Issue Position: Workplace Safety

Issue Position

Ensuring safety in the workplace must also be a top concern for the Legislature. One of my proudest achievements in the Senate is the passage of my Social Worker Safety Bill, which was signed into law by Governor Patrick in 2013. Social workers are on the front lines of public health, caring for and working with individuals and families who are struggling through troubling and often precarious circumstances. Many other industries invest significant resources in workplace and worker safety; I believe that social and human service workers who are dedicated to helping people in need should be afforded the same expectations of a safe and secure work environment. This legislation provides critical safety protections for these employees.

I also sponsored an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2015 budget that gave police valuable tools to combat crime against public employees, such as transit workers. Our employees like bus drivers, train operators, public utility workers, and emergency medical technicians, often work later house and are isolated while on the job providing vital services to the residents in our communities. As legislators, it is paramount that we give police the best and most effective tools to combat crime and ensure that everyone has a safe workplace.

I also believe that we must do all that we can to support our men and women who put themselves in harm's way each day to protect our communities. I have repeatedly advocated for the inclusion of resources for our first responders - police officers, firefighters, and emergency management technicians - to ensure their safety and to allow them to do their jobs more effectively. Each year, I have worked to include hazmat funding for Boston, Cambridge and Everett Fire Departments in our state budget to give our firefighters the proper tools and training to prepare themselves for a hazardous materials emergency. With many institutions in our vicinity that pose a potential threat, these resources allow our first responders to be ready for any circumstances that may come their way.

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