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Billboard Dangers
Today's Public Safety Hearing on Billboards to Investigate Dangers to Pedestrians and Workers
Boston City Council Public Safety Committee to Hold Hearing at 3 PM today at City Hall
Clear Channel Billboard Company's Safety Record a Cause for Concern after August 14th accident
Boston - A serious accident involving a Clear Channel employee falling 30 feet from a billboard in South Boston, will be the subject of a City Council Public Safety Committee today at 3 PM at Boston City Hall.
According to a Boston Police incident report, on August 14th a Clear Channel employee fell an estimated 30 feet from a billboard and was found by police "lying on the ground on top of a chain link fence". The Clear Channel worker had been working on a billboard at 8 Silver Street in South Boston at the time of the accident. A Boston EMS unit transported the man to Boston Medical Center.
Members of Sign Local #391 have been on strike at Clear Channel since March and the injured worker was a less experienced striker replacement hired in the last 3 months. Clear Channel is a Texas-based company.
"We are deeply concerned that Clear Channel's use of replacement workers and changes in long established safe work practices puts workers at grave risk," said Bob Burns, a health and safety specialist at MassCOSH (the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health). "When workers are working at great heights, at a rapid pace and with little experience, as these workers seem to have been, it's a recipe for disaster."
"Clear Channel eliminated the Joint Labor-Management Safety Committee in their contract demands and implemented a piece-work payment schedule that forces workers to work faster to earn money," explained Painters DC #35 Communications Director John Laughlin. "Sign Local #391 members strongly opposed the elimination of the safety committee and opposed piece-work because it encourages workers to trade off safety for speed".
What: Danger Falling Billboard Workers – Boston City Council Public Safety Committee Hearing
When/Where: Today, Thursday, September 17, 2007 at 3 PM/Boston City Hall
For Immediate Release: Thursday, September 27, 2007 Contact: John Laughlin Phone: 617-592-2225
