Looking Down the Barrel:
New Safety Language
by Steel Barrel News Columnist
L.T. Alsman
" . . . at no time will the employee who requested 'safety relief' be penalized"
 There have been some changes made in this new contract relating to safety. Finally, we have contractual language that we can rely on to make our state of employment safer than it has ever been. If we have a critical safety issue or complaint about a current job asignment we can bring it to the direct attention of our immediate Supervisor. You'll remember him, he was the one that assigned the work without recognizing the safety problem. This aforementioned Supervisor will be obligated to resolve the problem, even if only temporarily, on the spot, unless he feels it is not unsafe.
If the responding Supervisor fails to recognize the safety problem in question, and expresses so, the Employee may "ask for safety relief". The language goes on to say that "safety relief allows the Employee to be relieved from the job and placed in another position if one is available". This process is great, if all parties involved perform in a professional manner and work it out as described.
Here is where the temper of your steel (barrel) will be tested. My advice after requesting "safety relief", would be to contact a Union Representative as soon as possible. If the Supervisor is not convinced that he was wrong in assigning this job, because of an alleged unsafe condition, he will most likely decide that he has no other job for you and he is going to send you home. The Union Representative may be able to help the Supervisor find an available position or show the Supervisor the new contractual language. This language says your pay shall continue for the balance of the turn, and you will receive payment for any lost overtime, and that you will be reporting to work on your next scheduled shift. The contract doesn't say that directly . . . but that is what "at no time will the employee who requested safety relief be penalized" means. Then Management should abide by the agreed to procedure and call in the area's General Supervisor, the Manager of Safety, John Hudson, and a Union Representative, of their choice, to develop a definitive (and hopefully safe) resolution.
Just a final note. Though Management is responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace, you have the right to protect yourself and fellow workers from unsafe conditions. This new language allows us to assist Beta Steel to stay within the laws designed to protect the American workforce. We encourage you to exercise these agreed to rights responsibly and professionally, and any failings in safety will totally fall on Management.
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