Peer Review

Work—how we spend most of our waking hours—has a huge effect on our health and our ability to care for ourselves, our families, and our communities. But in many factories around the world, workers face conditions that harm their health, endanger their lives, and keep them poor. The Workers' Guide to Health and Safety makes occupational safety and health information accessible to those most affected by workplace hazards—the workers themselves. From ergonomics, machine injuries, and chemical exposure to low wages, sexual harassment, abuse of migrant workers, and access to health care, this fully illustrated book draws on the experiences of factory workers and their communities to provide tools to organize for short- and long-term improvements. It offers illustrative activities and stories from workers and organizers that provide resources for training and ideas to help solve common workplace problems. The guide also includes an extensive chemical index that presents complex information in an easy-to-understand format. The index allows workers to identify chemicals and understand their short-term and chronic health effects, and to propose protective methods, including substituting safer chemicals, improving ventilation and using the correct protective equipment.

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Per the authors: "The goal of this book is to help workers gain knowledge to participate actively in creating healthier and safer workplaces. It is also a tool to encourage professionals and employers to include workers’ experiences and knowledge in the creation of solutions. Without workers, change is not sustainable. adapt whatever you find useful in this book to best meet your needs and strengthen your efforts: Basic occupational safety; local ventilation to remove dust and dirty air at its source; organization for wages and protection; justice and compensation when harm is done."

• College Upper Division
• Professional

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