From: harelb@math.cornell.edu (misc.activism.progressive co-moderator)
Subject: DEO Report: Massive Safety Violations;Adopts: LESS inspections
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: misc.activism.progressive on UseNet ; ACTIV-L@UMCVMB
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 05:31:13 GMT

    The report details 578 violations, most of which are labeled as
    "serious." It concludes that even after serious injuries occurred,
    no efforts were made to correct or remove the hazards responsible.
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    "Now the public knows we were right all along," Wages added.  "By
    DOE's own account, there are 578 pieces of solid evidence that
    1,000 OCAW members knew exactly what they were talking about."
    [..]Added Wages: "DOE, working hand in glove with the contractors,
    always has boosted the importance of production at the expense of
    worker health and safety
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    "[And yet, the new] directive states that inspections can occur
    only after a 60-day notice has been given to contractors at DOE
    sites, and then only if the contractors agree to it. If they don't
    agree, the matter has to be negotiated before an inspection can
    take place."
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Topic 99        578 Violations at Martin Marietta 
ocaw    Resources for labor re:toxics    1:56 pm  Oct 26, 1992 
 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
               578 Violations at Martin Marietta 


     LAKEWOOD, Colo.   "It confirms everything we've been warning 
about, but we can take little comfort in it," said Robert E. Wages, 
president of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International 
Union, in response to the Department of Energy's long delayed 
release of its worker health and safety report conducted at the 
Portsmouth (Ohio) Uranium Enrichment Plant operated by contractor 
Martin Marietta Energy Systems. The report details 578 violations, 
most of which are labeled as "serious." It concludes that even 
after serious injuries occurred, no efforts were made to correct or 
remove the hazards responsible. 

     DOE's report is based on its unannounced inspection of the 
facility following the return to work of more than 1,000 OCAW 
members of Piketon, Ohio Local 3-689 who were on strike for 10-1/2 
months (from June 1991 to April 1992). The inspection was conducted 
April 27-May 15, but the report wasn't released until Oct. 8. 

     "Our members only decided to go back to work to prevent the 
plant from deteriorating to the point where a catastrophic accident 
would be inevitable - possibly causing grave damage to the 
surrounding community - or having the plant shut down because of 
the threat of such an occurrence," Wages said. "In a tremendously 
responsible act to protect their community - and to salvage their 
livelihoods as well - our people offered to return to work 
unconditionally, without achieving a new contract. But because of 
Martin Marietta's intransigence, along with DOE's tacit support of 
the company's position, they are still working without a new 
agreement. 

     "Now the public knows we were right all along," Wages added. 
"By DOE's own account, there are 578 pieces of solid evidence that 
1,000 OCAW members knew exactly what they were talking about." 

     Added Wages: "DOE, working hand in glove with the contractors, 
always has boosted the importance of production at the expense of 
worker health and safety - contrary to its rhetoric about 
protecting the people in the plants. If we needed any further 
evidence that DOE's expressed commitment to health and safety 
matters is just so much empty talk, we got it last week when 
Secretary of Energy Watkins issued his notice that the DOE Office 
of Environment, Safety and Health can no longer conduct unannounced 
inspections." 

     (Watkins's directive states that inspections can occur only 
after a 60-day notice has been given to contractors at DOE sites, 
and then only if the contractors agree to it. If they don't agree, 
the matter has to be negotiated before an inspection can take 
place.) 

     Senator John Glenn of Ohio is sharply critical of the DOE 
posture. In a statement following the report's release, he said, 
"This report certainly shows a careless disregard by DOE for the 
workers at Piketon. This cannot continue, especially as the 
Department proceeds to address the risky tasks of environmental 
restoration and waste management." 

     Glenn concluded, "I believe a major reason for this problem is 
the lack of leverage DOE has over its contractors. Unlike other 
private and governmental industries, DOE has no system of fines and 
penalties to assure compliance with worker health and safety 
regulations. Meanwhile, DOE has consistently opposed my legislation 
requiring the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to 
regulate DOE facilities. I will use today's findings to help push 
my legislation through Congress next year." 

     Said OCAW President Wages: "In that fight, we'll be with 
Senator Glenn all the way. He's right. This situation cannot 
continue." 
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive,alt.activism.d