# Training At-Risk Industrial, Telecommunication and Immigrant Workers to Assess and Improve their Health and Safety Conditions

> **NIH NIH U45** · STEELWORKER CHARITABLE/EDUCATIONAL ORG · 2020 · $2,310,516

## Abstract

Program Summary/Abstract (Overall)
The Steelworkers Charitable and Educational Organization (SCEO), the non-profit (501c3) arm
of the United Steelworkers (USW), is applying for HWWTP and HDPTP funds to support a
vibrant training partnership linking two of the largest U.S.-based industrial unions with rapidly
expanding immigrant worker centers and Tribal communities. The SCEO’s training entity, the
Tony Mazzocchi Center (TMC), brings together the USW, the Communications Workers of
America (CWA), the Labor Institute (LI), the National Day Labor Organizing Network
(NDLON), Make the Road New York (MRNY) and the Umatilla, Cayuse, Walla Walla, Yakama,
and Nez Perce Tribes.
Through the HWWTP five-year program, we will conduct 2,265 courses to reach 50,075
workers, managers, community residents and Tribal members with 545,200
hours of training to help prevent toxic releases, fires, explosions, injuries, sickness and death.
A primary focus is on training and mentoring union, immigrant and Tribal H&S advocates to
promote concrete and lasting prevention at their worksites and on their Tribal lands. The
HDPTP program will expand our multi-lingual team of Specialized Emergency Response
Trainers (SERTs) from 9 to 15 members. SERTs are prepared to go anywhere at any time to
provide pre- and post-incident training for high-hazard workers and community responders.
Also, we will develop 25 Disaster Response Hubs at high-hazard sites, in worker centers and on
Tribal lands to serve as locations for pre- and post-incident training and related activities.
SERTS will also serve on our Opioids working group to provide training in response to this
major health crisis. Our HDPTP program will offer 190 classes that will provide 3,475 at-
risk workers with 35,600 hours of training.
Target Populations: The TMC has access to over 6,000 workplaces and worker centers
including the USW (600,000 members), the CWA (600,000 members), NDLON (55 worker
centers) and MRNY (23,000 members at 5 centers). TMC Tribal partners include Umatilla,
Cayuse, and Walla Walla (3,000 members); the Yakama (31,000); and the Nez Perce (18,800).
Our training populations are employed in metal mining, refining, milling and manufacturing;
telecommunications; transportation; oil refining, pulp and paper mills and manufacturing;
chemical manufacturing and synthesis; nuclear energy; rubber and plastics; pharmaceuticals;
automobile parts; electrical, appliance and other manufacturing; cement; construction;
shipbuilding; health care, and education. Immigrant day-laborers and temporary workers are
employed in clean-up activities, especially during emergencies; construction; cleaning; home
care; warehousing; and distribution. Tribal workers engage in emergency services including fire,
police, and medical services as well as in the construction trades. Approximately 850,000 of
these workers are potentially exposed to hazardous substances covered by OSHA Standard 29
CFR 1910, EPA 40 CFR 311, and DOT 49 CFR 171-177.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10055882
- **Project number:** 2U45ES006175-31
- **Recipient organization:** STEELWORKER CHARITABLE/EDUCATIONAL ORG
- **Principal Investigator:** Ashlee Fitch
- **Activity code:** U45 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $2,310,516
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1992-09-01 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10055882

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10055882, Training At-Risk Industrial, Telecommunication and Immigrant Workers to Assess and Improve their Health and Safety Conditions (2U45ES006175-31). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10055882. Licensed CC0.

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