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October 19, 2006
UNICOR: Report: Texas prisoners working in unsafe conditions
Oct. 18, 2006, 11:44AM, Houston Chronicle
Report: Texas prisoners working in unsafe conditions
Associated Press
AUSTIN ‹ Inmates working for a federal government program recycling electronics are subjected to hazardous working conditions, a report by prisoner advocates and environmental activists alleges.
The inmates work for Federal Prison Industries Inc., a government-owned company employing prisoners to do everything from building office furniture to making clothes. One of the facilities cited is in Texarkana, according to "Toxic Sweatshops," a report released Wednesday to coincide with the opening of E-Scrap, a national electronic waste conference in Austin.
"It's true they're prisoners, but they're also humans," said Barbara Kyle of Computer TakeBack Campaign, which promotes electronic material recycling. "There's no reason their workplace shouldn't be as safe as anyone on the outside. It's a complete double standard to say it's OK to run this operation just like it might run in the Third World."
Recycling electronic waste improperly can leave workers exposed to lead, a neurotoxin, and cadmium, which has been linked to kidney damage, said Robin Schneider, director of the Texas Campaign for the Environment.
Federal Prison Industries, known as UNICOR, said it follows federal and state health and safety rules. Environmental tests for air quality are conducted regularly and inmates have access to full-face respirators, coveralls and Kevlar sleeves, said company spokesman Todd Baldau.
"Staff and inmates who disassemble computers are equipped with personal protective equipment, including safety glasses, leather work gloves, safety shoes and ear protection," Baldau said.
The federal Bureau of Prisons said last year that prisoners and staff in at least three UNICOR facilities, including the Texarkana site, were exposed to toxins beyond federal limits. It added the problems had been fixed.
But the federal Office of the Special Counsel, an independent investigative agency, called the report inadequate and wants further investigation.
"Federal employees and prisoners (are) inhaling poisons due to the neglect of their superiors, and federal agencies (are) whitewashing the investigation," U.S. Special Counsel Scott Bloch said in a statement last month.
Inmates working for UNICOR earn 23 cents to $1.15 an hour.
UNICOR's net profit last year was $64.5 million.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/4268332.html
Posted by lois at October 19, 2006 05:24 PM