Resources for tackling health and safety hazards
By Dorothy Wigmore
Now that the school year has started, health and safety topics come to the fore.
Wondering about health or safety hazards at your school, on its grounds or in the buses? Looking for resources or the law about a specific one? Just getting started in health and safety? Trying to figure out what health and safety committees can do?
You may notice that construction is still going on, without proper protections for school staff and students. Or there’s been a leak in the classroom ceiling and something’s still wrong. Or you’re wondering about cleaners and disinfectants used in the building, as you see people react to them. If you were involved, what’s happened to fix hazards the health and safety committee dealt with last year?
Whatever your goal, start with a reminder from a 2024 Review article:
The state’s Department of Health enforces and consults about that law through PEOSH, or Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health. PEOSH works with the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development and other agencies too.
But the law’s just the minimum. Government resources also tend to assume the issues and processes are technical, that you just need information.
It’s much more. Workers’ health and safety is a union and labor issue. It’s a wonderful organizing topic, requiring the power of multiple voices speaking collectively from a justice perspective, to prevent and fix hazards. It recognizes that “an injury to one is an injury to all”. So, the tools and skills must fit these needs.
Over the years, the Review has many articles that could be just what you need. Below is a guide to common themes for committees and specific hazards. Each article includes multiple resources and suggestions for health and safety committee activities.
To find these articles, go to njea.org, hover over “Advocacy,” click on “Health and Safety,” then select “News Articles.” Or, just got to njea.org and search directly for each article by its title.
Health and safety committees can do a lot
No health and safety committee?
From April 2024, this article offers experiences and advice about setting up a union health and safety committee, “a route to more training and health and safety fixes that benefit the full cross-section of local members,” and resources like the NJEA’s Health and Safety Manual.
Got health and safety issues?
From September 2024, this article covers training, useful tools and many general and useful resources.
Health and Safety Committees. Knowledge + Action = Change
From September 2020, this article offers information about setting up committees, with a five-step framework to tackle health and safety issues/hazards, a list of PEOSH standards and lessons about how to win.
Health and safety inspections are more than walk-throughs
This article from March 2025 reminds members that health and safety inspections are more than walk-throughs. It’s a reminder that committee inspections or walk-throughs have a point, need preparation and follow-up, and covers who participates, what’s involved and how to use checklists.
Maps reveal the invisible
This article from June 2024 is about how to start conversations with members about hazards that may be causing health issues and how to tackle them using body, workplace and other maps.
Key resources help NJEA members use health and safety rights
This article from February 2023 discusses workers’ rights and using the union’s Health and Safety Manual and the 2022 Health and Safety in the Review booklet.
A time to “Mourn the dead. Fight like hell for the living!“
This article from April 2025 reminded members that April 28 is an international day reminding us we stand on the shoulders of those who have been harmed or killed by just going to work.
What about specific topics/hazards?
Artificial turf
“Use it? Ban it? What are the options? Synthetic turf, or not—that is the question”: From October 2019, this article reviews the ingredients of artificial turf, their hazards and experiences finding options (there’s a new study here).
Asbestos
“Killer dust in your school?” From March 2020, this article reviews the hazards, laws about finding and removing the deadly “magic mineral” and what committees can do.
Bus driver hazards
“Occupational hazards for school bus drivers” From June 2025, this article reviews some hazards bus drivers face and how to deal with them; also see “What about the buses?” (November 2023), discussing bus air quality experiences.
Chemicals
“What’s in that stuff?”: From October 2024, this article reviews the right-to-know (hazard communication), safety data sheet problems and where to find more hazard information (including for cleaning products) and less or non-toxic options.
Construction
“When school is out, construction begins”: From October 2022, this article deals with construction (renovations, demolition, etc.) that may have “leftovers” for school staff and students. Includes a checklist.
Contract language
“Planning for back to school: Good contract language increases your rights for action”: From March 2020, this article lists health and safety principles and reasons to bargain for them and suggests how to do it, including “provisional inspection notices.”
Disinfecting
“Disinfecting can be hazardous to all staff and students”: This flyer is available on NJEA’s website. It explains the chemicals’ hazards, what to avoid, less/non-toxic options, and best practices. (Go to assets.njea.org/njea-media/Disinfecting.pdf).
Ergonomics
“Work shouldn’t hurt. It’s time for ergonomic fixes”: From February 2025, this article presents several methods to identify and fix poorly designed tools, work areas, computer stations, etc.
Heat
“Tackle harmful heat with ventilation and AC”: From September 2021, this article describes the successful experiences of Unidos por Escuelas Dignas and the New Brunswick Education Association fighting for effective ventilation and air conditioners, which are two different things.
Mercury
“Get the word out: Check those gym floors for mercury”: From September 2021, this article discusses how to find suspect floors, possible solutions and experiences tackling mercury in rubberized gym floors.
Mold and ventilation
“Why my school? Connecting mold issues, ventilation and air conditioning”: From January 2019, this article deals with mold, using the state’s Indoor Air Quality Standard and basic information about ventilation in schools.
Pesticides
“Away with all pests—without pesticides”: From December 2021, this article reviews New Jersey’s rules requiring integrated pest management and suggests how
committees can do.
Violence
“Violence is much more than guns. Prevention must go further too”: From April 2022, this article defines job-related violence, offers a framework for analyzing and understanding it, and how to use the law’s “general duty” requirement to prevent it; also see “Responding to school-related violence. What about restorative justice?” from October 2018.
There’s much more, too, at njea.org and in your copies of the Review.
Dorothy Wigmore is a long-time health and safety specialist and WEC consultant. She has worked in Canada, the U.S. and Mozambique, focusing on prevention and worker participation to fix job-related hazards.