The Laborers Health and Safety Fund of North America provides a monthly update on issues of importance to our members.  We invite you to take a few moments and checkout some of the headlines that may impact you and your family.

February 2021 Lifelines Online:

Brighter Days Ahead for Worker Safety and Health

Answering Your Questions About COVID-19 Vaccines

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, Prooud LINUA Member, Chosen as Secretary of Labor

How Employers Can Support COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts

Is It Time to Reconsider Zero Tolerance Drug Testing?

New Data Shows Fatalities Among Construction Laborers Increased in 2019

The Link Between Alcohol and Chronic Pain

Making the Newest Dietary Guidelines Work for You

Health and Safety Headlines

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This November, more Americans than ever before turned out to cast their vote. This record participation in the midst of a global pandemic, and the robust system we have in place to count every legal vote, stands as a credit to the strength of our nation’s democracy. The Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) and the Laborers’ Health & Safety Fund of North America (LHSFNA) congratulate President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris on their historic victory. Their win in this election is a victory for the entire labor movement and a victory for the future of our economy and infrastructure. It also brings hope to groups across the country who have seen their health and well-being particularly affected in recent years. So often these at risk-groups have also been our most vulnerable frontline workers.

LIUNA and the LHSFNA also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the LIUNA District Councils, Local Unions and loud, proud LIUNA members who worked tirelessly to advocate for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the days leading up to the election. LIUNA and its members have never shied away from tough work that needs doing, and have never been afraid to use their collective voice, and their vote, to make a difference. That unity and drive helped put two candidates in the White House who understand the value of unions, who care deeply about the working class and who believe in good-paying jobs, improving available health benefits and strengthening every worker’s right to a safe and healthy workplace.

This increased focus on health and safety comes at a critical time, as there’s no bigger concern in today’s workplaces than the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. With cases spiking sharply across the country and our healthcare system under more pressure than even the early days of the pandemic, the next few months may prove to be particularly challenging. During this tough time, we ask that all LIUNA members and signatory contractors continue to follow federal, state and local guidelines put in place to reduce the spread of the virus. There is hope on the horizon in the form of several promising vaccines, but we must remember that building widespread immunity across the U.S. and Canada isn’t going to happen overnight. Until a proven COVID-19 vaccine has been developed, distributed and administered at a national level, we’ll need to continue taking many of the social distancing, personal hygiene and other precautionary measures that have become a normal part of our lives both on and off the job.

The holiday season is traditionally a time for hope, joy and optimism. This year, it may feel like those things are in short supply. Many of us have experienced hardships throughout the year, and made sacrifices for the health of our family, friends, fellow workers and communities. Most recently, for millions across the U.S. and Canada, that meant not spending face-to-face time with loved ones during Thanksgiving. We thank everyone who made that difficult decision. The health of our members, our families and our communities depends on all of us doing the right thing, even if that sometimes means making tough or unpopular choices. In the future, when this pandemic is behind us, we’ll look back on these temporary challenges as a necessary part of making it through, and the bonds that hold us all together will be stronger for it.

Our hearts go out to everyone who has struggled this year, especially those who have lost loved ones to COVID-19. As 2020 comes to a close, we thank you again for everything you do on a daily basis to keep Laborers and their families safe and thriving, even when times are tough. We wish you all a safe and healthy holiday season.

We are working with Kelly Group, an online education resource, and have compiled several bundles of online training courses. We will cover the cost of taking these courses for our members. It is our goal to supply our membership with continued opportunities to make themselves more valuable to their contractors and our local halls. After each member is enrolled, they have 1 year to complete the courses in each bundle. That allows each individual to take the courses at their own pace and in the time frame that fits their family’s schedules. Along with skilled topics like Pipe and Concrete, we also have online OSHA available. There are stand-alone online courses for OSHA 10 in English and Spanish, OSHA 10 Road Construction, OHSA 30 in English, or we also have the OSHA 30 bundle that includes not only the basic 10 and 30 courses but also more detailed courses. Laborer journeypersons that are interested in enrolling should contact their local halls and have a training referral sent to the training fund. The comprehensive course bundles include:

Highway Construction - Includes 14 courses-

Asphalt Design - SuperPave: Mix Design

Asphalt Pavement - Design Basics

Basic Civil Engineering - Asphalt

Basic Construction Math

Fundamentals of Asphalt Pavement Design

Green Infrastructure 4: Best Practices for Pavement

Highway Engineering 5: Highway Traffic Engineering

Highway Engineering 6: Highway Drainage and Surveys

Highway Engineering 7: Contracts and Supervision

Highway Engineering 8: Part 1 - Highway Materials, Maintenance and Rehabilitation

Highway Engineering 8: Part 2 - Highway Materials, Maintenance and Rehabilitation

Superpave Mix Design Process and Analysis 

Transportation Engineering: Introduction to Transportation, Planning, and Funding

Worksite Safety 11: OSHA Hazards in Communication

Pipe Bundle – Includes 9 courses-

Basics of Soil Resources 1: Classification, Mapping and Data Bases

Drinking Water Quality - Critical Parameters

Drinking Water Quality - Monitoring & Security

Ductile Iron Pipe

Excavation Safety and Shoring/OSHA

Pumping Stations - Part 1, Basic Concepts

PVC Pipe - Which type should I use?

Stormwater Discharges from Construction Activities

Trenchless Methods: An Introduction

Concrete Bundle – Include 17 courses-

Concrete 1: Evaluation and Causes of Damage

Concrete 2: Repair Planning and Preparation

Concrete 3: Methods, Materials, and Maintenance

Concrete Additives: Water-Repellency & Efflorescence Control in Masonry

Concrete Fundamentals - Concrete Slab On Grade

Concrete Fundamentals: An Introduction

Concrete Pavement Rehabilitation - Diamond Grinding

Concrete Pavement Rehabilitation - Full Depth Repair

Concrete Pavement Rehabilitation - Partial Depth Repair

Concrete Pavement: Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymers

Concrete Standards and Requirements

Concrete: Self-Consolidating

Essentials of Quality Concrete

Handling, Placing and Finishing Concrete

Precast Concrete Erection Procedures

Reinforced Concrete Tilt-Up Panels

Structural Masonry Materials

Green Construction bundle – Includes 13 courses-

Green Infrastructure 1: Introduction to High Performance Guidelines

Green Infrastructure 2: Best Practices for Site Assessment

Green Infrastructure 3: Best Practices for Streetscape

Green Infrastructure 4: Best Practices for Pavement

Green Infrastructure 5: Best Practices for Utilities

Green Infrastructure 6: Best Practices for Stormwater Management

Green Infrastructure 7: Best Practices for Landscape

Green Infrastructure 8: Best Practices For Construction

Green Streets

Green Urban Design

Residential Green Building: Design, Construction, and Accreditation

Residential Green Remodeling: Design, Construction, and Certification

Stormwater Harvesting: A Green Concept

Leadership bundle – Includes 35 courses-

Communication & Leadership

Protecting Your Team Against Workplace Violence

Smart Business Writing: Email Do's and Don'ts

Smart Business Writing: Writing Effective Emails

Smart Customer Service 1: Courtesies, Attitude, and Ethics

Smart Customer Service 2: Listening for Understanding

Smart Customer Service 3: Effective Verbal and Nonverbal Communication

Smart Customer Service 4: 3 Steps to Successful Customer Interaction

Smart Customer Service 5: Handling Customer Complaints

Smart Leadership: Part 1 - What Leaders Do

Smart Leadership: Part 2 - Model the Way

Smart Leadership: Part 3 - Inspire a Shared Vision

Smart Leadership: Part 4 - Challenge the Process

Smart Leadership: Part 5 - Enable Others to Act

Smart Leadership: Part 6 - Encourage the Heart

Smart Management: Coaching for Better Performance

Smart Management: Data Security Smart Management: Discrimination in the Workplace for Managers

Smart Management: Effective Performance Review Practices

Smart Management: Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity for Managers

Smart Management: Getting the Most out of a Multigenerational Workforce

Smart Management: How to Handle Workplace Challenges

Smart Management: Key Skills for Managing & Coaching Your Team

Smart Management: Methods for Motivating and Mentoring Your Team

Smart Management: SMART Goals - Setting Effective Targets for Success

Smart Management: The Art & Science of Delegation

Smart Mental Health: Managing Anger and Emotions

Smart Mental Health: Reducing Stress and Anxiety

Smart Safety: Safe Driving

Smart Time Management: 7 Steps to Regaining Control of Your Day

Smart Time Management: The 80/20 Rule for Making Every Minute Count

Smart Workplaces: Code of Conduct - Ethics Education & Social Media Guidelines

Smart Workplaces: Designing Safe Workspaces & Preventing Injury

Smart Workplaces: Preparing for a Pandemic Flu Outbreak

Smart Workplaces: Sexual Harassment Prevention

Safety Bundle – Includes 26 courses-

Back Safety

Back Safety: Protection and Treatment Basics

Bloodborne Pathogens

Confined Spaces in Construction

Crystalline Silica: Understanding the Hazards

DOT Drug and Alcohol Testing

Driving Safety

Eye and Face Protection

Fire Essentials and Fire Science

Fire Safety

Hand & Power Tool Safety

Heat Safety Awareness

Lockout/Tagout

Mold Remediation

Mold Safety and Health

OSHA 10-Hour Construction Online Course

Personal Protective Equipment

Respiratory Protection

Safety: Fire Part 1 - Workplace Fire Hazards & Preventing Fires

Safety: Fire Part 2 - Fire Protection Equipment & Techniques

Walking and Working Surfaces

Work Zone Safety and Traffic Control

Worksite Safety 03: OSHA Fall Protection

Worksite Safety 04: OSHA Struck-By & Caught-Between Accidents

Worksite Safety 05: OSHA Personal Protective Equipment

Worksite Safety 11: OSHA Hazards in Communication

OSHA 30 bundle – Includes 27 courses-

Back Safety

Back Safety: Protection and Treatment Basics

Bloodborne Pathogens

Confined Spaces in Construction

Crystalline Silica: Understanding the Hazards

DOT Drug and Alcohol Testing

Driving Safety

Eye and Face Protection

Fire Essentials and Fire Science

Fire Safety

General Industry Safety - Hazard Communication

Hand & Power Tool Safety

Heat Safety Awareness

Lockout/Tagout

Mold Remediation

Mold Safety and Health

OSHA 10-Hour Construction Online Course

OSHA 30 Hour Online Course

Personal Protective Equipment

Respiratory Protection

Safety: Fire Part 1 - Workplace Fire Hazards & Preventing Fir

Walking and Working Surfaces

Work Zone Safety and Traffic Control

Worksite Safety 03: OSHA Fall Protection

Worksite Safety 04: OSHA Struck-By & Caught-Between Accidents

Worksite Safety 05: OSHA Personal Protective Equipment

Worksite Safety 11: OSHA Hazards in Communication

OSHA 10 – Stand Alone
OSHA 10 – Stand Alone Spanish
OSHA 30 – Stand Alone
OSHA 10 – Road Construction 

Local 1290 Membership Meetings are held on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 6:00 PM.