The Health, Safety and Environment Department has five major functions – assisting local unions with health, safety and environmental problems; assisting with and/or conducting education and training programs for local union committee officers and staff representatives; assisting local unions in electing party status or friend-of-the-court status in cases relevant to the safety and health of our membership; working for better regulations and standards; and helping to negotiate better health and safety language in Steelworkers' contract.