Minutes of the Free Library Health & Safety Committee
October 23, 2001

In Attendance: Joe Perry, Dennis Taylor, Sondra Corry, Michelle Belluomini, Fran Melnik, Kelvin Carrington, Kevin Ivery, Lillian Randolph, Judity Harvey (for Carolyn Hale), Kathy Black

Inasmuch as no representative from Buildings Department or Security attended the meeting, very few issues could be resolved and many questions went unanswered. Nonetheless, we continued the meeting and discussed issues we believe need attention.

Old Business

The report on Rodin Place was reviewed to see what had been resolved and what still needed attention. Fran Melnik informed us that the landlord’s office (Sheldon Stein) was in the World Trade Center and she is therefore willing to cut him some slack about the problems that require his attention. Mr. Stein has agreed to hook up the heat unit in the bindery room very soon. Fran will contact Risk Management to have someone perform a professional needs assessment for the fume hoods in the bindery. RM did send over someone from AV Consultants to perform an ergonomic evaluation of that facility. Task lighting can be ordered by Fran; however most of the other outstanding items require the attention of Buildings Department and/or Mr. Stein’s staff. Fran has been in touch with Kevin Vaughn who has also offered to intercede with Mr. Stein.

NW Regional - Sondra and Kevin again raised the issue of purchasing bins for trash to be stored outside instead of in the employees’ locker room. They passed around pictures of the heap that accumulates before trash day and said that maggots were a problem this summer. Sondra will submit a written request to Martha Repman to purchase the bins. She will also request that Kathy Black be invited to provide ergonomic training and recommendations to library employees.

Kevin reported that new fire and safety equipment had been installed, including new strobes, a security box, and heat and fire sensors. Fire drills will start next month. Some fans were ordered and have been delivered.

Employees would like more panic buttons and they believe the air handlers on the roof need replacement.

Library H&S Minutes -2- October 23, 2001

We briefly discussed a survey that was distributed by the Security Task Force for employees to discuss as a group and submit their top five recommendations for improving security. The deadline for submission was September 14. The Task Force will meet and review these recommendations and there is some hope that something will actually happen as a result of this exercise to improve security for employees, according to Judith and Fran, both of whom are members of the Task Force.

We also had a freewheeling discussion of what to do if there is a bomb or other threat in a building. The general feeling was that employees and patrons should be evacuated from the building whenever there is a threat. We still have not heard whether the Emergency Evacuation Plan has been finally revised and approved. It was our recollection that Joe McPeak reported some months ago that revisions were complete and it awaited only Executive Staff approval before it would be adopted and implemented.

Without Buildings and Security representatives present, there was no further business we could conduct.

The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 27, 2001, at 3:00 p.m.