Support Services

The Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow (AHT)
The AHT is a coalition of citizens, scientists, health professionals, workers, and educators seeking preventive action on toxic hazards. The AHT's goal is to correct fundamental flaws in government policies that allow harm to our health and environment and to create proactive policies to prevent harm before the damage is done, and to choose the safest alternatives. MTA is a member of the Alliance.

Center for Health and Health Care in Schools
A non-partisan center of George Washington University. Includes information on environmental issues in schools.

Ergonomics for Children and Educational Environments
International clearinghouse for research into computers, backpacks, text book weights, etc.

Environmental Protection Agency
The mission of the EPA is to protect human health and safeguard the natural environment. This huge national site has a search engine you can use to research topics of interest. Key topics include: Air, Clean up, Compliance and Enforcement, Ecosystems, Environmental Management, Economics, Emergencies, Human Health, Industry, International Cooperation, Pesticides, Pollutants/toxics, Pollution Prevention, Research, Treatment and Control, Wastes and Water.

The Air section of the site provides relevant information on Air Pollutants, Air Pollution Control, Air Pollution Effects, Legal Aspects, Pollution Monitoring, Air Quality, Atmosphere, Indoor Air Pollution, and Mobile Sources of Pollution.

Healthy Schools Campaign
The mission of the Healthy Schools Campaign is to advocate for policies
and model programs that allow students and staff members to learn and work
in a healthy school environment.

MassCOSH
MassCOSH brings together workers, unions, community groups, and health, safety and environmental activists to organize and advocate for safe, secure jobs and healthy communities throughout eastern and central Massachusetts. Through training, technical assistance and building community/labor alliances, MassCOSH mobilizes its members and develops leaders in the movement to end unsafe work conditions.

MassCOSH Healthy Schools Initiative
MassCOSH brings together workers, unions, community groups and health, safety and environmental activist to organize and advocate for safe, secure jobs and a healthy community. The Healthy Schools Initiative seeks to improve the health and environment for students and schools staff through advocacy, education and technical assistance. MTA is an active member in this coalition.

Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment. The BEHA has a broad mission of protecting the public health from a variety of environmental exposures. The Emergency Response unit will perform health hazard evaluations of school building free of charge.

New England Asthma Regional Council
Asthma is the number cause of student absenteeism and a leading occupational illness among New England's teachers, according to the NEARC. The council's Healthy Schools Committee page lists links for advocates and outlines it plans to devise "green school" construction guidelines to reduce "asthma triggers" in school buildings.

National Institute for Occupational Health
NIOSH is the federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for prevention of work related disease and injury.

OSHA Ergonomic Resources
Computer workstation and office lighting guidelines.

School Ergonomic Programs
From the Cornell University Ergonomics Web, guidelines for establishing "TechFit" computer work stations for teachers and students.