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CUSTODIAL STAFFING AND YOUR HEALTH & SAFETY By W. L. "Bill" Pick, Maintenance Craft Director The Collective Bargaining Agreement, Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), as well as numerous United States Postal Service Handbooks & Manuals, require that all employees perform their duties in a safe manner. These same documents require that management provide you with a clean, safe, and healthful work environment. Management is beginning to implement the "NEW" MS-47 Housekeeping Postal Facilities handbook to determine custodial staffing guidelines. This version of the MS-47 leave it to management's discretion in determining the frequencies for cleaning and policing of a postal facility. With this MS-47, it is now more important than ever for employees to be vigilant and ensure that management provides a clean, safe, and healthful environment. Section 824.62 of the Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM) offers a tool that management must supply for employees to use in reporting health and safety deficiencies. Management must make Forms PS-1767 Report of Hazard, Unsafe Condition, or Practice, easily and anonymously accessible to all employees. If they are not, notify the Union Steward. If you believe that your facility is not being maintained in a clean, safe, and healthful condition, immediately file a form PS-1767. If management does not investigate, resolve the condition, or return the blue copy, then file a grievance. Employees need to file 1767 forms to protect themselves and fellow employees from injury/illness due to any health and safety issue such as: inadequate lighting, reckless operation of powered equipment/vehicles, dirty facilities, unsafe parking and maneuvering areas, as well as littered and/or overgrown hedges and lawns. Instructions are on the back of the 1767 for the proper procedures in its filing and handling. Section 824.63 of the ELM also outlines the procedures and responsibilities for the handling of 1767s. ALWAYS make a copy of the 1676 before giving it to your supervisor. The immediate supervisor is supposed to investigate, abate the deficiency if they can, and return the blue copy as a receipt to the employee in the same tour of duty. Some deficiencies may take time to correct. Section 824.631 of the ELM states that it is unlawful to discriminate against an employee who files a safety and health hazard report, this offers some protection for employees who choose to exercise their right to file a 1767. By filing a 1767, not only will you be ensuring a healthy work environment, you might just be saving career positions. A major problem at the stations has always been that managers have had the custodians performing other duties that are not in their position description such as servicing vehicles, delivering express mail, changing locks, etc. If management has the custodian performing these other duties, who's performing the cleaning routes? I would like to encourage every member to attend the Local Union Meetings, whether it is to voice your concerns, or just to check out what's happening. If you have any questions, suggestions, or comments, you can contact me by leaving a message at the Union Hall (954) 792-2161 or e-mail me at pick@apwu1201.org. "Most of what we call management consists of making it difficult for people to get their jobs done." Peter Drucker |
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