April 3, 2025 — Since the end of the Covid pandemic, PEF has invested considerable time and resources to build up its Health & Safety committees, from local workplaces to agency level. Directed by PEF President Wayne Spence, PEF Vice President Darlene Williams has helped lead the effort with Article 18 Health & Safety Co-Chairs Leisa Abraham and Gabriela Franklyn, as well as PEF’s Health & Safety Department.
“Health and safety committees help to keep you and your co-workers safe at work, it is that simple,” said Vice President Williams. “We all want to be safe and healthy from the time we arrive at work to the time we leave at the end of the day.”
Prior to becoming Vice President, Williams was a certified OSHA trainer for both AFT and PEF. The training she took to become an OSHA trainer provided her with foundational knowledge that allowed her to navigate health and safety issues at her workplace, the Office of Mental Health.
“When we were thinking about how best to reintroduce health and safety to people, I thought about my own background and that training,” she said. “I really thought that bringing this training to PEF members would generate interest and empower our members.”
The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) offers training that teaches the standards of safe and healthy workplaces. PEF members from across the State took two separate classes. The first was a workshop that introduced them to OSHA standards as well as best practices when incidents at the workplace occur. The second training certified them as OSHA trainers, which means they can now teach others what they learned.
“We held the training upstate and downstate and had about 30 members at each training,” said Williams. “People gave up their weekends and personal time because they were so interested in this training and in making a difference.”
The certification training reviewed the standards, laws and regulations as well as compliance requirements. It also covered the general occupational safety and health standards outlined in OSHA 501 and the Hazard Communication standard (HazCom).
Members said that while they knew they wanted to be more innovative when it comes to the work of their local health and safety committees, becoming a certified trainer was the big draw.
“Becoming an OSHA certified trainer means so much to me because I want to help people stay safe at work,” said Intensive Case Manager at Bronx Psychiatric Center and PEF Executive Board member Leticia Rivera. “I’m honored to be among PEF’s first OSHA member trainers, and I’m excited for the opportunity to make a difference.”
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RELATED: Members share what becoming an OSHA trainer means to them
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PEF Executive Board member Gwendolyn Culpepper, who is employed as a recreation worker at the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) in Queens, echoed that sentiment and recognized that there is more to OSHA standards than just complying with laws and regulations.
“Achieving my OSHA trainer certification was vital to me because it solidified my commitment to workplace safety and provided a structured, comprehensive understanding of OSHA standards,” said Culpepper. “It’s not just about compliance; it’s about proactively creating safer environments for everyone.”
PEF’s certified trainers will now train other members. Plans are underway for training sessions in Regions 1, 8 and 9. There is also an Active Shooting training being held at the Region 8 Leadership Conference in May. All of these trainings are driven by members.
“PEF staff can always do the training, but staff does so much already. Having our members doing the training means that they are empowering themselves,” Williams. “They don’t have to wait to use the knowledge they have to help others.”