Environmental Health & Safety

The MTA Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) Committee will support and encourage, and act as a resource for, the MTA and its affiliates in their efforts to promote healthy and safe environments for staff and students.

In particular, the EH&S Committee will:

• maintain an accessible central location of EH&S information in schools.
• advocate passage of legislation that seeks to protect children and staff from EH&S problems.
• continue MTA initiatives and efforts to educate members and staff.
• encourage the formation of local EH&S Committees, including the use of EPA's 'Tools for Schools' program.
• encourage MTA locals to bargain for contract language that will promote healthy and safe environments
  

Enter here if you are a

• MTA member with questions about workplace health and safety
• MTA leader looking for tools for advocacy or contract language [requires log in]
• Citizen, policymaker or student who is concerned with making our schools safe and healthy environments for students and employees

Major Research Web Sites

• National Institute for Occupational Health
  NIOSH is the federal agency connected with the CDC and responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for prevention of work related disease and injury. This site has a search engine. NIOSH services include Health Hazard Evaluations. Because of fiscal cut backs, it’s unusual that a site evaluation will be conducted, but they will review reports when requested, and provide technical assistance). NIOSH publications are available and a NIOSH 800 numbers disseminates information. NIOSH also provides training to occupational safety and health professionals, and they provide numerous safety and health data based information pieces.
  
  This searchable NIOSH indoor air quality site has links to bibliographical data of occupational safety and health publications and other documents, A Action Plan for Building Air Quality, A Guide to Building Owners and Facility Managers, Indoor Air Quality Health Hazard Evaluations, IAQ Fact Sheets, Hazardous Waste Information, Respiratory Questionnaires, and various reports.

• Environmental Protection Agency
  The mission of the EPA is to protect human health and safeguard the natural environment. This huge national site has a search engine. Key topics include: Air, Clean up, Compliance and Enforcement, Ecosystems, Environmental Management, Economics, Emergencies, Human Health, Industry, International Cooperation, Pesticides, Pollutants/toxics, Pollution Prevention, Research, Treatment and Control, Wastes and Water.

  The “Air” section of the EPA site provides relevant information on Air Pollutants, air pollution control, air pollution effects, legal aspects, pollution monitoring, air quality, atmosphere, indoor air pollution, and mobile sources of pollution.