News -

9/10/09 - Highway Memorial Dedication in Manchester - (See PDF) More than 300 people, including many relatives of some of those honored, were in attendance recently as the Manchester Highway Department recognized ten men whose lives were lost in service to the city. With Valley Street closed to traffic on a sun-splashed afternoon, the accolades came in from both Mayor Frank Guinta and Governor John Lynch, with a moving speech from Reverend Douglas Rickard. Manchester Community Television covered the event as did the Union Leader newspaper.
      The memorial features the city seal along with the names of the ten, and is located just outside the departments’ north wall. Dan Garrity, Vice President of AFSME Local 298 organized the Memorial project. A reception was held in the Sweeney Post hall located just down the street following the dedication.
     The project was primarily funded in-house, with donations received from family members. Raffles sponsored by the union also helped offset the costs.
     Research into the fatalities revealed the earliest incident occurred in 1883 when a spooked horse reared and tossed the carriage driver to his death. One employee was killed by a falling rock in a sewer trench accident, and others were lost under the wheels of trucks. Family members in attendance were presented with flowers in the memory of their loved one.
     The dedication was scheduled to lead into Labor Day weekend. — Peter Capano

4/8/09 - Jordan Barab Named Acting OSHA Chief - Health and safety activist Jordan Barab was appointed today as the acting head of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Barab, a senior policy adviser for the House Education and Labor Committee, is well-known as a strong advocate for health and safety in the workplace.
      Barab will lead the agency until a permanent director is chosen and then will become OSHA’s deputy assistant secretary on a permanent basis.
      Peg Seminario, the AFL-CIO’s director for safety and health, says Barab is an “excellent choice” for OSHA deputy assistant secretary. “He has decades of experience in safety and health working in the labor movement, at OSHA and in the House of Representatives on a broad range of issues. He has a deep commitment and dedication to protecting workers and will bring to OSHA the kind of energy and leadership that is sorely needed to move the agency in a new direction.” NH COSH applauds the appointment of Barab. Based on report from AFL-CIO blog.

4/4/09 – Solvent Contaminates Drinking Water of Fifteen Plaistow Homes - The NH Department of Environmental Services has found 1,4 dioxane, a solvent classified as a probable carcinogen, in 15 Plaistow homes near the Beede Superfund site. Water at several homes was above state drinking water standards, and residents have been supplied with bottled water. Based on a report from NH Public Radio.

3/25/09 - GAO Report: US Department of Labor Fails to Protect Workers - A recent report by the Government Accounting Office showed that the U.S. Department of Labor is systematically failing to enforce the hours and wages laws that are supposed to protect American workers.
      The report found that the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division mishandled 90% of test cases presented by GAO investigators, ignoring complaints, taking months to respond to calls, and failing to require employers to pay back wages.
      “This investigation clearly shows that Labor has left thousands of actual victims of wage theft who sought federal government assistance with nowhere to turn,” the report said. “Unfortunately, far too often the result is unscrupulous employers’ taking advantage of our country’s low-wage workers.”Based on a report in the New York Times.

3-25-09 - NH Issues Climate Change Recommendations - The NH Climate Change Policy Taskforce issued a report calling for cuts in greenhouse gas emissions of 20% below 1990 levels by 2025 and 80% by 2050. Recommendations included improving building energy efficiency, expanding public transportation, protecting NH forests, and expanding renewable energy sources. The Task Force also recommended creation of a NH Energy and Climate Collaborative. For the full report, visit the NH Department of Environmental Service website at http://des.nh.gov/index.htm.

1/23/09 - OSHA cites Windham cabinet manufacturer for safety hazards - After a worker lost 2 fingers from unguarded machinery, an OSHA investigation led to allegations of 34 serious safety and health violations at A.P. Dailey Custom Laminating in Windham, NH. OSHA found machinery lacking safety guards; untrained forklift operators; lack of eye, face, and hand protection; and failure to protect workers from exposure to methylene chloride. OSHA proposed a total or $44,500 in fines. However, owner A.P. Dailey said that OSHA "went through the whole place and picked apart the whole building ... Basically I think they've hit me on some stuff that is uncalled for." Dailey said that the injured worker was a friend whom he's worked with for 20 years. Source: US Department of Labor and NH Union Leader.