whether the motor vehicle backup cameras can be converted to rear view cameras that provide a live feed of drivers behind you. [This item was added to the District 3 Joint OSH Committee agenda.]

Local 3808 reported that a work group was moved to a new location that is unsafe and unsanitary and that appears to have black mold. The Company knew they had to vacate the previous location for several years but waited until the last minute to look for a new location. [Previously on this call, Local
3108 advised they contacted the EHS help desk and got immediate corrective action for a similar circumstance. Also, if the Company is not responsive to reports of unsanitary conditions, local health departments may be of assistance and violations of Article 16 can be addressed.]

Local 3808 reported that managers in unmarked continue to perform safety observations. This issue has been discussed on previous calls and also at the District 3 Joint OSH Committee. [This issue has been referred to Labor Relations and also back to the D3 Joint OSH Committee where it was previously stated that the manager performing those observations had his vehicle in the shop and he was temporarily using a non-company vehicle. Local 3808 has provided documentation that conflicts with the Company’s answer to the Committee and more information will be provided as it becomes available.]

Local 3608 asked if techs who want to transition to the Buck Squeeze method of climbing can get the training and equipment. [This issue has been discussed with Labor Relations. They advised that the Buck Squeeze is no longer available for the Company to purchase and has been replaced with the EZ Squeeze. We are still waiting for the answer regarding how current employees can transition to EZ Squeeze and will provide that information when it becomes available.]
D3 OSH Committee:

Staff Representative Isa Shabazz, CWA Co-Chair of the District 3 Joint Occupational Safety and Health
Committee reported on the last meeting: D3 Joint OSH Committee minutes 1st quarter 2022

CWA/USW Occupational Safety and Health Training:

There are no updates regarding the timeline for re-starting this training. More information will be provided as it becomes available.

Next Call:

The next District 3 Occupational Safety and Health conference call will be Wednesday, August 24, 2022 from 1 PM EDT - 3 PM EDT.