See also: nysut.org/healthandsafety

School nurse Penny Moses sees her share of injured kids.

Besides treating the students who receive educational services through the Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES, Moses takes note of injuries staffers receive.

"So far this year, five of our teacher assistants have been injured," said the member of the Wayne-Finger Lakes Personnel Association. Two were bitten, one suffered a knee injury, one hurt her elbow and the other suffered scrapes. In those cases, School-Related Personnel members were injured trying to keep students from hurting themselves or others.

A first-ever survey of New York State United Teachers members on workplace injuries last school year found that a significant percentage of members - 33 percent - get hurt on the job. The 891 members surveyed included SRP members, BOCES aides and assistants and special education teachers.

Some suffer serious injury. Moses became more than a witness in November 2000, when a teen-age girl - more than twice the size of the petite Moses - became extremely upset upon arriving to take her daily medication.

"She started throwing things and destroying property," Moses recalled. "When we went to escort her out of the office, she became even more physically aggressive, finally slamming me up against the file cabinets. My arm hit so badly on the corner I thought it was broken."

X-rays revealed Moses had suffered a bruise on the bone from a severe blow.

Reasons for pain varied with different job titles, noted NYSUT's health and safety specialist Wendy Hord.

For BOCES aides and assistants, restraining or dealing with aggressive students was the most common cause of injury or discomfort. For other SRP members, handling materials, typing and computer work caused the pain of the majority who responded. "Our SRP members work in health service, transportation, clerical and technical fields as well as in classrooms and on school grounds," Hord said. "This survey just reveals the tip of the iceberg that many of our members work in pain."

Awareness

The statewide union and its national affiliate, the American Federation of Teachers, are trying to increase awareness of workplace injuries. NYSUT's survey showed that SRP members were the least likely group - only 19 percent - to report incidents to a union representative. Further, almost 75 percent of those surveyed who had been injured on the job did not file a workers' compensation claim. When asked why they didn't report to either a union representative or supervisor, many members reported that they believed the problem was just part of the job or that it wasn't serious enough.

Debbie Paulin, a bus driver with the Alden schools in western New York, is not surprised by those figures. In 16 years, she knows many members - including herself - who do not file workers' compensation claims after suffering an injury.

"I had to walk through a school under construction and got a tiny metal sliver in my eye," Paulin recalled.

She only missed two days of work. She used her sick time and didn't file for workers' comp, but she still filled out an accident report.

"I know some people might be afraid to fill out an accident report because they are afraid there might be repercussions or they might get a reputation for being a whiner," she said.

If that's the case, Hord said employees should at least go to their union.

"We all need to document any time we're hurt on the job," Hord said. "Without documentation of problems, it is much harder to convince management there are hazards that need to be fixed."

Besides trying to increase awareness, NYSUT is developing a "safe restraint" training program to help SRP and other members learn about proper techniques in restraining students.

Safety grant

The AFT received a health and safety grant from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to train SRP members across the nation on preventing injuries. In August the AFT trained 20 bus drivers from across New York state. Specifics included how to limit exposure to diesel fumes and asbestos in brakes.

Such training is desperately needed.

"Too many of our SRP members just take pain for granted," said Sandie Carner, a teaching assistant in the Saratoga Adirondack BOCES Employees Association and a member of NYSUT's Board of Directors. Carner testified before the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to support an ergonomic standard for workers. That standard was passed, and then rescinded last year in the first-ever use of the Congressional Review Act enacted under the leadership of Newt Gingrich.

- Betsy Sandberg

For more info

For more information on a variety of health and safety issues, including workers' compensation, go to the health and safety link on NYSUT's Web site at www.nysut.org/healthandsafety.

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