Wisconsin Committee on Occupational Safety and Health
Advancing health & safety for all workers and their families.
WisCOSH is the largest, independant, worker based organization in Wisconsin that makes worker safety and health top priority. We are not a government agency. Our strength depends on our members and their involvement. Volunteers are the backbone of all we accomplish.
WisCOSH is an independent organization that works closely with the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, labor unions, businesses, individual workers, and other occupational safety and health groups across North America. It is WisCOSH's mission to improve workplace safety and heath for Wisconsin Workers by providing the enviroment and resources for concerned individuals to use their skills for the direct benefit of working people and their families and to empower people to join together and collaborate with others, including health personnel, community leaders and interested business people, to create an interest in safety and health in the workplace.
WisCOSH Has Moved It's Office!
WisCOSH has moved it's office from midtown to it's old stomping grounds on Milwaukee's South Side. WisCOSH has moved it's office to 1023 S. 5th St., Milwaukee, WI 53204. We are next door to Voces de la Frontera Worker Center. It was a lot of hard work to box up and move more than 20 years of records and materials, but thankfully there were a couple of dedicated volunteers to help out. The new office is slowly coming into shape and we are settling in but it will be a little while before it is up and running at full speed. During this time WisCOSH remains open and helping out workers and their families with workplace safety and health issues. Read more.
Work Related Hearing Loss Testing Offered
WisCOSH adds more free hearing loss testing sessions in June. On Saturday, June 27, 2009 at the Waukesha Labor Temple and Sunday June 28 at 1023 S. 5th St., Milwaukee WI 53204. This testing is being performed by Sound Advisors which is an informational service of Johnson Law Offices. The testing is free and takes about 10 minutes on average. This is a screening test. You will find out whether or not you have a Workers Compensation case or not. If you have hearing loss that constitutes a WC case further testing to assess the extent of your hearing loss will be conducted at another time and location. Read more here.
Paid Sick Days Milwaukee
Paid Sick Days Milwaukee Updates!
UPDATE! 2009-05-11 On Monday, May 11, 2009 Judge Cooper heard arguments from MMAC, 9to5 and the City of Milwaukee concerning why the legislation should or should not be enacted. At the opening of the proceedings the judge acknowledged that regardless of his decision in the case he fully expected the losing side to appeal and therefore would not issue a finding for 30 days. He then heard arguments from all.
FUll disclosure : WisCOSH is a part of the consortium of groups supporting Paid Sick Days as an important worker safety and health right which is needed by all workers regardless of economic disposition. [more information here]
MMAC Takes Workers To Court Crying "Hardship"
2009-02-06 In a blatent refutation of the majority of Milwaukee voters who overwhelmingly chose to vote YES! to Paid Sick Days in the November 2009 voting the special interest lobbists for big business have managed to block the actuall implimentation of this basic human right that workers desperately need and is a proven benefit to businesses and their customers.
On Friday, February 6, 2009 MMAC and supporters of Paid Sick Days Milwaukee met in Milwaukee County Circut Judge Thomas R. Cooper's courtroom to settle the issue. After Judge Cooper told the businesses that were wanting to submit Amicus Curiae that they had plenty of legal representation present and if they wanted something introduced they should speak with them. However, he then moved to allow the injunction and recognized the it is unlikely regardless of his final decision that the case would be appealed to the highest of courts for final arbitration.
WisCOSH Celebrates Passage of Paid Sick Days in Milwaukee!
WisCOSH joins 9to5 National Association of Working Women, along with the people who work in the City of Milwaukee, in celebrating the adoption of legislation to require employers in the City of Milwaukee to provide up to 72 hours,or 9 days, paid sick time a year to their full time employees with part-time employess would receive a pro rated amount. Employers with fewer than 10 employees would only be required to provide 40 hours, or 5 days, paid sick days for full time employees and a pro rated amount to part time workers.
The passing of the binding referendum, which was presented to the general populace during the recent general election, makes Milwaukee the 3rd city in the nation to mandate employers provide paid sick days to their emploees.
WisCOSH views the ability to have time away from work to get healthy as an important workplace safety and health right. Having the ability to call in to take time off without prior arrangment to care for themselves or family member, and not lose pay while doing it, can be crucial to workers health and safety. Not having to come to work sick, work with ill coworkers or worry about an ill family member will increase productivity and reduce workplace illnesses and injuries. Paid Sick Days will be a boon to employers as well. While a vocal minority of employers have claimed it would cause an unfair burden on them, or more often 'other, smaller employers', the passage of the referendum will save them money in improved worker health and increased customer service and customer satisfaction due to not being served by an ill or distracted worker.
WisCOSH Offering Free Trainings Again In 2009
Vulnerable Worker Training
Once again WisCOSH is participating in the National COSH's Susan Harwood Institutional Competancy Building Grant which is funded from the Dept. of Labor through OSHA. This is WisCOSH's 9th year and, despite having from April 1st, 2009 to September 30, 2009 in which to train this year due to belated funding of the ICB portion of the Susan Harwood Grant Program, WisCOSH expects to once again train hundreds of workers and employers about workplace hazards.
This grant allows WisCOSH to train on a number of workplace safety and health topics which are targeted at workers, and employers, in high risk occupations. For this grant a high risk worker is someone who has Limited English Proficiency; is a Health Care/Nursing Home Worker or supervisor; is a temporary, young or new worker or works in a High Hazard Industry such as food processing, construction or other recognized occupation with a high incidence of workplace injuries, illnesses or deaths. For more information.
Focus 4 Hazard Training for Building Construction Trades Workers
WisCOSH is participating with Central New York COSH in it's Focus 4 Hazard Training Grant. WisCOSH joined this grant in progress. This grant is to provide training to building and construction workers on the most often reported fatal injuries in the building and construction trades. The topics covered are : Falls from Heights, Electrocution Hazards, Caught-In or On Hazards and Struck-By Hazards. These trainings are open to those who are currently working in the building and construction trades or who are taking training classes to become a member of the building and construction trades whether they belong to a union or not.
WisCOSH begun training using the portions of the materials given approval by OSHA while waiting for release of the remaining and the translations of all materials. The training will consist of 4 modules targeted on each of the 4 OSHA identified hazard categories. The grant holder, CNYCOSH, has been granted a "no cost extenssion" to the grant. For more information.
Please visit WisCOSH Web's Training page for information regarding the training programs WisCOSH is currently offering.
Working for SAFE & HEALTHY Jobs Since 1978!
Return to this page as it will tell you about all WisCOSH alerts or activities that you will want to know about.
Let the WisCOSH Web Site be your home for all the occupational health & safety information you seek and workplace health & safety training opertunities.
Join WisCOSH's Mailing List to Receive OSH Updates
There is a lot of workplace safety and health information and news out there. Often there is not enough time to search for it. Let WisCOSH send occasional e-mail with links and story synopses to help you keep up to date. Also receive updates on WisCOSH activities and trainings. With the form below you can subscribe to, or unsubscribe from, the mailing list safety@wiscosh.org. You will receive an e-mail asking you to confirm your desire to receive notification when an article is posted to WisCOSH's Blog [http://www.wiscosh.info].
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