The Teamster Safety and Health Department provides comprehensive worker safety and health training to our rank-and-file membership, in addition to technical and regulatory support to our local union affiliates, Teamster trade divisions and conferences, and Teamster departments. Our team is comprised of a diverse group of professionals with varied experiences, an expansive knowledge base, and over 100+ combined years of experience to service Teamster Members .
What We Do
ABOUT US
Our Mission
The mission of the Safety & Health Department is to develop and implement occupational safety and health and transportation safety policy for the Teamsters, Local Union Affiliates and rank-and file members.
We provide
training and education for rank and file members through our safety and health worker training program and in conjunction with the Education Department during stewards seminars.
Staff members
conduct independent research on various safety and health issues, we also collaborate with several research institutions on projects where we share interest
Our Work
We work closely with the Legislative Affairs Department and Change to Win Federation Affiliates on various legislative and rulemaking activities that involve safety and health.
View Our ServicesOUR TEAM

Enjoli DeGrasse
Enjoli has been employed by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) since 2008. She earned a Master of Science degree in Public Health with a specialty in Industrial Hygiene, Risk Assessment and Toxicology from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from Xavier University of Louisiana. Enjoli is a board certified industrial hygienist in comprehensive practice.
She is actively involved in providing technical and regulatory support to rank-and-file Teamster members, IBT Trade Divisions, and Local Union Affiliates on issues including but not limited to transportation safety, occupational safety and health, hazardous material handling, and worker safety and health training. She works closely with the IBT Package and Airline Divisions and serves as one of the in-house subject matter experts on OSHA and DOT standards and regulations. Enjoli regularly submits comments to the Federal Registrar Docket on a plethora of topics related to both occupational health and safety and transportation safety issues.

Charmaine Woolard
Charmaine has served as Assistant Program Manager for the IBT Worker Training Program for the last 10 years. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Government and Public Administration.
As an Assistant Program Manager, she assists the Program Manager in the daily operations of the training program and is responsible for ensuring compliance with federal grant guidelines. Charmaine is responsible for preparing annual progress reports, closeout reports, and all appropriate forms.

Thomas Nelson
Thomas has been with IBT since 1996, originally as part of the Accounting Department. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Bowie State University and became a Certified Public Accountant in 2004.
His role is to perform grant-related post-award functions, including budget and expense analysis, periodic invoicing, financial reporting, labor distribution changes and associated communications with idividuals, reconciliations, and rebudgeting.

Kelice (Kelly) Middleton
Kelly joined the Safety and Health Department of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) in June 2003. She has an extensive 23 year background with other various unions as well and is a strong supporter of union values and workers’ rights. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Phoenix in Business Administration.
She is responsible for managing the day to day operations of the department and support staff. She provides daily support to the Director as well as the grant management team as needed. She also supports the Safety and Health department and the IBT Worker Training Program with the procurement of equipment and supplies, meeting, conference, and travel logistics.

Falon Patterson
Falon Patterson has been with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) since 2019 and is the Assistant to the Director of Safety and Health. She graduated from the University of Maryland College Park in 2005 with a Bachelor’s in Accounting and from American University in 2021 with a Master’s in Business Administration. Her primary role in the department is to provide daily administrative support to the Director of Safety and Health and the department.

Charles Austin
Mr. Austin has over thirty years of progressive experience working with labor unions within the industrial, transportation, and construction industries. He has conducted workplace assessment, research, worker exposure assessment, training, recommended control measures, converge information technology with safety and health information, and grant writing. He earned a Master of Science degree in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences from Hunter School of Health Sciences.
Charles is involved in exposure assessment analysis, e-learning, data analytics, communication, developing/enhancing safety and health training, and providing access to information via various digital media platforms. Responsible for technical and regulatory support, QA/QC, compliance with federal regulations and consensus standards, OSHA training, JHA’s, audits, policy, metrics, wellness, project management, and database and website development.

Chris Lott
Christopher joined the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Safety and Health Department in 2020 as an Industrial Hygienist. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Winston Salem State University in Winston Salem, North Carolina and is finishing up a Master of Science in Occupational Safety degree at East Carolina University. He spent five years working in public health in North Carolina as an environmental health specialist and held environmental health and safety roles in Industrial manufacturing plants.
Christopher’s responsibilities include assisting the safety and health department under the supervision of the director and deputy director design, develop, and implement occupational safety and health programs, campaigns, and provide technical assistance.
Frances Appenteng
Frances joined the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) in February 2023. She holds a Master’s in Public Health degree in Occupational Safety and Health from Texas A&M University – College Station. Previously, she attended Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Human Health and Sociology. Prior to joining IBT, Frances worked as an Operations and Compliance Coordinator for the first household battery recycling program in North America. She also worked in manufacturing settings, where she supported Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) initiatives.
At IBT, her responsibilities consist of, but not limited to, proactively supporting affiliate investigations aimed at identification of occupational hazards and abatement of occupational exposures. Additionally, she provides technical assistance and information to affiliates based on legal and ethical standards. Frances reports to the Director of Safety and Health and supports the overall goal to implement strong and effective Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) programs and campaigns.

Isabel Blake
Celena Campos
Celena joined the Safety and Health Department of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in November of 2022. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in K-12 Education, with a concentration in Spanish from James Madison University. She has over five years of experience working in training and development as a high school teacher where she planned, directed, and coordinated various programs. Celena has extensive experience with various training methodologies.