Sample records for accidents worker compensation laws

  1. Workers' Compensation Insurance and Occupational Injuries

    PubMed Central

    Oh, Jun-Byoung; Yi, Hyung Kwan

    2011-01-01

    Objectives Although compensation for occupational injuries and diseases is guaranteed in almost all nations, countries vary greatly with respect to how they organize workers' compensation systems. In this paper, we focus on three aspects of workers' compensation insurance in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries - types of systems, employers' funding mechanisms, and coverage for injured workers - and their impacts on the actual frequencies of occupational injuries and diseases. Methods We estimated a panel data fixed effect model with cross-country OECD and International Labor Organization data. We controlled for country fixed effects, relevant aggregate variables, and dummy variables representing the occupational accidents data source. Results First, the use of a private insurance system is found to lower the occupational accidents. Second, the use of risk-based pricing for the payment of employer raises the occupational injuries and diseases. Finally, the wider the coverage of injured workers is, the less frequent the workplace accidents are. Conclusion Private insurance system, fixed flat rate employers' funding mechanism, and higher coverage of compensation scheme are significantly and positively correlated with lower level of occupational accidents compared with the public insurance system, risk-based funding system, and lower coverage of compensation scheme. PMID:22953197

  2. 28 CFR 301.318 - Civilian compensation laws distinguished.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Civilian compensation laws distinguished... Civilian compensation laws distinguished. The Inmate Accident Compensation system is not obligated to... under civilian workmen's compensation laws in that hospitalization is usually completed prior to the...

  3. Epidemiologic characteristics of compensated occupational lung cancers among Korean workers.

    PubMed

    Ahn, Yeon-Soon; Jeong, Kyoung Sook

    2014-11-01

    An understanding of the characteristics of occupational lung cancer is important to establish policies that prevent carcinogen exposure and to compensate workers exposed to lung carcinogens. This study analyzed the characteristics of occupational lung cancers in workers who were compensated under the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Law between 1994 and 2011. A total of 179 occupational lung cancers were compensated. The main carcinogenic exposure was asbestos, followed by crystalline silica and hexavalent chromium. The mean exposure duration and latency were 19.8 and 23.2 yr. The most common industry was manufacturing, followed by construction and transportation. The most common occupation was maintenance and repair, followed by foundry work, welding, painting, and spinning or weaving. Although asbestos was predominant carcinogen, the proportion of these cases was relatively low compared to other developed countries. Proper surveillance system is needed to monitor occupational lung cancer and improve prevention measures.

  4. Workers' compensation: a historical review and description of a legal and social insurance system.

    PubMed

    Kiselica, Daria; Sibson, Bruce; Green-McKenzie, Judith

    2004-05-01

    The workers' compensation system is a no-fault legal and social insurance system established to address compensation issues that involve work-related injuries and illnesses. The system was developed in response to dissatisfaction with common law litigation on the parts of injured workers and employers. The history of the development of workers' compensation is reviewed, and a general description of the system is offered, including discussion of state law and insurance structures, benefits and costs, administrative boards/commissions, and the federal systems for workers' compensation and related programs. The recent history of the workers' compensation system is provided, the recommendations of the National Commission on State Workmen's Compensation Laws in 1972 are reviewed, and the problems and state-initiated changes in worker's compensation that occurred during the 1990s are discussed.

  5. The effort to rehabilitate workers' compensation.

    PubMed

    Barth, P S

    1976-06-01

    State workers' compensation laws have been subjected to criticism since their inception; pressure to change them is now increasing. Most of the current challenge arise from dissatisfaction with the level of benefits available to disabled workers or their survivors, and, to a lesser degree, with the extent of program coverage. In response to this challenge, changes will occur that my range from reform-simply raising benefit levels and extending coverage-to program redesign, implying major structural revisions or abolishment of the system. For several reasons, including public apathy, the role of interest groups, and experience with other social insurance programs, it seems likely that basic structural shifts will not occur in the near future. While the criticism of these state laws is widespread, the problems can be dealt with in the existing framework. One area, however, could conceivably arouse sufficient public and legislative interest to upset this forecast. If it develops that the system is excluding large numbers of individuals disabled or killed by occupational diseases, workers' compensation laws could be placed in jeopardy. While evidence on this is scarce, it is clear that the current system compensates only a small number of serious cases of disability arising from occupational diseases.

  6. The battle over workers' compensation.

    PubMed

    Ellenberger, J N

    2000-01-01

    Faced with lower profits and rapidly increasing premium costs in the 1980s, insurers and employer organizations cleverly parlayed the public perception of worker fraud and abuse in the workers' compensation system (that they helped to create) into massive legislative changes. Over the last decade, state legislators and governors, Republican and Democrat alike, have jumped on this bandwagon, one that workers and their allies have dubbed the workers' compensation "deform" movement. Alleging a "game plan" and a calculated campaign on the part of insurers and employers, the author looks at the major components of changes that were made, examines the elements of workers' compensation over which employers and insurers have gained control, and discusses Newt Gingrich's efforts to capitalize on employer and insurer fervor over the system. This campaign whistled through the country until it goaded the labor movement, injured workers, the trial bar, and others in Ohio in 1997 to organize themselves to stand up to employers by defeating the deform law through a ballot initiative. The article details that battle and suggests that similar voices can be achieved through a return to grassroots organizing and mobilization.

  7. Current situation and issue of Industrial Accident Compensation insurance.

    PubMed

    Kim, Inah; Rhie, Jeongbae; Yoon, Jo-Duk; Kim, Jinsoo; Won, Jonguk

    2012-05-01

    Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI) has a history of about 50 yr, and is the oldest social insurance system in Korea. After more than 20 times of revision improvements in benefits, its contents and claim systems have been upgraded. It became the protector of injured workers and their families, and at the same time became the system which could cope with both financial burden of employers and their responsibilities. However, there are some issues to be reformed to upgrade the IACI: 1) the problems in the approval system of occupational diseases, 2) quality improvement of workers' compensation medical care, 3) vocational rehabilitation and return to work, 4) workers' compensation premiums and out-of-pocket money of injured workers, 5) issues in application of IACI. Growth of IACI cannot be achieved by an effort of an individual. Efforts by workers, owners, and government, in addition to physicians and welfare professionals toward the same goal are required for the next level improvement of IACI.

  8. The relationship of workers' compensation to the Americans with Disabilities Act and Family and Medical Leave Act.

    PubMed

    Geaney, John H

    2004-05-01

    This article examines the intersection of workers' compensation laws with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Much ADA and FMLA litigation stems from work-related injuries or illnesses. Knowledge of the ADA and FMLA may help prevent workers' compensation cases from resulting in costly employment litigation. Employees who are absent from work for a work-related condition often have rights under other laws, besides workers' compensation laws, such as the ADA and FMLA. Employers need to be cognizant of this while addressing these cases. First, the goals of state workers' compensation laws and the ADA and FMLA are reviewed. Then specific issues involving the intersection of workers' compensation, ADA,and FMLA are discussed.

  9. Occupationally acquired HIV: the vulnerability of health care workers under workers' compensation laws.

    PubMed Central

    Tereskerz, P M; Jagger, J

    1997-01-01

    Approximately 800,000 needlesticks and other sharp injuries from contaminated medical devices occur in health care settings each year, of which an estimated 16,000 are contaminated by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Health care workers who are occupationally infected by HIV are at risk of being left without workers' compensation coverage. In some states, the definition of an occupational disease is so restrictive that infected health care workers are unlikely to qualify for benefits. For those who are able to meet the definition, compensation is often inadequate. Recourse is also limited by statutory provisions that preclude health care workers from bringing civil suits against their employers. We recommend the amendment of legislation to provide more equitable remedies, including: (1) broadening the definition of occupational disease; (2) eliminating provisions that require a claimant to prove that (a) a specific occupational incident resulted in infection and (b) HIV is not an ordinary disease of life; (3) expanding the time for filing a claim; (4) assuring that lifetime benefits will be provided to the disabled health care worker; and (5) assuring that claims will remain confidential. PMID:9314817

  10. Contingent workers: Workers' compensation data analysis strategies and limitations.

    PubMed

    Foley, Michael; Ruser, John; Shor, Glenn; Shuford, Harry; Sygnatur, Eric

    2014-07-01

    The growth of the contingent workforce presents many challenges in the occupational safety and health arena. State and federal laws impose obligations and rights on employees and employers, but contingent work raises issues regarding responsibilities to maintain a safe workplace and difficulties in collecting and reporting data on injuries and illnesses. Contingent work may involve uncertainty about the length of employment, control over the labor process, degree of regulatory, or statutory protections, and access to benefits under workers' compensation. The paper highlights differences in regulatory protections and benefits among various types of contingent workers and how these different arrangements affect safety incentives. It discusses challenges caused by contingent work for accurate data reporting in existing injury and illness surveillance and benefit programs, differences between categories of contingent work in their coverage in various data sources, and opportunities for overcoming obstacles to effectively using workers' compensation data. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. A study of influences of the workers' compensation and injury management regulations on aviation safety at a workplace.

    PubMed

    Yadav, Devinder K; Nikraz, Hamid; Chen, Yongqing

    2016-01-01

    As the aviation industries developed, so too did the recognition that there must be an effective regulatory framework to address issues related to the workers' compensation and rehabilitation. All employees would like to work and return home safely from their workplace. Therefore, the efficient management of workplace injury and disease reduces the cost of aviation operations and improves flight safety. Workers' compensation and injury management laws regulate a majority of rehabilitation and compensation issues, but achieving an injury-free workplace remains a major challenge for the regulators. This paper examines the clauses of the workers' compensation and injury management laws of Western Australia related to workplace safety, compensation, and rehabilitations of the injured workers. It also discusses various provisions of common law under the relevant workers' health injury management legislations.

  12. Workers' experiences with compensated sick leave due to musculoskeletal disorder: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Choi, Min; Kim, Hyoung-Ryoul; Lee, Jinwoo; Lee, Hye-Eun; Byun, Junsu; Won, Jong Uk

    2014-01-01

    The most common occupational disease that is compensated by Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI) in Korea is musculoskeletal disease (MSD). Although complaints about the workers' compensation system have been raised by injured workers with MSD, studies that examine workers' experiences with the Korean system are rare. This paper is a qualitative study designed to examine injured workers' experiences with the workers' compensation system in Korea. The aim of this study is to explore the drawbacks of the workers' compensation system and to suggest ways to improve this system. All workers from an automobile parts factory in Anseong, GyeongGi province who were compensated for MSD by IACI from January 2003 to August 2013 were invited to participate. Among these 153 workers, 142 workers completed the study. Semi-structured open-ended interviews and questionnaires were administered by occupational physicians. The responses of 131 workers were analyzed after excluding 11 workers, 7 of whom provided incomplete answers and 4 of whom were compensated by accidental injury. Based on their age, disease, department of employment, and compensation time, 16 of these 131 workers were invited to participate in an individual in-depth interview. In-depth interviews were conducted by one of 3 occupational physicians until the interview contents were saturated. Injured workers with MSD reported that the workers' compensation system was intimidating. These workers suffered more emotional distress than physical illness due to the workers' compensation system. Injured workers reported that they were treated inadequately and remained isolated for most of the recuperation period. The compensation period was terminated without ample guidance or a plan for an appropriate rehabilitation process. Interventions to alleviate the negative experiences of injured workers, including quality control of the medical care institutions and provisions for mental and psychological care for

  13. The European influence on workers' compensation reform in the United States

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Workers' compensation law in the United States is derived from European models of social insurance introduced in Germany and in England. These two concepts of workers' compensation are found today in the federal and state workers' compensation programs in the United States. All reform proposals in the United States are influenced by the European experience with workers' compensation. In 2006, a reform proposal termed the Public Health Model was made that would abolish the workers' compensation system, and in its place adopt a national disability insurance system for all injuries and illnesses. In the public health model, health and safety professionals would work primarily in public health agencies. The public health model eliminates the physician from any role other than that of privately consulting with the patient and offering advice solely to the patient. The Public Health Model is strongly influenced by the European success with physician consultation with industry and labor. PMID:22151643

  14. [Safety and health in workers employed in industry. Data from Industrial Accidents Compensation Board (INAIL) and National Social Security Institute (INPS), Veneto Region, 1994-2002].

    PubMed

    Mastrangelo, G; Carassai, Patrizia; Carletti, Claudia; Cattani, F; De Zorzi, Lia; Di Loreto, G; Dini, M; Mattioni, G; Mundo, Antonietta; Noceta, R; Ortolani, G; Piccioni, M; Sartori, Angela; Sereno, Antonella; Priolo, G; Scoizzato, L; Marangi, G; Marchiori, L

    2008-01-01

    A decreasing time trend for occupational injuries and sickness absence would be the effect of the new legislation (D.Lgs. 626/94 and successive laws) on prevention in occupational settings. Conversely, the reduction of INPS disability would reflect a health improvement due to non-occupational causes. The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy of the new legislation among employees in industry (where the law was mainly applied), via the time trend of three standardized rates in the Veneto Region. The numerator for the rate of occupational accidents (cases occurring in industry workers in the Veneto Region, broken down for sex, age and calendar years) was supplied by INAIL. The denominator for the above rate, as well as numerators and denominators for disability and sickness absence were supplied by INPS. Data were available from 1994 to 2002 for accidents and disability, and from 1997 to 2002 for sickness absence. In every year from 1994 to 2002, the rates were standardized for age and sex with the direct method, using an internal "standard" population. The time trend of year-specific standardized rates was analyzed by Joinpoint regression software. Among industrial workers in the Veneto Region, occupational accidents increased by 0.4% yearly, while disability decreased by 2.56% from 1994 to 2002. Sick absence increased up to 1999, then decreased. This epidemiological pattern is difficult to explain. The increase in accidents could be due to the increase of non-European Union workers and/or to the fact that accidents on the way to or from work were recognized as occupational accidents by INAIL starting from 2000. Both these phenomena could have contributed to increase the rate that was otherwise diminishing. On the other hand, this same situation could be due to insufficient efficacy of the legislation (D.Lgs. 626/94 and successive laws) for preventing occupational accidents and diseases.

  15. A primer for workers' compensation.

    PubMed

    Bible, Jesse E; Spengler, Dan M; Mir, Hassan R

    2014-07-01

    A physician's role within a workers' compensation injury extends far beyond just evaluation and treatment with several socioeconomic and psychological factors at play compared with similar injuries occurring outside of the workplace. Although workers' compensation statutes vary among states, all have several basic features with the overall goal of returning the injured worker to maximal function in the shortest time period, with the least residual disability and shortest time away from work. To help physicians unfamiliar with the workers' compensation process accomplish these goals. Review. Educational review. The streamlined review addresses the topics of why is workers' compensation necessary; what does workers' compensation cover; progression after work injury; impairment and maximum medical improvement, including how to use the sixth edition of American Medical Association's (AMA) Guides to the evaluation of permanent impairment (Guides); completion of work injury claim after impairment rating; independent medical evaluation; and causation. In the "no-fault" workers' compensation system, physicians play a key role in progressing the claim along and, more importantly, getting the injured worker back to work as soon as safely possible. Physicians should remain familiar with the workers' compensation process, along with how to properly use the AMA Guides. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Socially Constructed Hierarchies of Impairments: The Case of Australian and Irish Workers' Access to Compensation for Injuries.

    PubMed

    Harpur, Paul; Connolly, Ursula; Blanck, Peter

    2017-12-01

    Socially constructed hierarchies of impairment complicate the general disadvantage experienced by workers with disabilities. Workers with a range of abilities categorized as a "disability" are likely to experience less favourable treatment at work and have their rights to work discounted by laws and institutions, as compared to workers without disabilities. Value judgments in workplace culture and local law mean that the extent of disadvantage experienced by workers with disabilities additionally will depend upon the type of impairment they have. Rather than focusing upon the extent and severity of the impairment and how society turns an impairment into a recognized disability, this article aims to critically analyse the social hierarchy of physical versus mental impairment. Using legal doctrinal research methods, this paper analysis how Australian and Irish workers' compensation and negligence laws regard workers with mental injuries and impairments as less deserving of compensation and protection than like workers who have physical and sensory injuries or impairments. This research finds that workers who acquire and manifest mental injuries and impairments at work are less able to obtain compensation and protection than workers who have developed physical and sensory injuries of equal or lesser severity. Organizational cultures and governmental laws and policies that treat workers less favourably because they have mental injuries and impairments perpetuates unfair and artificial hierarchies of disability attributes. We conclude that these "sanist" attitudes undermine equal access to compensation for workplace injury as prohibited by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

  17. 28 CFR 345.62 - Inmate accident compensation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Inmate accident compensation. 345.62... PRISON INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.62 Inmate accident... assignments) as specified by the Inmate Accident Compensation Program (28 CFR part 301). ...

  18. 28 CFR 345.62 - Inmate accident compensation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Inmate accident compensation. 345.62... PRISON INDUSTRIES (FPI) INMATE WORK PROGRAMS Inmate Pay and Benefits § 345.62 Inmate accident... assignments) as specified by the Inmate Accident Compensation Program (28 CFR part 301). ...

  19. Informal Workers in Thailand: Occupational Health and Social Security Disparities.

    PubMed

    Kongtip, Pornpimol; Nankongnab, Noppanun; Chaikittiporn, Chalermchai; Laohaudomchok, Wisanti; Woskie, Susan; Slatin, Craig

    2015-08-01

    Informal workers in Thailand lack employee status as defined under the Labor Protection Act (LPA). Typically, they do not work at an employer's premise; they work at home and may be self-employed or temporary workers. They account for 62.6 percent of the Thai workforce and have a workplace accident rate ten times higher than formal workers. Most Thai Labor laws apply only to formal workers, but some protect informal workers in the domestic, home work, and agricultural sectors. Laws that protect informal workers lack practical enforcement mechanisms and are generally ineffective because informal workers lack employment contracts and awareness of their legal rights. Thai social security laws fail to provide informal workers with treatment of work-related accidents, diseases, and injuries; unemployment and retirement insurance; and workers' compensation. The article summarizes the differences in protections available for formal and informal sector workers and measures needed to decrease these disparities in coverage. © The Author(s) 2015.

  20. Informal Workers in Thailand: Occupational Health and Social Security Disparities

    PubMed Central

    Kongtip, Pornpimol; Nankongnab, Noppanun; Chaikittiporn, Chalermchai; Laohaudomchok, Wisanti; Woskie, Susan; Slatin, Craig

    2018-01-01

    Informal workers in Thailand lack employee status as defined under the Labor Protection Act (LPA). Typically, they do not work at an employer’s premise; they work at home and may be self-employed or temporary workers. They account for 62.6 percent of the Thai workforce and have a workplace accident rate ten times higher than formal workers. Most Thai Labor laws apply only to formal workers, but some protect informal workers in the domestic, home work, and agricultural sectors. Laws that protect informal workers lack practical enforcement mechanisms and are generally ineffective because informal workers lack employment contracts and awareness of their legal rights. Thai social security laws fail to provide informal workers with treatment of work-related accidents, diseases, and injuries; unemployment and retirement insurance; and workers’ compensation. The article summarizes the differences in protections available for formal and informal sector workers and measures needed to decrease these disparities in coverage. PMID:25995374

  1. Ten years' experience using an integrated workers' compensation management system to control workers' compensation costs.

    PubMed

    Bernacki, Edward J; Tsai, Shan P

    2003-05-01

    This work presents 10 years of experience using an Integrated Workers' Compensation Claims Management System that allows safety professionals, adjusters, and selected medical and nursing providers to collaborate in a process of preventing accidents and expeditiously assessing, treating, and returning individuals to productive work. The hallmarks of the program involve patient advocacy and customer service, steerage of injured employees to a small network of physicians, close follow-up, and the continuous dialogue between parties regarding claims management. The integrated claims management system was instituted in fiscal year 1992 servicing a population of approximately 21,000 individuals. The system was periodically refined and by the 2002 fiscal year, 39,000 individuals were managed under this paradigm. The frequency of lost-time and medical claims rate decreased 73% (from 22 per 1000 employees to 6) and 61% (from 155 per 1000 employees to 61), respectively, between fiscal year 1992 and fiscal year 2002. The number of temporary/total days paid per 100 insureds decreased from 163 in fiscal year 1992 to 37 in fiscal year 2002, or 77%. Total workers' compensation expenses including all medical, indemnity and administrative, decreased from $0.81 per $100 of payroll in fiscal year 1992 to $0.37 per $100 of payroll in fiscal year 2002, a 54% decrease. More specifically, medical costs per $100 of payroll decreased 44% (from $0.27 to $0.15), temporary/total, 61% (from $0.18 to $0.07), permanent/partial, 63% (from $0.19 to $0.07) and administrative costs, 48% ($0.16 to $0.09). These data suggests that workers' compensation costs can be reduced over a multi-year period by using a small network of clinically skilled health care providers who address an individual workers' psychological, as well as physical needs and where communication between all parties (e.g., medical care providers, supervisors, and injured employees) is constantly maintained. Furthermore, these results

  2. Workers compensation and occupational health and safety in the Australian agricultural industry.

    PubMed

    Guthrie, Robert; Westaway, Jennifer; Goldacre, Lisa

    2009-04-01

    The objective of this paper is to review the available workers compensation and occupational health and safety data and the legal framework in relation to the agricultural industry to explore whether any factors highlight the need to pay special attention to the particular circumstances of those engaged in the industry. This paper explores some of the special features of the agricultural industry, looking first at agricultural worker fatalities and injuries as a matter of ongoing concern for all participants in this industry, government, as well as occupational health and workers compensation authorities. The paper analyses how occupational health and workers compensation laws may have special application to this industry. Finally, the paper considers some workers compensation provisions that have particular application to the agricultural industry. Our survey of the available data and literature leads to the conclusion that the dangerous nature of agricultural work and the special legal and economic framework in which that work is undertaken identify the agricultural industry as presenting Australian Governments and specialist authorities with particular challenges in relation to improving workplace safety and reducing workplace injury.

  3. Compensating the workers: industrial injury and compensation in the British asbestos industry, 1930s-60s.

    PubMed

    Tweedale, G; Jeremy, D J

    1999-01-01

    In 1931 the British government introduced pioneering legislation to combat occupational disease in the asbestos industry. A key feature was an Asbestosis Scheme for compensating workers for industrial injury and death. This article examines the implementation of the Scheme at Turner & Newall, the leading UK asbestos producer. The evidence reveals an inequitable system of compensation, especially when compared to the company's generosity to its shareholders. Deficiencies in British compensation law, the weaknesses of regulatory forces, and the company's policy of minimising the extent of asbestos disease are held responsible.

  4. DOLWD Division of Workers' Compensation

    Science.gov Websites

    ' Compensation Act (Act). The Act provides for the payment by employers or their insurance carriers of medical -related medical and disability benefits. Workers' Compensation also requires the payment of benefits to Workforce Development, Workers' Compensation Division, Medical Services Review Committee will meet June 15

  5. Occupational exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Legal issues in workers' compensation.

    PubMed

    Evenson, W

    1999-08-01

    Occupational exposure to TB remains a significant threat in select high risk occupations despite 5 years of declining disease incidence rates in the United States. TB kills more people on a global scale than any other infectious disease. One third of the global population is currently infected with TB. Workers' compensation insurance may be inadequate to cover lost wages and medical bills in cases of occupational exposure to TB if the source patient is unknown. There is a need to reform state laws for workers' compensation so TB infections in high risk employees are presumed to be work related unless a community exposure to the disease is identified.

  6. [The birth of the Italian workers' compensation authority and its contribution to improving health conditions of workers and general population].

    PubMed

    Bonifaci, G; Sferra, C; Riva, M A

    2010-01-01

    In 1898 the compulsory work accident insurance was introduced in the Italian legislation: both public and private organizations could provide insurance to the workers. In 1933 the Cassa Nazionale Infortuni (founded in 1884) was unified to other small public funds in a single body, the Italian Workers' Compensation Authority (INAIL). During the post-war recovery INAIL founded hospitals and wards fully dedicated to work traumas (Orthopaedic Traumatic Centres or Burns Centres) and opened rehabilitation and prosthetic centres for injured workers. In this view, INAIL and Italian National Olympic Committee supported the first official Paralympic Games, held in Rome in 1960. Nowadays many hospitals originally owned by INAIL belong to the Italian National Health System and provide healthcare also to general population. However INAIL continues its mission in workers' protection and confirms its main role in the field of accident prevention and rehabilitation of injured workers, also thanks to recent legislative modifications.

  7. Physician-patient relationship and medical accident victim compensation: some insights into the French regulatory system.

    PubMed

    Ancelot, Lydie; Oros, Cornel

    2015-06-01

    Given the growing amount of medical litigation heard by courts, the 2002 Kouchner law in France has created the Office National d'Indemnisation des Accidents Médicaux (ONIAM), whose main aim is to encourage out-of-court settlements when a conflict between a physician and the victim of a medical accident occurs. More than 10 years after the implementation of this law, the statistics analysing its effectiveness are contradictory, which raises the question of the potential negative effects of the ONIAM on the compensation system. In order to address this question, the article analyses the impact of the ONIAM on the nature of settlement negotiations between the physician and the victim. Using a dynamic game within incomplete information, we develop a comparative analysis of two types of compensation systems in case of medical accidents: socialised financing granted by the ONIAM and private financing provided by the physician. We show that the ONIAM could encourage out-of-court settlements provided that the hypothesis of judicial error is relevant. On the contrary, in the case of a low probability of judicial errors, the ONIAM could be effective only for severe medical accidents.

  8. 75 FR 63425 - Regulations Implementing the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act: Recreational Vessels

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-15

    ...) Traumatic injury. If the individual claims compensation for a traumatic injury, the date of injury is the... vessels may be excluded from the definition of ``employee'' when: (1) The individual's date of injury is before February 17, 2009, the injury is covered under a State workers' compensation law, and the...

  9. 48 CFR 628.305 - Overseas workers' compensation and war-hazard insurance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ..., shall include the contractual obligation for coverage under the Defense Base Act (42 U.S.C. Sections... local workers' compensation laws. (2) Individuals who are self-employed (i.e., they have not incorporated) do not meet the definition of an employee. No Defense Base Act insurance is required when...

  10. 48 CFR 628.305 - Overseas workers' compensation and war-hazard insurance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ..., shall include the contractual obligation for coverage under the Defense Base Act (42 U.S.C. Sections... local workers' compensation laws. (2) Individuals who are self-employed (i.e., they have not incorporated) do not meet the definition of an employee. No Defense Base Act insurance is required when...

  11. 48 CFR 628.305 - Overseas workers' compensation and war-hazard insurance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ..., shall include the contractual obligation for coverage under the Defense Base Act (42 U.S.C. Sections... local workers' compensation laws. (2) Individuals who are self-employed (i.e., they have not incorporated) do not meet the definition of an employee. No Defense Base Act insurance is required when...

  12. 48 CFR 628.305 - Overseas workers' compensation and war-hazard insurance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ..., shall include the contractual obligation for coverage under the Defense Base Act (42 U.S.C. Sections... local workers' compensation laws. (2) Individuals who are self-employed (i.e., they have not incorporated) do not meet the definition of an employee. No Defense Base Act insurance is required when...

  13. [The prevention in Italian workers' compensation authority protection: back to the future].

    PubMed

    Miccio, A; Ossicini, A

    2010-01-01

    Workers'protection is now more than ever an integrated protection system-as a result also of recent innovative provisions of law-ranging from prevention on the workplace to health and economic benefits, medical treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration in the social and working life of victims of physical damage consequent to a work related accident or professional disease. With a view to contributing to the reduction of accidents, INAIL has implemented a number of important tools to continually monitor employment and accident trends, it provides small and medium size enterprises with training and advice in the field of prevention and funds companies that decide to invest in the improvement of safety. Now more than ever INAIL after the law May 2010, n. 78 is the Italian prevention agency.

  14. Risk compensation behaviours in construction workers' activities.

    PubMed

    Feng, Yingbin; Wu, Peng

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to test whether the construction workers have the tendency of engaging in risk compensation behaviours, and identify the demographic variables, which may influence the extent to which the construction workers may show risk compensation behaviours. Both quantitative (survey) and qualitative (interviews) approaches were used in this study. A questionnaire survey was conducted with all the construction workers on three building construction sites of a leading construction company in Australia. Semi-structured interviews were then conducted to validate the findings of the quantitative research. The findings indicate that workers tend to show risk compensation behaviours in the construction environment. The workers with more working experience, higher education, or having never been injured at work before have a higher tendency to show risk compensation in their activities than the others. The implication is that contractors need to assess the potential influence of workers' risk compensation behaviours when evaluating the effect of risk control measures. It is recommended that supervisors pay more attention to the behavioural changes of those workers who have more experience, higher education, and have never been injured before after the implementation of new safety control measures on construction site.

  15. Why most workers with occupational repetitive trauma do not file for workers' compensation.

    PubMed

    Rosenman, K D; Gardiner, J C; Wang, J; Biddle, J; Hogan, A; Reilly, M J; Roberts, K; Welch, E

    2000-01-01

    Despite the availability of no fault insurance for wage replacement and medical care costs, the majority of workers diagnosed with an occupational disease do not apply for workers' compensation. The objective of the study was to determine the reasons why workers diagnosed with work-related musculoskeletal disease did not apply for workers' compensation benefits. A cross-sectional study of 1598 individuals diagnosed with neck, upper extremity, and low back work-related musculoskeletal disease from April to June 1996 was performed. All individuals were interviewed over the telephone using a standardized questionnaire. The questionnaire included questions about the precipitating event; demographics; health limitations; mood; pain level; and attitudes toward their health care provider, fellow workers, management, work environment, and filing for workers' compensation. Whenever possible, standardized questions from previous surveys were used. The interviewed individuals with work-related musculoskeletal disease were reported by health care practitioners as required by the state of Michigan's occupational disease reporting law. Workers reported during 12 weeks in the spring of 1996 by a Michigan health care professional as having a neck, back, or upper extremity musculoskeletal disorder were eligible to participate. Among the 2703 reports received, 490 individuals could not be reached, 22 did not speak English, 12 had died or were too incapacitated by other medical conditions, and 581 refused. We interviewed 59% of all eligible workers and 73% of all workers who were reachable and capable of responding in English. Only 25% of workers diagnosed with musculoskeletal disease filed a workers' compensation claim. The factors significantly associated with filing a claim were (1) increased length of employment (> 21 years: odds ratio [OR], 3.01, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.31 to 6.90); 11 to 20 years: OR, 2.34, 95% CI, 1.01 to 5.47; 6 to 10 years: OR, 1.76, 95% CI, 0.73 to

  16. Empirical Bayesian Geographical Mapping of Occupational Accidents among Iranian Workers.

    PubMed

    Vahabi, Nasim; Kazemnejad, Anoshirvan; Datta, Somnath

    2017-05-01

    Work-related accidents are believed to be a serious preventable cause of mortality and disability worldwide. This study aimed to provide Bayesian geographical maps of occupational injury rates among workers insured by the Iranian Social Security Organization. The participants included all insured workers in the Iranian Social Security Organization database in 2012. One of the applications of the Bayesian approach called the Poisson-Gamma model was applied to estimate the relative risk of occupational accidents. Data analysis and mapping were performed using R 3.0.3, Open-Bugs 3.2.3 rev 1012 and ArcMap9.3. The majority of all 21,484 investigated occupational injury victims were male (98.3%) including 16,443 (76.5%) single workers aged 20 - 29 years. The accidents were more frequent in basic metal, electric, and non-electric machining jobs. About 0.4% (96) of work-related accidents led to death, 2.2% (457) led to disability (partial and total), 4.6% (980) led to fixed compensation, and 92.8% (19,951) of the injured victims recovered completely. The geographical maps of estimated relative risk of occupational accidents were also provided. The results showed that the highest estimations pertained to provinces which were mostly located along mountain chains, some of which are categorized as deprived provinces in Iran. The study revealed the need for further investigation of the role of economic and climatic factors in high risk areas. The application of geographical mapping together with statistical approaches can provide more accurate tools for policy makers to make better decisions in order to prevent and reduce the risks and adverse outcomes of work-related accidents.

  17. New workers' compensation legislation: expected pharmaceutical cost savings.

    PubMed

    Wilson, Leslie; Gitlin, Matthew

    2005-10-01

    California Workers' Compensation (WC) system costs are under review. With recently approved California State Assembly Bill (AB) 749 and Senate Bill (SB) 228, an assessment of proposed pharmaceutical cost savings is needed. A large workers' compensation database provided by the California Workers' Compensation Institute (CWCI) and Medi-Cal pharmacy costs obtained from the State Drug Utilization Project are utilized to compare frequency, costs and savings to Workers' Compensation in 2002 with the new pharmacy legislation. Compared to the former California Workers' Compensation fee schedule, the newly implemented 100% Medi-Cal fee schedule will result in savings of 29.5% with a potential total pharmacy cost savings of $125 million. Further statistical analysis demonstrated that a large variability in savings across drugs could not be controlled with this drug pricing system. Despite the large savings in pharmaceuticals, inconsistencies between the two pharmaceutical payment systems could lead to negative incentives and uncertainty for long-term savings. Proposed alternative pricing systems could be considered. However, pain management implemented along with other cost containment strategies could more effectively reduce overall drug spending in the workers' compensation system.

  18. Reexamining workers' compensation: a human rights perspective.

    PubMed

    Boden, Leslie I

    2012-06-01

    Injured workers, particularly those with more severe injuries, have long experienced workers' compensation systems as stressful and demeaning, have found it difficult to obtain benefits, and, when able to obtain benefits, have found them inadequate. Moreover, the last two decades have seen a substantial erosion of the protections offered by workers' compensation. State after state has erected additional barriers to benefit receipt, making the workers' compensation experience even more difficult and degrading. These changes have been facilitated by a framing of the political debate focused on the free market paradigm, employer costs, and worker fraud and malingering. The articles in this special issue propose an alternate framework and analysis, a human rights approach, that values the dignity and economic security of injured workers and their families. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Occupational disease and workers' compensation: coverage, costs, and consequences.

    PubMed

    Leigh, J Paul; Robbins, John A

    2004-01-01

    Most of the costs of occupational disease are not covered by workers' compensation. First, the authors estimated the deaths and costs for all occupational disease in 1999, using epidemiological studies. Among the greatest contributors were job-related cancer, chronic respiratory disease, and circulatory disease. Second, the authors estimated the number of workers' compensation cases, costs, and deaths for 1999, using data from up to 16 states representing all regions of the country. Unlike the epidemiological studies that emphasized fatal diseases, the workers' compensation estimates emphasized nonfatal diseases and conditions like tendonitis and hernia. Comparisons of the epidemiological and workers' compensation estimates suggest that in 1999, workers' compensation missed roughly 46,000 to 93,000 deaths and 8 billion US dollars to 23 billion US dollars in medical costs. These deaths and costs represented substantial cost shifting from workers' compensation systems to individual workers, their families, private medical insurance, and taxpayers (through Medicare and Medicaid). Designing policies to reduce the cost shifting and its associated inefficiency will be challenging.

  20. Characteristics of worker accidents on NYSDOT construction projects.

    PubMed

    Mohan, Satish; Zech, Wesley C

    2005-01-01

    This paper aims at providing cost-effective safety measures to protect construction workers in highway work zones, based on real data. Two types of accidents that occur in work zones were: (a) construction work area accidents, and (b) traffic accidents involving construction worker(s). A detailed analysis of work zone accidents involving 36 fatalities and 3,055 severe injuries to construction workers on New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) construction projects from 1990 to 2001 established that five accident types: (a) Struck/Pinned by Large Equipment, (b) Trip or Fall (elevated), (c) Contact w/Electrical or Gas Utility, (d) Struck-by Moving/Falling Load, and (e) Crane/Lift Device Failure accounted for nearly 96% of the fatal accidents, nearly 63% of the hospital-level injury accidents, and nearly 91% of the total costs. These construction work area accidents had a total cost of $133.8 million. Traffic accidents that involve contractors' employees were also examined. Statistical analyses of the traffic accidents established that five traffic accident types: (a) Work Space Intrusion, (b) Worker Struck-by Vehicle Inside Work Space, (c) Flagger Struck-by Vehicle, (d) Worker Struck-by Vehicle Entering/Exiting Work Space, and (e) Construction Equipment Struck-by Vehicle Inside Work Space accounted for nearly 86% of the fatal, nearly 70% of the hospital-level injury and minor injury traffic accidents, and $45.4 million (79.4%) of the total traffic accident costs. The results of this paper provide real statistics on construction worker related accidents reported on construction work zones. Potential preventions based on real statistics have also been suggested. The ranking of accident types, both within the work area as well as in traffic, will guide the heavy highway contractor and owner agencies in identifying the most cost effective safety preventions.

  1. A study of the additional costs of dispensing workers' compensation prescriptions.

    PubMed

    Schafermeyer, Kenneth W

    2007-03-01

    Although there is a significant amount of additional work involved in dispensing workers' compensation prescriptions, these costs have not been quantified. A study of the additional costs to dispense a workers' compensation prescription is needed to measure actual costs and to help determine the reasonableness of reimbursement for prescriptions dispensed under workers' compensation programs. The purpose of this study was to determine the minimum additional time and costs required to dispense workers' compensation prescriptions in Texas. A convenience sample of 30 store-level pharmacy staff members involved in submitting and processing prescription claims for the Texas Mutual workers' compensation program were interviewed by telephone. Data collected to determine the additional costs of dispensing a workers' compensation prescription included (1) the amount of additional time and personnel costs required to dispense and process an average workers' compensation prescription claim, (2) the difference in time required for a new versus a refilled prescription, (3) overhead costs for processing workers' compensation prescription claims by experienced experts at a central processing facility, (4) carrying costs for workers' compensation accounts receivable, and (5) bad debts due to uncollectible workers' compensation claims. The median of the sample pharmacies' additional costs for dispensing a workers' compensation prescription was estimated to be at least $9.86 greater than for a cash prescription. This study shows that the estimated costs for workers' compensation prescriptions were significantly higher than for cash prescriptions. These costs are probably much more than most employers, workers' compensation payers, and pharmacy managers would expect. It is recommended that pharmacy managers should estimate their own costs and compare these costs to actual reimbursement when considering the reasonableness of workers' compensation prescriptions and whether to accept

  2. Workers' compensation experience of North Carolina residential construction workers, 1986-1994.

    PubMed

    Dement, J M; Lipscomb, H

    1999-02-01

    falls involving scaffolds (23.9%) and ladders (20.6%), and falls from ceiling joists, floor joists, or framing (14.8%). Twenty-six work-related deaths occurred with vehicle accidents (n = 6) being the major known cause of death, followed by falls (n = 3), being struck by an object (n = 3), electric shock (n = 2), and contact with energy or chemicals (n = 2). Consistent with other analyses of workers' compensation data, chronic occupational diseases are not well captured in the workers' compensation claims among home builders; therefore, a companion study has examined mortality patterns among North Carolina construction workers.

  3. The New Zealand accident compensation scheme.

    PubMed

    Barter, R W

    1977-05-01

    Reference is made to legislation concerned with the introduction of the New Zealand Accident Compensation Scheme in 1974. The author's experience of the Scheme is based on an exchange visit in 1975. The basic principles are community responsibility and universal entitlement to compensation. Earnings-related benefits are paid to the injured person, and flat-rate payments to non-earners. The Scheme is administered by a three-man Commission with wide responsibilities for accident prevention, rehabilitation services, administration of funds, records, public relations, and an independent Appeals Authority. There have been far reaching consequences on medical practice. The Commission construe the phrase 'Personal Injury by Accident' as damage to the human system which is not designed by the person injured: the implications of such a definition are briefly discussed. The administrative costs of any similar Scheme in the United Kingdom would be enormous and it is doubtful whether the benefits would justify the cost.

  4. Social Work and the Uniform Accident and Sickness Policy Provision Law: A Pilot Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cochran, Gerald; Davis, King

    2012-01-01

    The Uniform Accident and Sickness Policy Provision Law (UPPL) is a statute existing in 26 states that permits health insurance companies to deny payment for claims made by individuals who have sustained injuries as a result of drug or alcohol use. This law presents a series of complicated clinical and ethical dilemmas for social workers and other…

  5. The amount of consolation compensation in road traffic accidents.

    PubMed

    Jou, Rong-Chang

    2014-06-01

    This study aimed to investigate the amount of consolation compensation that road accident perpetrators were willing to pay victims. It used 2010 statistics for general road accidents from Taiwan's National Police Agency (NPA) for further sampling and to mail questionnaires. In investigating consolation compensation, the framework of the contingent valuation method was used, and the data were collected through the design of different scenarios. In this study, five injury levels were designed to further analyse the consolation compensation price the perpetrators were willing to pay: minor injury, moderate injury, serious injury, disability, and death. The results revealed the price that many perpetrators were willing to pay was zero; however, we overcame this issue by using the Spike model. The estimated results showed that road accident perpetrators were willing to pay more consolation compensation with increased injury severity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. [Urinary evaluations of drug consumption among workers having high risk of accident: technical difficulties, limits and possibilities of increasing efficacy of the law].

    PubMed

    D'Orso, M I; Grosso, D; Colli, M; Gironi, A; Riva, M A; Cesana, G

    2012-01-01

    Urinary evaluations of drug consumption among workers having high risk of accident became compulsory in Italian legislation few years ago. We report results of 322.110 single urinary drug detections carried out between 2008 and 2011 on 35.789 subjects. We verified technical difficulties arisen during laboratory detections and organizational difficulties evidenced by Occupational Doctors during collections of samples. We screened 701 positive samples (1.96%), mostly to Cannabinoids and Cocaine, verified using first and second level screening according to national law. Many patients referred regular or irregular use of medicines active on Central Nervous System frequently ignoring their collateral effects. After the evidence of a positive result, during a second medical visit, many workers referred assumption of "natural diet supplements" acquired not in traditional commercial distributors. In two cases we have had the possibility of analyzing these supplements which have shown the presence of law concentrations of drugs in their compositions.

  7. 20 CFR 701.201 - Office of Workers' Compensation Programs.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Office of Workers' Compensation Programs. 701.201 Section 701.201 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR...; DEFINITIONS AND USE OF TERMS Office of Workers' Compensation Programs § 701.201 Office of Workers...

  8. 5 CFR 844.105 - Relationship to workers' compensation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Relationship to workers' compensation. 844.105 Section 844.105 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL... Provisions § 844.105 Relationship to workers' compensation. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this...

  9. 5 CFR 844.105 - Relationship to workers' compensation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Relationship to workers' compensation. 844.105 Section 844.105 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL... Provisions § 844.105 Relationship to workers' compensation. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this...

  10. The administrative process for recognition and compensation for occupational diseases in Korea.

    PubMed

    Kwon, Soon-Chan; Kim, Hyoung-Ryoul; Kwon, Young-Jun

    2014-06-01

    In the Workers' Compensation Insurance (WCI) system in Korea, occupational diseases (ODs) are approved through deliberation meetings of the Committee on Occupational Disease Judgment (CODJ) after disease investigations when workers or medical institutions requested the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service (COMWEL) for medical care benefits. Insufficient data presented by employers or workers or lack of objective evidence may increase the possibility of disapproval. The expertise of accident investigation staff members should be reinforced and employers' and related institutions' obligations to cooperate and submit data should be specified under the law. The deliberation meetings of the CODJ are held separately for musculoskeletal, cerebro-cardiovascular, and medical diseases, and the judgments of ODs are made by the chairperson of COMWEL and six committee members by majority vote by issue. To reinforce the expertise of the members of the CODJ, periodic education and a system to accredit the committee members after appropriate education should be introduced. To fairly and quickly compensate for diseases that occur in workers, the criteria for the recognition of occupational diseases should be continuously amended and the systems for disease investigations and judgments should be continuously improved.

  11. Accident insurance, sickness, and science: New Zealand's no-fault system.

    PubMed

    Dew, Kevin

    2002-01-01

    This article explores the process of seeking compensation for occupational illness under a no-fault accident insurance scheme. The author uses two case studies--firefighters who attended a fire at a chemical storage depot and timbermill workers who worked with pentachlorophenol--to illustrate how science can be used to deny compensation to sick and dying workers. The results of the studies suggest that a no-fault accident compensation scheme, considered to be a victory for workers, offers no guarantee of just outcomes for working people. And science can be co-opted and used to support business and state interests against workers; this ideological support is increasingly hidden behind the development of "objective" systems of assessing compensation claims.

  12. 20 CFR 601.2 - Approval of State unemployment compensation laws.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Approval of State unemployment compensation... unemployment compensation laws. States may at their option submit their unemployment compensation laws for... Employment and Training Administration (ETA), one copy of the State unemployment compensation law properly...

  13. 20 CFR 601.2 - Approval of State unemployment compensation laws.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Approval of State unemployment compensation... unemployment compensation laws. States may at their option submit their unemployment compensation laws for... Employment and Training Administration (ETA), one copy of the State unemployment compensation law properly...

  14. 20 CFR 601.2 - Approval of State unemployment compensation laws.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Approval of State unemployment compensation... unemployment compensation laws. States may at their option submit their unemployment compensation laws for... Employment and Training Administration (ETA), one copy of the State unemployment compensation law properly...

  15. 20 CFR 601.2 - Approval of State unemployment compensation laws.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Approval of State unemployment compensation... unemployment compensation laws. States may at their option submit their unemployment compensation laws for... Employment and Training Administration (ETA), one copy of the State unemployment compensation law properly...

  16. 20 CFR 601.2 - Approval of State unemployment compensation laws.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Approval of State unemployment compensation... unemployment compensation laws. States may at their option submit their unemployment compensation laws for... Employment and Training Administration (ETA), one copy of the State unemployment compensation law properly...

  17. Social work and the Uniform Accident and Sickness Policy Provision Law: a pilot project.

    PubMed

    Cochran, Gerald; Davis, King

    2012-01-01

    The Uniform Accident and Sickness Policy Provision Law (UPPL) is a statute existing in 26 states that permits health insurance companies to deny payment for claims made by individuals who have sustained injuries as a result of drug or alcohol use. This law presents a series of complicated clinical and ethical dilemmas for social workers and other medical personnel. The majority of contributions to the national discussion regarding the UPPL have been produced by the medical, nursing, and policy/legal disciplines. Social work has, however, remained silent. It is paramount that social workers add their perspective and insight to this debate. This article discusses the first survey, to the authors' knowledge, of social workers practicing in health care settings regarding their knowledge and beliefs about the UPPL.

  18. [Harmonisation of personal injury compensation in the European Union. Application to medical liability case law].

    PubMed

    Hureau, Jacques

    2006-03-01

    Harmonisation of personal injury compensation in the European Union (EU) is crucial. Continuing on from the work begun by the European Federation of Medical Academies, a working party of the XVth Committee of the French National Academy of Medicine has sought to go beyond the restrictive framework of automobile accident compensation in order to address more universal concerns, regardless of the causes and effects of bodily injury. The specific situation of injuries resulting from medical acts was considered, both for its medicolegal complexity and its potential human consequences. After recalling relevant European legislation, the authors consider the different philosophies of medical liability and health care systems in Europe. Methodological convergence is required to achieve harmonisation of personal injury compensation regimes, and especially for the classification of different types of bodily injury, the role of social services, and the establishment of a reference for medical evaluation of injury with built-in compensation levels. The doctrines and concepts of all EU member states (civil law, common law, Nordic medical liability regimes, etc.) are discussed, together with means of facilitating their harmonisation.

  19. Access to workers' compensation benefits and other legal protections for work-related mental health problems: a Canadian overview.

    PubMed

    Lippel, Katherine; Sikka, Anette

    2010-01-01

    This article reports on a study of the legal and policy framework governing access, in Canada, to workers' compensation benefits for workers who are work disabled because of mental health problems attributed to stressful working conditions and events. It also provides a brief description of legislation regulating psychological harassment in Quebec and Saskatchewan. Applying classic legal methodology, the article examines the legal situation in Canada, relying on federal and provincial legislation and case law. While many of the jurisdictions studied explicitly restrict compensability to the consequences of traumatic incidents, application of this legislation is very different from one province to the next. In some provinces, legal exclusions are applied emphatically, whereas in others the workers' compensation appeal tribunals interpret the legislative exclusions much more narrowly, allowing for some access to compensation despite the legislative exclusions. Other provinces have no such exclusions and accept claims for both acute and chronic stress, although access to compensation remains more difficult for claimants with mental health problems than for those who are physically injured, regardless of where they live. The article concludes by offering an analysis of the consequences of the current situation from a public policy and public health perspective, notably underlining the negative consequences, particularly for women, of current workers' compensation policy in most Canadian provinces.

  20. World Trade Organization, ILO conventions, and workers' compensation.

    PubMed

    LaDou, Joseph

    2005-01-01

    The World Trade Organization, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund can assist in the implementation of ILO Conventions relating to occupational safety and health in developing countries. Most countries that seek to trade globally receive permission to do so from the WTO. If the WTO required member countries to accept the core ILO Conventions relating to occupational safety and health and workers' compensation, it could accomplish something that has eluded international organizations for decades. International workers' compensation standards are seldom discussed, but may at this time be feasible. Acceptance of a minimum workers' compensation insurance system could be a requirement imposed on applicant nations by WTO member states.

  1. Workers Compensation Cost Containment

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1995-12-01

    16 Return to Work Program Q1. Q2. Q3. Does your company have a modified work (light duty) program for industrial injured workers ? Yes - 14 No - 2...your Medical Department monitor the outside medical treatment of industrial injuries? Yes - 13 companies No - 3 companies On average how long does your...site - 6 On site - 10 b. Do you have a legal counsel on the claim staff to compensation claims? Yes - 4 No - 12 litigate workers ’ NSRB.SRB PAGE 18 DATE

  2. [Pesticide poisonings compensated by the INAIL in 1995-98].

    PubMed

    Germani, D; Forzato, G; Ossicini, A; Settimi, L

    2001-01-01

    The present paper describes agricultural pesticide-related accidents compensated by the Italian national institute for insurance of occupational accidents (INAIL) from January 1995 to December 1998. During the period under study, 643 accidents claims were examined by INAIL and 549 received compensation. The Italian regions with the highest number of compensation during the period under study were Puglia (no. 102), Sicily (no. 66), Emilia-Romagna (no. 61), and Veneto (no. 55). The national annual rate of pesticide-related accidents, estimated by dividing the number of cases receiving compensation by the number of insured agricultural workers was 12 per 100,000 per year. The regions with the highest rates were Puglia and Marche (27 per 100,000 per year), Liguria (22 per 100,000 per year), and Sicily (18 per 100,000 per year). Most of the cases (70%) occurred among male workers. The agents most frequently reported to have caused the accidents were fungicides (32.2%). For a relevant number of cases (34.2%) the exposure was not specified.

  3. 28 CFR 301.106 - Repetitious accidents.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Repetitious accidents. 301.106 Section 301.106 Judicial Administration FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES, INC., DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INMATE ACCIDENT COMPENSATION General § 301.106 Repetitious accidents. If an inmate worker is involved in successive accidents...

  4. 28 CFR 301.106 - Repetitious accidents.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Repetitious accidents. 301.106 Section 301.106 Judicial Administration FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES, INC., DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INMATE ACCIDENT COMPENSATION General § 301.106 Repetitious accidents. If an inmate worker is involved in successive accidents...

  5. Reforming insurance to support workers' rights to compensation.

    PubMed

    McCluskey, Martha T

    2012-06-01

    The structure and regulation of the insurance system for financing workers' compensation affects the costs of workers' benefits. Using the example of Maine's insurance market restructuring in response to a crisis of the early 1990s, this commentary explores how changes in insurance regulation might better support the goals of workers' compensation. The commentary analyzes how insurance and its regulation should go beyond correct pricing of risks to questions of how to structure incentives for loss control to include workers' interests as well as the interests of employers and insurers. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. The willingness to pay of parties to traffic accidents for loss of productivity and consolation compensation.

    PubMed

    Jou, Rong-Chang; Chen, Tzu-Ying

    2015-12-01

    In this study, willingness to pay (WTP) for loss of productivity and consolation compensation by parties to traffic accidents is investigated using the Tobit model. In addition, WTP is compared to compensation determined by Taiwanese courts. The modelling results showed that variables such as education, average individual monthly income, traffic accident history, past experience of severe traffic accident injuries, the number of working days lost due to a traffic accident, past experience of accepting compensation for traffic accident-caused productivity loss and past experience of accepting consolation compensation caused by traffic accidents have a positive impact on WTP. In addition, average WTP for these two accident costs were obtained. We found that parties to traffic accidents were willing to pay more than 90% of the compensation determined by the court in the scenario of minor and moderate injuries. Parties were willing to pay approximately 80% of the compensation determined by the court for severe injuries, disability and fatality. Therefore, related agencies can use our study findings as the basis for determining the compensation that parties should pay for productivity losses caused by traffic accidents of different types. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. 76 FR 82117 - Regulations Implementing the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act: Recreational Vessels

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-12-30

    ...This final rule contains regulations implementing amendments to the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA) by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), relating to the exclusion of certain recreational-vessel workers from the LHWCA's definition of ``employee.'' These regulations clarify both the definition of ``recreational vessel'' and those circumstances under which workers are excluded from LHWCA coverage when working on those vessels. The final rule also withdraws a proposed rule that would have codified current case law and the Department's longstanding view that employees are covered under the LHWCA so long as some of their work constitutes ``maritime employment'' within the meaning of the statute.

  8. A Follow-Up Study on Return to Work in the Year After Reporting an Occupational Injury Stratified by Outcome of the Workers' Compensation System.

    PubMed

    Rudbeck, Marianne; Johansen, Jens Peter; Omland, Øyvind

    2018-06-01

    The aim of this study was to compare return rates to work between different groups according to the decision from the workers' compensation. Register data on disability benefits were used to describe return rates to work in Kaplan-Meier curves and association with decision on compensation claims. Disability benefits were granted by the municipalities independently of any compensation claim if sick-listed. Claimants with ongoing claims were the group with the largest proportion remaining on disability benefits. Claimants with rejected claims returned to work at the same rate (occupational disease) or slower (industrial accident) than claimants with recognized claim without compensation the subsequent year and at a faster rate after decision. Compensation claims and proceedings of the workers' compensation system probably increase time to return to work; other factors such as health and social difficulties, however, may explain some of these differences.

  9. Women's Experience in the Workers' Compensation System.

    PubMed

    Guthrie, Robert; Jansz, Janis

    2006-09-01

    Gender differences is a question of major importance within workers' compensation given the increased role of women in the workforce over the past several decades. This article reviews literature relating to women's experiences following work injury. An Australian study is used as background to exploring the broad issue of the question of gender equity in workers' compensation. In doing so it takes account of historical, legal and medical issues. Women's experience in the workers' compensation system is different to that of men due to a range of factors. It is heavily influenced by the industrial environment in which they work. Women are paid less than men in many instances and work in gender-segregated circumstances, which often reduces their industrial bargaining power. Women also suffer different forms of injury and disease to men because of the different nature of their work. The Australian experience suggests that as a consequence of the combination of lesser industrial bargaining power, lower wages and differing forms of injury and disease women often receive less than men in compensation payments, struggle to obtain equity in the dispute resolution process and experience greater difficulties in returning to work following injury or disease.

  10. Accident Prevention: A Workers' Education Manual.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    International Labour Office, Geneva (Switzerland).

    Devoted to providing industrial workers with a greater knowledge of precautionary measures undertaken and enforced by industries for the protection of workers, this safety education manual contains 14 lessons ranging from "The Problems of Accidents during Work" to "Trade Unions and Workers and Industrial Safety." Fire protection, safety equipment…

  11. Compensation patterns for healthcare workers in British Columbia, Canada.

    PubMed

    Alamgir, H; Siow, S; Yu, S; Ngan, K; Guzman, J

    2009-06-01

    This report examines relationships between the acceptance of compensation claims, and employee and workplace characteristics for healthcare workers in British Columbia, Canada to determine suitability of using only accepted claims for occupational epidemiology research. A retrospective cohort of full-time healthcare workers was constructed from an active incident surveillance database. Incidents filed for compensation over a 1-year period were examined for initial claim decision within a 6-month window relative to sub-sector of employment, age, sex, seniority, occupation of workers, and injury category. Compensation costs and duration of time lost for initially accepted claims were also investigated. Multiple logistic regression models with generalised estimating equations (GEEs) were used to calculate adjusted relative odds (ARO) of claims decision accounting for confounding factors and clustering effects. Employees of three health regions in British Columbia filed 2274 work-related claims in a year, of which 1863 (82%) were initially accepted for compensation. Proportion of claims accepted was lowest in community care (79%) and corporate office settings (79%) and highest in long-term care settings (86%). Overall, 46% of claims resulting from allergy/irritation were accepted, in contrast to 98% acceptance of claims from cuts and puncture wounds. Licensed practical nurses had the lowest odds of claims not accepted compared with registered nurses (ARO (95% CI) = 0.55 (0.33 to 0.91)), whereas management/administrative staff had the highest odds (ARO = 2.91 (1.25 to 6.79)) of claims not accepted. A trend was observed with higher seniority of workers associated with lower odds of non-acceptance of claims. Analysis from British Columbia's healthcare sector suggests variation in workers' compensation acceptance exists across sub-sectors, occupations, seniority of workers, and injury categories. The patterns observed, however, were independent of age and sex of workers

  12. [Accidents at "work in extracomunitarian workers" 2002-2006].

    PubMed

    Clemente, M; Conte, P; Ossicini, A; Goggiamani, A; Calandriello, L

    2007-01-01

    The authors illustrate the phenomenon of accidents at work of extracommunitarian workers who work in our country. The aim is to activate competent to institution and demonstrate the so-called "black job" and to establish adequate measures apt to prevent the accidents at work for these workers.

  13. Analysis of ethnic disparities in workers' compensation claims using data linkage.

    PubMed

    Friedman, Lee S; Ruestow, Peter; Forst, Linda

    2012-10-01

    The overall goal of this research project was to assess ethnic disparities in monetary compensation among construction workers injured on the job through the linkage of medical records and workers' compensation data. Probabilistic linkage of medical records with workers' compensation claim data. In the final multivariable robust regression model, compensation was $5824 higher (P = 0.030; 95% confidence interval: 551 to 11,097) for white non-Hispanic workers than for other ethnic groups when controlling for injury severity, affected body region, type of injury, average weekly wage, weeks of temporary total disability, percent permanent partial disability, death, or attorney use. The analysis indicates that white non-Hispanic construction workers are awarded higher monetary settlements despite the observation that for specific injuries the mean temporary total disability and permanent partial disability were equivalent to or lower than those in Hispanic and black construction workers.

  14. The Role of the Orthopaedic Surgeon in Workers' Compensation Cases.

    PubMed

    Daniels, Alan H; Kuris, Eren O; Palumbo, Mark A

    2017-03-01

    Workers' compensation is an employer-funded insurance program that provides financial and medical benefits for employees injured at work. Because many occupational injuries are musculoskeletal in nature, the orthopaedic surgeon plays an important role in the workers' compensation system. Along with establishing the correct diagnosis and implementing an appropriate treatment plan, the clinician must understand the fundamental components of the workers' compensation system to manage an injured employee. Ultimately, effective claim management requires collaboration among the employer, the employee, the legal representatives, the insurance company, and the orthopaedic surgeon.

  15. The three essentials for accident prevention.

    PubMed

    Eastman, Crystal

    2014-11-01

    This article was written by Crystal Eastman when she was Secretary of the New York Commission on Employers' Liability and Causes of Industrial Accidents, Unemployment, and Lack of Farm Labor. It was published in July of 1911, in Volume 38, Number 1 of the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, pages 98-107. The issue title was "Risks in Modern Industry." Eastman calls for the prevention of workplace accidents through three essentials: injury surveillance/reporting (with annual public reporting of the data); government enforcement of accident prevention laws, via departments with well-paid and well-trained officials and inspectors, fines that are high enough to be a deterrence to employers, and the power to have police shut down a factory if preventive measures are not installed; and a workers' compensation system-"a system of liability by which an employer can reduce his accident costs, not by hiring a more unscrupulous attorney and a more hard-hearted claim agent, but only by reducing his accidents."

  16. Employer Factors Related to Workers' Compensation Claims and Disability Management.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Habeck, Rochelle V.; And Others

    1991-01-01

    Explored empirical relationship between employer disability prevention and management practices and their workers' compensation claims experience. Data from 124 firms revealed high variability among firms within same industry and operating under same state workers' compensation statute. Findings support assumption that significant portion of…

  17. A Total Systems Approach: Reducing Workers' Compensation Costs at UC Davis.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kukulinsky, Janet C.

    1993-01-01

    The University of California (Davis) has revamped its workers' compensation program by improving accountability and safety, implementing safety training, informing workers of the costs of the workers' compensation program, designating a physician and physical therapist, giving light duty to injured employees, using sports medicine techniques, and…

  18. Workers' compensation filings of temporary workers compared to direct hire workers in Illinois, 2007-2012.

    PubMed

    Madigan, Dana; Forst, Linda; Friedman, Lee S

    2017-01-01

    The physical and psychological risks of temporary employment are well documented but there are still many questions regarding the consequences of injuries among these workers. This analysis examines Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission filings from 2007 through 2012 to compare total cost of the decision, days of work missed, and percent disability of employees of temporary agencies with direct hire claims. Total award median was $5,813.66 for direct hire employees and $2,625.00 for temporary workers. Of those employees claiming time off from work, median total time off was 1.3 weeks for direct hire employees compared to 1.2 weeks for temporary workers. Median total percent disability was 16.0% for direct hire and 10.0% for temporary employees. There are differences between temporary workers and direct hire employees in terms of total workers' compensation awards, total time off, and percent disability. Additional studies are needed to validate these findings. Am. J. Ind. Med. 60:11-19, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Incidence of severe work-related injuries among young adult workers in Brazil: analysis of compensation data.

    PubMed

    Sousa Santana, Vilma; Villaveces, Andrés; Bangdwala, Shrikant L; Runyan, Carol W; Albuquerque Oliveira, Paulo Rogerio

    2012-08-01

    To obtain national estimates of the annual cumulative incidence and incidence density of severe non-fatal injuries using compensation benefits data from the Brazilian National Social Security Institute (INSS), and to describe their sociodemographic distribution among workers aged under 25 years. Data are records of health-related compensation benefits from the Ministry of Social Insurance's information system of compensation benefits of the INSS recorded in 2006. Injuries were cases classified under chapter XIX, ICD-10. The assessment of their relation with work was made by INSS's occupational physician experts. The study population comprised young workers aged 16-24 years. 59,381 workers received compensation benefits for injuries in the study year. Among them 14,491 (24.4%) were work related, 12,501 (86.3%) were male and 1990 were female workers (13.7%). The annual cumulative incidence rate of work-related injuries (ACI-WI) was 2.9×1000 workers, higher among men (4.2×1000) than women (1.0×1000). The incidence density rate (IDR-WI) was 0.7/1000 full-time equivalent (FTE), higher for men (0.97/1000 FTE) than women (0.24/1000 FTE). Both morbidity measures were higher in the younger group (16-19 years), and inversely related to wage, especially for women in the younger group. Logging, extraction, food/beverage and construction industries had higher ACI-WI and IDR-WI for adolescents and young adult workers of both sex groups. These findings suggest that the Brazilian labour laws limiting young adult workers in hazardous settings need to be expanded, adding occupations in other extractive industries and certain types of work in the food/beverage manufacturing industries. Social inequalities associated with sex need to be examined further with more detailed data.

  20. Compensation for Work-Related Injury and Illness

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1992-01-01

    Falls Church, Va., 1990. U.S. Chamber of Commerce , 1990 Analysis of WorkersCompensation Laws, Washington, D.C., 1990. U.S. Department of Defense...both begin the time limits at the date of discovery of the disease. The remaining states have time limits of one year (U.S. Chamber of Commerce , 1990...allowable according to state law (U.S. Chamber of Commerce , 1990). Workerscompensation benefits are nontaxable income. Total Disability In the case of

  1. 20 CFR 726.6 - The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, AS AMENDED BLACK LUNG BENEFITS; REQUIREMENTS FOR COAL... number of functions with respect to the regulation of both the self-insurance and commercial insurance... Coal Mine Workers' Compensation, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, U.S. Department of Labor...

  2. Body mass index as a predictor of firefighter injury and workers' compensation claims.

    PubMed

    Kuehl, Kerry S; Kisbu-Sakarya, Yasemin; Elliot, Diane L; Moe, Esther L; Defrancesco, Carol A; Mackinnon, David P; Lockhart, Ginger; Goldberg, Linn; Kuehl, Hannah E

    2012-05-01

    To determine the relationship between lifestyle variables including body mass index and filing a workers' compensation claim due to firefighter injury. A cross-sectional evaluation of firefighter injury related to workers" compensation claims occurring 5 years after the original Promoting Healthy Lifestyles: Alternative Models' Effects study intervention. A logistic regression analysis for variables predicting filing a workers' compensation claim due to an injury was performed with a total of 433 participants. The odds of filing a compensation claim were almost 3 times higher for firefighters with a body mass index of more than 30 kg/m than firefighters with a normal body mass index (odds ratio, 2.89; P < 0.05). This study addresses a high-priority area of reducing firefighter injuries and workers' compensation claims. Maintaining a healthy body weight is important to reduce injury and workers' compensation claims among firefighters.

  3. Workers' compensation costs among construction workers: a robust regression analysis.

    PubMed

    Friedman, Lee S; Forst, Linda S

    2009-11-01

    Workers' compensation data are an important source for evaluating costs associated with construction injuries. We describe the characteristics of injured construction workers filing claims in Illinois between 2000 and 2005 and the factors associated with compensation costs using a robust regression model. In the final multivariable model, the cumulative percent temporary and permanent disability-measures of severity of injury-explained 38.7% of the variance of cost. Attorney costs explained only 0.3% of the variance of the dependent variable. The model used in this study clearly indicated that percent disability was the most important determinant of cost, although the method and uniformity of percent impairment allocation could be better elucidated. There is a need to integrate analytical methods that are suitable for skewed data when analyzing claim costs.

  4. Restoring a fair workers' compensation system for employer and employee.

    PubMed

    Wolfe, K

    1997-04-01

    The costs of workers' compensation have curtailed in recent years, perhaps in part as a result of MCO's efforts in this area. Managed care organizations that consider jumping into the workers' compensation arena often make basic errors in developing their programs and networks. The author reminds MCOs of the practical points they need to consider.

  5. Worker Alienation and Compensation at the Savannah River Site.

    PubMed

    Ashwood, Loka; Wing, Steve

    2016-05-01

    Corporations operating U.S. nuclear weapons plants for the federal government began tracking occupational exposures to ionizing radiation in 1943. However, workers, scholars, and policy makers have questioned the accuracy and completeness of radiation monitoring and its capacity to provide a basis for workers' compensation. We use interviews to explore the limitations of broad-scale, corporate epidemiological surveillance through worker accounts from the Savannah River Site nuclear weapons plant. Interviewees report inadequate monitoring, overbearing surveillance, limited venues to access medical support and exposure records, and administrative failure to report radiation and other exposures at the plant. The alienation of workers from their records and toil is relevant to worker compensation programs and the accuracy of radiation dose measurements used in epidemiologic studies of occupational radiation exposures at the Savannah River Site and other weapons plants. © The Author(s) 2016.

  6. 48 CFR 228.305 - Overseas workers' compensation and war-hazard insurance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Overseas workers' compensation and war-hazard insurance. 228.305 Section 228.305 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE... Insurance 228.305 Overseas workers' compensation and war-hazard insurance. (d) When submitting requests for...

  7. 48 CFR 1328.305 - Overseas workers' compensation and war-hazard insurance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Overseas workers' compensation and war-hazard insurance. 1328.305 Section 1328.305 Federal Acquisition Regulations System... workers' compensation and war-hazard insurance. The designee authorized to recommend a waiver to the...

  8. Work-related trauma, PTSD, and workers compensation legislation: Implications for practice and policy.

    PubMed

    Wise, Edward A; Beck, J Gayle

    2015-09-01

    The current review examines work-related traumatic events, with particular focus on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a potential mental health outcome. Despite considerable empirical knowledge about trauma and PTSD, a gap exists with respect to laws undergirding Workers Compensation (WC) insurance coverage for work-related mental health injuries. In this article, state and federal WC statutes are examined with an eye toward coverage of PTSD following work-related trauma. Examples of differences between states, as well as state-specific idiosyncratic facets of WC laws, are discussed. Federal WC programs are also examined. Two policy issues are highlighted: (a) lack of parity between WC coverage for work-related physical versus mental health injuries and (b) lack of reliance on psychological science in scripting legislation and determining WC benefits. The cost of untreated PTSD following work-related trauma is examined, focusing on costs to the individual, the employer, and society at large. The authors provide 3 recommendations designed to address discrepancies related to compensable psychological injuries following work-related trauma exposure. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  9. [Expert assessment of hearing loss within the scope of the social compensation law and the law regarding severely handicapped patients].

    PubMed

    Plath, P

    1992-10-01

    Special problems are described concerning expert opinions on hearing disability and hearing loss with regard to the German Social Rights for Compensation and the laws for handicapped persons. In some aspects there are similarities to the rights of accident insurance, but disability programs question only the degree of handicap present and not the source of the hearing loss. The expert opinion on the subject's ability to work in his or any other profession must only determine the patient's ability to hear and the tasks needed to fulfill the profession. Special attention is given to the problems arising from tinnitus.

  10. Characteristics of work-related fatal and hospitalised injuries not captured in workers' compensation data.

    PubMed

    Koehoorn, M; Tamburic, L; Xu, F; Alamgir, H; Demers, P A; McLeod, C B

    2015-06-01

    (1) To identify work-related fatal and non-fatal hospitalised injuries using multiple data sources, (2) to compare case-ascertainment from external data sources with accepted workers' compensation claims and (3) to investigate the characteristics of work-related fatal and hospitalised injuries not captured by workers' compensation. Work-related fatal injuries were ascertained from vital statistics, coroners and hospital discharge databases using payment and diagnosis codes and injury and work descriptions; and work-related (non-fatal) injuries were ascertained from the hospital discharge database using admission, diagnosis and payment codes. Injuries for British Columbia residents aged 15-64 years from 1991 to 2009 ascertained from the above external data sources were compared to accepted workers' compensation claims using per cent captured, validity analyses and logistic regression. The majority of work-related fatal injuries identified in the coroners data (83%) and the majority of work-related hospitalised injuries (95%) were captured as an accepted workers' compensation claim. A work-related coroner report was a positive predictor (88%), and the responsibility of payment field in the hospital discharge record a sensitive indicator (94%), for a workers' compensation claim. Injuries not captured by workers' compensation were associated with female gender, type of work (natural resources and other unspecified work) and injury diagnosis (eg, airway-related, dislocations and undetermined/unknown injury). Some work-related injuries captured by external data sources were not found in workers' compensation data in British Columbia. This may be the result of capturing injuries or workers that are ineligible for workers' compensation, or the result of injuries that go unreported to the compensation system. Hospital discharge records and coroner reports may provide opportunities to identify workers (or family members) with an unreported work-related injury and to

  11. Characterizing the relationship between in-hospital measures and workers' compensation outcomes among severely injured construction workers using a data linkage strategy.

    PubMed

    Ruestow, Peter S; Friedman, Lee S

    2013-10-01

    To characterize the relationship between acute measures of severity and three important workers' compensation outcomes associated with a worker's ability to return to work and the cost of a work-related injury. Probabilistic data linkage of workers' compensation claims made by injured construction workers from 2000 to 2005 with two Illinois medical record registries. Multivariable robust regression models were built to assess the relationship between three in-hospital measures and three outcomes captured in the Workers' Compensation data. In the final multivariable models, a categorical increase in injury severity was associated with an extra $7,830 (95% CI: $4,729-$10,930) of monetary compensation awarded, though not with temporary total disability (TTD) or permanent partial disability (PPD). Our models also predicted that every extra day spent in the hospital results in an increase of 0.51 (95% CI: 0.23-0.80) weeks of TTD and an extra $1,248 (95% CI: $810-$1,686) in monetary compensation. Discharge to an intermediate care facility following the initial hospitalization was associated with an increase of 8.15 (95% CI: 4.03-12.28) weeks of TTD and an increase of $23,440 (95% CI: $17,033-$29,847) in monetary compensation. We were able to link data from the initial hospitalization for an injured worker with the final workers' compensation claims decision or settlement. The in-hospital measures of injury severity were associated with total monetary compensation as captured in the workers' compensation process. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. 48 CFR 52.228-3 - Workers' Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... Insurance (Defense Base Act). 52.228-3 Section 52.228-3 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL... Provisions and Clauses 52.228-3 Workers' Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act). As prescribed in 28.309(a), insert the following clause: Workers' Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act) (JUL 2014) (a) The...

  13. 48 CFR 52.228-3 - Workers' Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... Insurance (Defense Base Act). 52.228-3 Section 52.228-3 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL... Provisions and Clauses 52.228-3 Workers' Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act). As prescribed in 28.309(a), insert the following clause: Workers' Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act) (APR 1984) The Contractor...

  14. 48 CFR 52.228-3 - Workers' Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... Insurance (Defense Base Act). 52.228-3 Section 52.228-3 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL... Provisions and Clauses 52.228-3 Workers' Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act). As prescribed in 28.309(a), insert the following clause: Workers' Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act) (APR 1984) The Contractor...

  15. 48 CFR 52.228-3 - Workers' Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... Insurance (Defense Base Act). 52.228-3 Section 52.228-3 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL... Provisions and Clauses 52.228-3 Workers' Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act). As prescribed in 28.309(a), insert the following clause: Workers' Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act) (APR 1984) The Contractor...

  16. 48 CFR 52.228-3 - Workers' Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... Insurance (Defense Base Act). 52.228-3 Section 52.228-3 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL... Provisions and Clauses 52.228-3 Workers' Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act). As prescribed in 28.309(a), insert the following clause: Workers' Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act) (APR 1984) The Contractor...

  17. Reducing workers' compensation costs for latex allergy and litigation against glove manufacturing companies.

    PubMed

    Edlich, Richard F; Mason, Shelley S; Swainston, Erin; Dahlstrom, Jill J; Gubler, K; Long, William B

    2009-01-01

    It has been well documented in the medical literature that powdered medical gloves can have serious consequences to patients and health-care workers. Adverse reactions to natural latex gloves, such as contact dermatitis and urticaria, occupational asthma, and anaphylaxis, have been documented as a significant cause of Workers' Compensation claims among health-care workers. While the cost of examination and surgical gloves is significant, this factor must be considered with the total cost of Workers' Compensation claims and possible litigation bestowed upon hospitals and glove manufacturing companies. In the United States, Canada, Belgium, and Germany, medical leaders have documented the dangers of powdered latex gloves and have implemented transition programs that are reducing Workers' Compensation claims filed by health-care workers. While attorneys view litigation against powdered glove manufacturers as the "next big tort", the authors of this article were not able to document all compensation costs to disabled workers because many settlements do not allow the claimant to disclose this information.

  18. Asbestos-related occupational cancers compensated under the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance in Korea.

    PubMed

    Ahn, Yeon-Soon; Kang, Seong-Kyu

    2009-04-01

    Compensation for asbestos-related cancers occurring in occupationally-exposed workers is a global issue; this is also an issue in Korea. To provide basic information regarding compensation for workers exposed to asbestos, 60 cases of asbestos-related occupational lung cancer and mesothelioma that were compensated during 15 yr; from 1993 (the year the first case was compensated) to 2007 by the Korea Labor Welfare Corporation (KLWC) are described. The characteristics of the cases were analyzed using the KLWC electronic data and the epidemiologic investigation data conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute (OSHRI) of the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA). The KLWC approved compensation for 41 cases of lung cancer and 19 cases of mesothelioma. Males accounted for 91.7% (55 cases) of the approved cases. The most common age group was 50-59 yr (45.0%). The mean duration of asbestos exposure for lung cancer and mesothelioma cases was 19.2 and 16.0 yr, respectively. The mean latency period for lung cancer and mesothelioma cases was 22.1 and 22.6 yr, respectively. The major industries associated with mesothelioma cases were shipbuilding and maintenance (4 cases) and manufacture of asbestos textiles (3 cases). The major industries associated with lung cancer cases were shipbuilding and maintenance (7 cases), construction (6 cases), and manufacture of basic metals (4 cases). The statistics pertaining to asbestos-related occupational cancers in Korea differ from other developed countries in that more cases of mesothelioma were compensated than lung cancer cases. Also, the mean latency period for disease onset was shorter than reported by existing epidemiologic studies; this discrepancy may be related to the short history of occupational asbestos use in Korea. Considering the current Korean use of asbestos, the number of compensated cases in Korea is expected to increase in the future but not as much as developed countries.

  19. Ethics and the compensation of immigrant workers for work-related injuries and illnesses.

    PubMed

    Gravel, Sylvie; Vissandjée, Bilkis; Lippel, Katherine; Brodeur, Jean-Marc; Patry, Louis; Champagne, François

    2010-10-01

    This paper examines the compensation process for work-related injuries and illnesses by assessing the trajectories of a sample of immigrant and non-immigrant workers (n = 104) in Montreal. Workers were interviewed to analyze the complexity associated with the compensation process. Experts specialized in compensation issues assessed the difficulty of the interviewees' compensation process. Immigrant workers faced greater difficulties with medical, legal, and administrative issues than non-immigrants did. While immigrant workers' claim forms tended to be written more often by employers or friends (58% vs. 8%), the claims were still more often contested by employers (64% vs. 24%). Immigrant workers were less likely to obtain a precise diagnosis (64% vs. 42%) and upon returning to work were more likely to face sub-optimal conditions. Such results throw into relief issues of ethics and equity in host societies that are building their economy with migrant workers.

  20. Understanding changes over time in workers' compensation claim rates using time series analytical techniques.

    PubMed

    Moore, Ian C; Tompa, Emile

    2011-11-01

    The objective of this study is to better understand the inter-temporal variation in workers' compensation claim rates using time series analytical techniques not commonly used in the occupational health and safety literature. We focus specifically on the role of unemployment rates in explaining claim rate variations. The major components of workers' compensation claim rates are decomposed using data from a Canadian workers' compensation authority for the period 1991-2007. Several techniques are used to undertake the decomposition and assess key factors driving rates: (i) the multitaper spectral estimator, (ii) the harmonic F test, (iii) the Kalman smoother and (iv) ordinary least squares. The largest component of the periodic behaviour in workers' compensation claim rates is seasonal variation. Business cycle fluctuations in workers' compensation claim rates move inversely to unemployment rates. The analysis suggests that workers' compensation claim rates between 1991 and 2008 were driven by (in order of magnitude) a strong negative long term growth trend, periodic seasonal trends and business cycle fluctuations proxied by the Ontario unemployment rate.

  1. Worker safety and injury severity analysis of earthmoving equipment accidents.

    PubMed

    Kazan, Emrah; Usmen, Mumtaz A

    2018-06-01

    Research on construction worker safety associated with construction equipment has mostly focused on accident type rather than injury severity and the embedded factor relationships. Significant variables and their effects on the degree of injury are examined for earthmoving equipment using data from OSHA. Four types of equipment, backhoe, bulldozer, excavator, and scraper are included in the study. Accidents involving on-foot workers and equipment operators are investigated collectively, as well as separately. Cross tabulation analysis was conducted to establish the associations between selected categorical variables, using degree of injury as a dichotomous dependent variable (fatal vs. nonfatal) and a number of independent variables having different values. Odds ratios were calculated to determine how much a certain variable/factor increases the odds of fatality in an accident, and the odds ratios were ranked to determine the relative impact of a given factor. It was found that twelve variables were significantly associated with injury severity. Rankings based on odds ratios showed that inadequate safety training (2.54), missing equipment protective system (2.38), being a non-union worker (2.26), being an equipment operator (1.93), and being on or around inadequately maintained equipment (1.58) produced higher odds for fatality. A majority of the earthmoving equipment accidents resulted in fatality. Backhoes were the most common equipment involved in accidents and fatalities. Struck-by accidents were the most prevalent and most fatal. Non-OSHA compliant safety training, missing seatbelt, operator not using seatbelt, malfunctioning back-up alarms, and poorly maintained equipment were factors contributing to accidents and fatalities. On-foot workers experienced a higher number of accidents than operators, while fatality odds were higher for the operators. Practical applications: Safety professionals should benefit from our findings in planning and delivering training

  2. Worker's Compensation: Will College and University Professors Be Compensated for Mental Injuries Caused by Work-Related Stress?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hasty, Keith N.

    1991-01-01

    The extent to which college faculty may recover compensation for debilitating mental illness resulting from stressful work-related activities is discussed. General requirements for worker's compensation claims, compensability of stress-related mental and physical illnesses, applicability of these standards to college faculty, and the current state…

  3. Working on reform. How workers' compensation medical care is affected by health care reform.

    PubMed

    Himmelstein, J; Rest, K

    1996-01-01

    The medical component of workers' compensation programs-now costing over $24 billion annually-and the rest of the nation's medical care system are linked. They share the same patients and providers. They provide similar benefits and services. And they struggle over who should pay for what. Clearly, health care reform and restructuring will have a major impact on the operation and expenditures of the workers' compensation system. For a brief period, during the 1994 national health care reform debate, these two systems were part of the same federal policy development and legislative process. With comprehensive health care reform no longer on the horizon, states now are tackling both workers' compensation and medical system reforms on their own. This paper reviews the major issues federal and state policy makers face as they consider reforms affecting the relationship between workers' compensation and traditional health insurance. What is the relationship of the workers' compensation cost crisis to that in general health care? What strategies are being considered by states involved in reforming the medical component of workers compensation? What are the major policy implications of these strategies?

  4. 48 CFR 52.228-4 - Workers' Compensation and War-Hazard Insurance Overseas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... War-Hazard Insurance Overseas. 52.228-4 Section 52.228-4 Federal Acquisition Regulations System... Text of Provisions and Clauses 52.228-4 Workers' Compensation and War-Hazard Insurance Overseas. As prescribed in 28.309(b), insert the following clause: Workers' Compensation and War-Hazard Insurance Overseas...

  5. Prescription opioids for occupational injury: results from workers' compensation claims records.

    PubMed

    Berecki-Gisolf, Janneke; Collie, Alex; McClure, Roderick J

    2014-09-01

    The objective of this study is to identify the prevalence of opioid prescription use in an Australian workers' compensation population and assess predictors of long-term use. Retrospective administrative data analysis. WorkSafe Victoria (Australia) workers' compensation. Workers with a workers' compensation claim were included if the injury/illness started in 2008 or 2009 (N = 54,931). Claim payments records dating up to 2 years postinjury were analyzed to determine receipt of prescription opioids. Long-term use was defined as use of any opioid beyond 1 year postinjury. Within the follow-up period, 8,933 (16.3%) workers claimed prescription opioids: 10.0% claimed opioids in the first year only, and 6.3% claimed opioids beyond the first year. The most commonly received opioids were codeine (10.4%), oxycodone (7.5%), and tramadol (5.0%). Dextropropoxyphene, which is considered unsafe in many countries because of potentially fatal side effects, was used by 1.9% of injured workers. Progression to long-term use of opioids was common (N = 3,446; 39%): age (35-64 years; the association with age followed an inverse U-shaped curve), women, laborers, lower socioeconomic status, greater work disability, and greater hospital expense were associated with opioid use beyond the first year postinjury. Prescription opioid use for workplace injury in Australia is common but not as common as reports from U.S. workers' compensation schemes. The type of opioid and number of repeat prescriptions are factors that should be carefully considered by practitioners prescribing opioids to injured workers: progression to long-term use is common and not fully explained by injury severity. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Health problems due to long working hours in Japan: working hours, workers' compensation (Karoshi), and preventive measures.

    PubMed

    Iwasaki, Kenji; Takahashi, Masaya; Nakata, Akinori

    2006-10-01

    Late in the 1970s, serious social concern over health problems due to long working hours has arisen in Japan. This report briefly summarizes the Japanese circumstances about long working hours and what the Government has achieved so far. The national statistics show that more than 6 million people worked for 60 h or more per week during years 2000 and 2004. Approximately three hundred cases of brain and heart diseases were recognized as labour accidents resulting from overwork (Karoshi) by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) between 2002 and 2005. Consequently, the MHLW has been working to establish a more appropriate compensation system for Karoshi, as well as preventive measures for overwork related health problems. In 2001, the MHLW set the standards for clearly recognizing Karoshi in association with the amount of overtime working hours. These standards were based on the results of a literature review and medical examinations indicating a relationship between overwork and brain and heart diseases. In 2002, the MHLW launched the program for the prevention of health impairment due to overwork, and in 2005 the health guidance through an interview by a doctor for overworked workers has been enacted as law. Long working hours are controversial issues because of conflicts between health, safety, work-life balance, and productivity. It is obvious that we need to continue research regarding the impact on worker health and the management of long working hours.

  7. 48 CFR 652.228-71 - Worker's Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act)-Services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... Insurance (Defense Base Act)-Services. 652.228-71 Section 652.228-71 Federal Acquisition Regulations System... Clauses 652.228-71 Worker's Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act)—Services. As prescribed in 628.309-70(b), insert the following clause: Workers' Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act)—Services (JUN...

  8. 48 CFR 652.228-71 - Worker's Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act)-Services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... Insurance (Defense Base Act)-Services. 652.228-71 Section 652.228-71 Federal Acquisition Regulations System... Clauses 652.228-71 Worker's Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act)—Services. As prescribed in 628.309-70(b), insert the following clause: Workers' Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act)—Services (JUN...

  9. 48 CFR 652.228-71 - Worker's Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act)-Services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... Insurance (Defense Base Act)-Services. 652.228-71 Section 652.228-71 Federal Acquisition Regulations System... Clauses 652.228-71 Worker's Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act)—Services. As prescribed in 628.309-70(b), insert the following clause: Workers' Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act)—Services (JUN...

  10. 48 CFR 652.228-71 - Worker's Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act)-Services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... Insurance (Defense Base Act)-Services. 652.228-71 Section 652.228-71 Federal Acquisition Regulations System... Clauses 652.228-71 Worker's Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act)—Services. As prescribed in 628.309-70(b), insert the following clause: Workers' Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act)—Services (JUN...

  11. 48 CFR 652.228-71 - Worker's Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act)-Services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... Insurance (Defense Base Act)-Services. 652.228-71 Section 652.228-71 Federal Acquisition Regulations System... Clauses 652.228-71 Worker's Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act)—Services. As prescribed in 628.309-70(b), insert the following clause: Workers' Compensation Insurance (Defense Base Act)—Services (JUN...

  12. Occupational Disease, Workers' Compensation, and the Social Work Advocate.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shanker, Renee

    1983-01-01

    Charges that the overwhelming majority of victims of work-related illnesses are not receiving their entitlements. Describes ways in which social workers and health professionals may become advocates to broaden the effectiveness of the workers' compensation system, illustrated by case studies from the Montefiore Project. (Author/JAC)

  13. Working on reform. How workers' compensation medical care is affected by health care reform.

    PubMed Central

    Himmelstein, J; Rest, K

    1996-01-01

    The medical component of workers' compensation programs-now costing over $24 billion annually-and the rest of the nation's medical care system are linked. They share the same patients and providers. They provide similar benefits and services. And they struggle over who should pay for what. Clearly, health care reform and restructuring will have a major impact on the operation and expenditures of the workers' compensation system. For a brief period, during the 1994 national health care reform debate, these two systems were part of the same federal policy development and legislative process. With comprehensive health care reform no longer on the horizon, states now are tackling both workers' compensation and medical system reforms on their own. This paper reviews the major issues federal and state policy makers face as they consider reforms affecting the relationship between workers' compensation and traditional health insurance. What is the relationship of the workers' compensation cost crisis to that in general health care? What strategies are being considered by states involved in reforming the medical component of workers compensation? What are the major policy implications of these strategies? Images p13-a p14-a p15-a p16-a p18-a p19-a p20-a p22-a p24-a PMID:8610187

  14. Analysis of accidents with organic material in health workers.

    PubMed

    Vieira, Mariana; Padilha, Maria Itayra; Pinheiro, Regina Dal Castel

    2011-01-01

    This retrospective and descriptive study with a quantitative design aimed to evaluate occupational accidents with exposure to biological material, as well as the profile of workers, based on reporting forms sent to the Regional Reference Center of Occupational Health in Florianópolis/SC. Data collection was carried out through a survey of 118 reporting forms in 2007. Data were analyzed electronically. The occurrence of accidents was predominantly among nursing technicians, women and the mean age was 34.5 years. 73% of accidents involved percutaneous exposure, 78% had blood and fluid with blood, 44.91% resulted from invasive procedures. It was concluded that strategies to prevent the occurrence of accidents with biological material should include joint activities between workers and service management and should be directed at improving work conditions and organization.

  15. 75 FR 51488 - Division of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation; Proposed Extension of Information Collection...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-20

    ... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Office of Workers' Compensation Programs Division of Coal Mine Workers...). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background: The Division of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation administers the Black Lung Benefits Act (30 U.S.C. 901 et seq.), which provides benefits to coal miners totally disabled due...

  16. 76 FR 10070 - Division of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation; Proposed Extension of Existing Collection; Comment...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-02-23

    ... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Office of Workers' Compensation Programs Division of Coal Mine Workers... Rereading (CM-933b), Medical History and Examination for Coal Mine Workers' Pneumoconiosis (CM-988), Report... interpretation of x-rays. When a miner applies for benefits, the Division of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation...

  17. Accidents with potentially hazardous biological material among workers in hospital supporting services.

    PubMed

    Canini, Silvia Rita Marin da Silva; Gir, Elucir; Machado, Alcyone Artiolli

    2005-01-01

    Descriptive study was carried out to characterize the occupational accidents involving potentially contaminated material among workers of hospital supporting services. The study reviewed records of workers involved in these accidents and attended at a specialized outpatient clinic of a large tertiary care hospital between January 1997 and October 2001. A total of 2814 workers from different professional categories were attended during this period. Of these, 147 (5.2%) belonged to the hospital supporting services and were the victims of 156 accidents, auxiliary cleaning personnel (80.2%), and over a third of the workers had not received any dose of hepatitis B vaccine (35.4%). Most accidents were due to sharp injuries (96.8%) caused by inadequately discarded hollow needles. Chemoprophylaxis for HIV was not indicated in only 23.1% of cases. We conclude that these workers are also exposed to the possibility of acquiring blood-borne pathogens and that periodical education programs are needed.

  18. 75 FR 21351 - Division of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation; Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-23

    ... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Office of Workers' Compensation Programs Division of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation; Proposed Collection; Comment Request ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance consultation...

  19. 75 FR 11912 - Division of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation; Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-03-12

    ... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Office of Workers' Compensation Programs Division of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation; Proposed Collection; Comment Request ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance consultation...

  20. How many work-related injuries requiring hospitalization in British Columbia are claimed for workers' compensation?

    PubMed

    Alamgir, Hasanat; Koehoorn, Mieke; Ostry, Aleck; Tompa, Emile; Demers, Paul A

    2006-06-01

    Workplace compensation claims datasets represent an important source of information on work-related injuries. This study investigated the concordance between hospital discharge records and workers' compensation records for work-related serious injuries among a cohort of sawmill workers in British Columbia (BC), Canada. It also examined the extent to which workers' compensation capturing patterns varied by cause, severity of injuries, and demographic characteristics of workers. Work-related injuries were identified in hospitalization records between April 1989 and December 1998, and were matched by dates and description of injury to compensation records. The agreement between the hospital records and compensation records was good (kappa = 0.84, P < 0.01). A lower claim reporting rate for work-related hospitalization was observed for older and non-white workers. More serious injuries defined by longer length of stay and emergency admissions were more likely to be reported. Falls, struck against, and overexertion injuries had lower reporting rates; whereas, machinery-related, cutting/piercing, and caught in/between injuries had higher reporting rates. When compared with hospital discharge records, the compensation agency underreported incidents of serious work-related injuries by 10-15% among the sawmill workers.

  1. Predicate calculus, artificial intelligence, and workers' compensation.

    PubMed

    Harber, P; McCoy, J M

    1989-05-01

    Application of principles of predicate calculus (PC) and artificial intelligence (AI) search methods to occupational medicine can meet several goals. First, they can improve understanding of the diagnostic process and recognition of the sources of uncertainty in knowledge and in case specific information. Second, PC provides a rational means of resolving differences in conclusion based upon the same premises. Third, understanding of these principles allows separation of knowledge (facts) from the process by which they are used and therefore facilitates development of AI-based expert systems. Application of PC to recognizing causation of pulmonary fibrosis is demonstrated in this paper, providing a method that can be generalized to other problems in occupational medicine. Application of PC and understanding of AI search routines may be particularly applicable to workers' compensation where explicit statement of rational and inferential process is necessary. This approach is useful in the diagnosis of occupational lung disease and may be particularly valuable in workers' compensation considerations, wherein explicit statement of rationale is needed.

  2. Pre-surgery Disability Compensation Predicts Long-Term Disability among Workers with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Spector, June T.; Turner, Judith A.; Fulton-Kehoe, Deborah; Franklin, Gary

    2012-01-01

    Background We sought to identify early risk factors for work disability compensation prior to and after carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) surgery, and to determine whether pre-surgery disability compensation is associated with long-term disability. Methods Washington State workers’ compensation administrative data and data from interviews with workers 18 days (median) after submitting new workers’ compensation claims for CTS were examined. Baseline risk factors for pre-surgery disability compensation and for long-term disability (≥365 days of work disability compensation prior to two years after claim filing) were evaluated for workers who underwent CTS surgery and had at least one day of disability compensation (N=670). Results After adjustment for baseline long-term disability risk factors, workers with pre-surgery disability compensation had over five times the odds of long-term disability. Baseline factors in multiple domains, including job, psychosocial, clinical, and worker pain and function, were associated with both pre-surgery disability compensation and long-term disability. Conclusions Risk factors for work disability prior to and after CTS surgery are similar, and early work disability is a risk factor for long-term CTS-related disability. An integrated approach to CTS-related disability prevention could include identifying and addressing combined risk factors soon after claim filing, more efficient use of conservative treatments and appropriate work modifications to minimize early work loss, and, when indicated, timely surgical intervention. PMID:22392804

  3. The impact of workplace factors on filing of workers' compensation claims among nursing home workers.

    PubMed

    Qin, Jin; Kurowski, Alicia; Gore, Rebecca; Punnett, Laura

    2014-01-29

    Injuries reported to workers' compensation (WC) system are often used to estimate incidence of health outcomes and evaluate interventions in musculoskeletal epidemiology studies. However, WC claims represent a relatively small subset of all musculoskeletal disorders among employed individuals, and perhaps not a representative subset. This study determined the influence of workplace and individual factors on filing of workers' compensation claims by nursing home employees with back pain. Surveys were conducted in 18 skilled nursing facilities in four U.S. states. Self-administered questionnaires obtained information on demographic characteristics, working environment, and health behaviors/status. Employees who reported low back pain at least once in four questionnaire surveys were included. WC claims from the same facilities were obtained from the employer's workers compensation insurer and matched by employee name. The dichotomous dependent variable was filing of back-related worker's compensation claim. Association with predictors of interest, including pain severity, physical job demand, job strain, social support, schedule control, and safety climate, was assessed using multivariate regression modeling. Individual characteristics were tested as potential confounders. Pain severity level was significantly associated with filing low-back related claims (odds ratio (OR) = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.18 - 1.87). Higher physical demands at work (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.01 - 1.14) also increased the likelihood of claim filing. Higher job strain (OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.73 - 0.94), social support at work (OR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.82 - 0.99), and education (OR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.71 - 0.89) decreased the likelihood of claim filing. The results suggest that the WC system captured the most severe occupational injuries. Workplace factors had additional influence on workers' decision to file claims, after adjusting for low back pain severity. Education was correlated with worker

  4. Accident patterns for construction-related workers: a cluster analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liao, Chia-Wen; Tyan, Yaw-Yauan

    2012-01-01

    The construction industry has been identified as one of the most hazardous industries. The risk of constructionrelated workers is far greater than that in a manufacturing based industry. However, some steps can be taken to reduce worker risk through effective injury prevention strategies. In this article, k-means clustering methodology is employed in specifying the factors related to different worker types and in identifying the patterns of industrial occupational accidents. Accident reports during the period 1998 to 2008 are extracted from case reports of the Northern Region Inspection Office of the Council of Labor Affairs of Taiwan. The results show that the cluster analysis can indicate some patterns of occupational injuries in the construction industry. Inspection plans should be proposed according to the type of construction-related workers. The findings provide a direction for more effective inspection strategies and injury prevention programs.

  5. Accident patterns for construction-related workers: a cluster analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liao, Chia-Wen; Tyan, Yaw-Yauan

    2011-12-01

    The construction industry has been identified as one of the most hazardous industries. The risk of constructionrelated workers is far greater than that in a manufacturing based industry. However, some steps can be taken to reduce worker risk through effective injury prevention strategies. In this article, k-means clustering methodology is employed in specifying the factors related to different worker types and in identifying the patterns of industrial occupational accidents. Accident reports during the period 1998 to 2008 are extracted from case reports of the Northern Region Inspection Office of the Council of Labor Affairs of Taiwan. The results show that the cluster analysis can indicate some patterns of occupational injuries in the construction industry. Inspection plans should be proposed according to the type of construction-related workers. The findings provide a direction for more effective inspection strategies and injury prevention programs.

  6. [Labor accidents involving the eyes: assessment of occupational risks involving nursing workers].

    PubMed

    de Almeida, Cristiana Brasil; Pagliuca, Lorita Marlena Freitag; Leite, Ana Lourdes Almeida e Silva

    2005-01-01

    The study aimed at identifying nursing workers who were victims of eye accidents and the type of accident; describing the measures taken and proposing Health Education methods. A descriptive and exploratory study was carried out at a public maternity hospital from September 2002 to January 2003. Data were collected through direct observation of the environment and interviews with workers. Subjects were ten professionals (one nurse, two technicians and seven nursing auxiliaries) who were victims of work accidents involving the eye. The accidents were grouped according to the type of material that caused the trauma: chemical substances (4), medication (3), mechanical trauma (1), scalp (1) and urine (1). The results reveal that hospital workers are vulnerable to labor accidents because the environment presents biological, chemical and physical risks. An important step to prevent the occurrence of new accidents would be the prevention of human mistakes through permanent training and the use of protection glasses.

  7. Repeat workers' compensation claims: risk factors, costs and work disability

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background The objective of our study was to describe factors associated with repeat workers' compensation claims and to compare the work disability arising in workers with single and multiple compensation claims. Methods All initial injury claims lodged by persons of working age during a five year period (1996 to 2000) and any repeat claims were extracted from workers' compensation administrative data in the state of Victoria, Australia. Groups of workers with single and multiple claims were identified. Descriptive analysis of claims by affliction, bodily location, industry segment, occupation, employer and workplace was undertaken. Survival analysis determined the impact of these variables on the time between the claims. The economic impact and duration of work incapacity associated with initial and repeat claims was compared between groups. Results 37% of persons with an initial claim lodged a second claim. This group contained a significantly greater proportion of males, were younger and more likely to be employed in manual occupations and high-risk industries than those with single claims. 78% of repeat claims were for a second injury. Duration between the claims was shortest when the working conditions had not changed. The initial claims of repeat claimants resulted in significantly (p < 0.001) lower costs and work disability than the repeat claims. Conclusions A substantial proportion of injured workers experience a second occupational injury or disease. These workers pose a greater economic burden than those with single claims, and also experience a substantially greater cumulative period of work disability. There is potential to reduce the social, health and economic burden of workplace injury by enacting prevention programs targeted at these workers. PMID:21696637

  8. What is different about workers' compensation patients? Socioeconomic predictors of baseline disability status among patients with lumbar radiculopathy.

    PubMed

    Atlas, Steven J; Tosteson, Tor D; Hanscom, Brett; Blood, Emily A; Pransky, Glenn S; Abdu, William A; Andersson, Gunnar B; Weinstein, James N

    2007-08-15

    Combined analysis of 2 prospective clinical studies. To identify socioeconomic characteristics associated with workers' compensation in patients with an intervertebral disc herniation (IDH) or spinal stenosis (SpS). Few studies have compared socioeconomic differences between those receiving or not receiving workers' compensation with the same underlying clinical conditions. Patients were identified from the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT) and the National Spine Network (NSN) practice-based outcomes study. Patients with IDH and SpS within NSN were identified satisfying SPORT eligibility criteria. Information on disability and work status at baseline evaluation was used to categorize patients into 3 groups: workers' compensation, other disability compensation, or work-eligible controls. Enrollment rates of patients with disability in a clinical efficacy trial (SPORT) and practice-based network (NSN) were compared. Independent socioeconomic predictors of baseline workers' compensation status were identified in multivariate logistic regression models controlling for clinical condition, study cohort, and initial treatment designation. Among 3759 eligible patients (1480 in SPORT and 2279 in NSN), 564 (15%) were receiving workers' compensation, 317 (8%) were receiving other disability compensation, and 2878 (77%) were controls. Patients receiving workers' compensation were less common in SPORT than NSN (9.2% vs. 18.8%, P < 0.001), but patients receiving other disability compensation were similarly represented (8.9% vs. 7.7%, P = 0.19). In univariate analyses, many socioeconomic characteristics significantly differed according to baseline workers' compensation status. In multiple logistic regression analyses, gender, educational level, work characteristics, legal action, and expectations about ability to work without surgery were independently associated with receiving workers' compensation. Clinical trials involving conditions commonly seen in patients with

  9. 48 CFR 728.309 - Contract clause for worker's compensation insurance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT GENERAL CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS BONDS AND INSURANCE Insurance 728.309 Contract clause... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Contract clause for worker... resulting in contracts which require worker's compensation insurance, USAID has contracted with an insurance...

  10. 48 CFR 728.309 - Contract clause for worker's compensation insurance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT GENERAL CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS BONDS AND INSURANCE Insurance 728.309 Contract clause... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Contract clause for worker... resulting in contracts which require worker's compensation insurance, USAID has contracted with an insurance...

  11. Work accident victims: a comparison between non-standard and standard workers in Belgium.

    PubMed

    Alali, Hanan; Abdel Wahab, Magd; Van Hecke, Tanja; Braeckman, Lutgart

    2016-04-01

    The fast growth of non-standard employment in developed countries highlights the importance of studying the influence of contract type on worker's safety and health. The main purpose of our study is to investigate whether non-standard workers are more injured than standard workers or not. Additionally, other risk factors for occupational accidents are investigated. Data from the Belgian surveys on work ability in 2009 and 2011 are used. During their annual occupational health examination, workers were asked to fill in a self-administered questionnaire. In total, 1886 complete responses are collected and analyzed using logistic regression. Temporary workers did not have higher injury rates than permanent workers [OR 0.5, 95% confidence interval 0.2-1.2]. Low-educated, less-experienced workers and those exposed to dangerous conditions are more frequent victims of occupational accidents. The present data do not support the hypothesis that non-standard workers have more injuries than standard workers. Our results about occupational accidents derived from a non-representative sample of the Belgian workforce and cannot be generalized due to the heterogeneity in job organization and labor regulations between countries. Further research is needed to extend our findings and to seek other factors that may be associated with work accidents.

  12. Federal workers' compensation programs: Department of Defense and Veterans Health Administration experiences.

    PubMed

    Mallon, Timothy M; Grizzell, Tifani L; Hodgson, Michael J

    2015-03-01

    The objective of this article is to introduce the reader to this special supplement to the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine regarding Federal Workers' Compensation Programs. The short history of both the VHA and DoD Federal Workers' Compensation Programs are provided and a short synopsis of each author's article is provided. The lessons learned from the articles in the supplement are summarized in this article and 6 key findings are highlighted. Cooperation between human resources workers' compensation personnel, safety and occupational health personnel is a must for successful management of the WC program. Information and data sharing are critical for root cause and injury prevention, case management, and cost containment efforts. Enhancing efforts in these areas will save an estimated $100 million through cost avoidance efforts.

  13. 75 FR 51487 - Division of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation; Proposed Extension of Information Collection...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-20

    ... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Office of Workers' Compensation Programs Division of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation; Proposed Extension of Information Collection; Comment Request ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a...

  14. The scope and specific criteria of compensation for occupational diseases in Korea.

    PubMed

    Song, Jaechul; Kim, Inah; Choi, Byung-Soon

    2014-06-01

    The range of diseases covered by workers' compensation is constantly expanding. However, new regulations are required for the recognition of occupational diseases (ODs) because OD types evolve with changes in industrial structures and working conditions. OD criteria are usually based on medical relevance, but they vary depending on the social security system and laws of each country. In addition, the proposed range and extent of work-relatedness vary depending on the socio-economic conditions of each country. The Labor Standards Act (LSA) and the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act (IACIA) of Korea employ lists based on their requirements without listing causes and diseases separately. Despite a considerable reshuffle in 2003, the basic framework has been maintained for 50 yr, and many cases do not fit into the international disease classification system. Since July 1, 2013, Korea has expanded the range of occupational accidents to include occupational cancers and has implemented revised LSA and IACIA enforcement decrees. There have been improvements to OD recognition standards with the inclusion of additional or modified criteria, a revised and improved classification scheme for risk factors and ODs, and so on.

  15. Building a human rights framework for workers' compensation in the United States: opening the debate on first principles.

    PubMed

    Hilgert, Jeffrey A

    2012-06-01

    This article introduces the idea of human rights to the topic of workers' compensation in the United States. It discusses what constitutes a human rights approach and explains how this approach conflicts with those policy ideas that have provided the foundation historically for workers' compensation in the United States. Using legal and historical research, key international labor and human rights standards on employment injury benefits and influential writings in the development of the U.S. workers' compensation system are cited. Workers' injury and illness compensation in the United States does not conform to basic international human rights norms. A comprehensive review of the U.S. workers' compensation system under international human rights standards is needed. Examples of policy changes are highlighted that would begin the process of moving workers' compensation into conformity with human rights standards. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. Work accident victims: a comparison between non-standard and standard workers in Belgium

    PubMed Central

    Alali, Hanan; Abdel Wahab, Magd; Van Hecke, Tanja; Braeckman, Lutgart

    2016-01-01

    Background The fast growth of non-standard employment in developed countries highlights the importance of studying the influence of contract type on worker’s safety and health. Objective The main purpose of our study is to investigate whether non-standard workers are more injured than standard workers or not. Additionally, other risk factors for occupational accidents are investigated. Methods Data from the Belgian surveys on work ability in 2009 and 2011 are used. During their annual occupational health examination, workers were asked to fill in a self-administered questionnaire. In total, 1886 complete responses are collected and analyzed using logistic regression. Results Temporary workers did not have higher injury rates than permanent workers [OR 0.5, 95% confidence interval 0.2–1.2]. Low-educated, less-experienced workers and those exposed to dangerous conditions are more frequent victims of occupational accidents. Conclusion The present data do not support the hypothesis that non-standard workers have more injuries than standard workers. Our results about occupational accidents derived from a non-representative sample of the Belgian workforce and cannot be generalized due to the heterogeneity in job organization and labor regulations between countries. Further research is needed to extend our findings and to seek other factors that may be associated with work accidents. PMID:27092408

  17. Changes in Workmen's Compensation Laws in 1973

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnson, Florence C.

    1974-01-01

    Major 1973 State legislative changes of workmen's compensation laws focused on more flexibility and increased levels of benefits, improved medical care and rehabilitation provisions, improved occupational diseases provisions, and increased coverage of farm laborers. Many States adopted amendments to strengthen the administrative procedures of…

  18. 48 CFR 2928.305 - Overseas workers' compensation and war hazard insurance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Overseas workers' compensation and war hazard insurance. 2928.305 Section 2928.305 Federal Acquisition Regulations System...' compensation and war hazard insurance. The authority of the Agency Head to recommend to the Secretary of Labor...

  19. The association between attributions of responsibility for motor vehicle accidents and patient satisfaction: a study within a no-fault injury compensation system.

    PubMed

    Thompson, Jason; Berk, Michael; O'Donnell, Meaghan; Stafford, Lesley; Nordfjaern, Trond

    2015-05-01

    This study set out to test the relationship between attributions of responsibility for motor vehicle accidents and satisfaction with personal injury compensation systems. The study analysed survey data from 1394 people injured in a motor vehicle accident who were compensated under a no-fault personal injury compensation system. Patients' ratings of satisfaction with the compensation system across five domains (resolves your issues, keeps you up-to-date, treats you as an individual, cares about you, and overall satisfaction) were analysed alongside patient attributions of responsibility for their accident (not responsible, partly responsible, totally responsible). Postaccident physical and mental health status, age, gender, and duration of compensation claim were controlled for in the analysis. A multivariate analysis of covariance indicated attributions of responsibility for accidents were significantly associated with levels of patient satisfaction across all five domains under study (F (10, 2084) = 3.7, p<0.001, η(2)  =0.02). Despite access to virtually indistinguishable services, patients who attributed responsibility for their accidents to others were significantly less satisfied with the injury compensation system than those who attributed responsibility to themselves. Satisfaction with no-fault motor vehicle injury compensation services are associated with patients' attributions of responsibility for their accident. Compensation systems and other rehabilitation services monitoring patient satisfaction should adjust for attributions of responsibility when assessing levels of patient satisfaction between time periods, services, or injured populations. Differences in levels of patient satisfaction observed between compensation or rehabilitation populations may reflect differences in attributions of responsibility for accidents rather than objective service quality. © The Author(s) 2014.

  20. [Accidents with biological material in health care workers in 2 primary health care areas (1990-1999)].

    PubMed

    Hernández Navarrete, M J; Montes Villameriel, F J; Solano Bernad, V M; Sánchez Matienzo, D; del Val García, J L; Gil Montalbán, E; Arribas Llorente, J L

    2001-09-15

    To find out the exposures with biological material in health care workers in primary health care, registered in the biological accidents database from Preventive Medicine Service in Miguel Servet Universitary Hospital of Zaragoza. Descriptive study of a retrospective cohort. SITE: Primary health care, Areas II and V of Zaragoza.Participants. Workers in this areas, distributed by: physician, nursing staff, auxiliary, orderly, housekeeping staff, others. Data of: workers, accident, serologic source, worker protection and vaccinal status of hepatitis B. The incidence of accidents was 26 (period 1997-1999). Most proportion of accidents were declared by nursing (78%). The highest occupational incidence was in auxiliary (63 ). In 90,1% of the cases, the accident was needlestick injury. The source was known in 67,7% of cases. The accidents occurred in hands in 96,8% of cases, and only one third of workers carried gloves. Results obtained are similar with previous studies about this event. We must insist on the need to declare these accidents, providing more information and accessibility for the declaration to worker. Moreover, we must insist on the correct application in the health care field of the standard precautions, because almost 50% of accidents are evitable, and to increase hepatitis B vaccination covertures.

  1. The big bang? An eventful year in workers' compensation.

    PubMed

    Guidotti, Tee L

    2006-01-01

    Workers' compensation in the past two years has been dominated by events in California, which have been so fundamental as to merit the term big bang. Passage of Senate Bill 899 has led to a comprehensive program of reform in access to medical care, access to rehabilitation services, temporary and permanent disability, evidence-based management, dispute resolution, and system innovation. Two noteworthy developments thus arose: a new requirement for apportionment by cause in causation analysis, and the adoption of evidence-based criteria for impairment assessment, treatment guidelines, and, soon, utilization review. Elsewhere in the United States, changes were modest, but extensive legislative activity in Texas suggests that Texas will be next to make major changes. In Canada, the Workers' Compensation Board of British Columbia has adopted an ambitious strategic initiative, and there is a Canadawide movement to establish presumption for certain diseases in firefighters. Suggestions for future directions include an increased emphasis on prevention, integration of programs, worker participation, enhancing the expertise of health care professionals, evidence-based management, process evaluation, and opportunities for innovation.

  2. Return to Work After Diskogenic Fusion in Workers' Compensation Subjects.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Joshua T; Haas, Arnold R; Percy, Rick; Woods, Stephen T; Ahn, Uri M; Ahn, Nicholas U

    2015-12-01

    Lumbar fusion for degenerative disk disease (DDD) is associated with variable clinical outcomes. Patients with workers' compensation claims often have worse fusion outcomes than the general population. Few studies have evaluated the risk factors for poor outcomes within this clinically distinct population. The goal of this study was to identify preoperative predictors of return to work status after fusion for DDD in a workers' compensation setting. The authors used International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9), diagnosis and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) procedural codes to identify 1037 subjects from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation database who underwent fusion for DDD between 1993 and 2013. Of these subjects, 23.2% (n=241) made a sustained return to work within 2 years after fusion. To identify preoperative predictors of postoperative return to work status, the authors used multivariate logistic regression analysis, adjusting for many important covariates. These included prolonged time out of work (P<.001; odds ratio [OR], 0.24), psychiatric history (P<.001; OR, 0.14), prolonged use of opioid analgesics (P<.001; OR, 0.46), male sex (P=.014; OR, 0.65), and legal representation (P=.042; OR, 0.67). The return to work rates associated with these risk factors were 10.4%, 2.0%, 11.9%, 21.1%, and 20.7%, respectively. Of the study subjects, 76.8% (n=796) did not return to work and had considerably worse postoperative outcomes, highlighted by chronic opioid dependence and high rates of failed back syndrome, additional surgery, and new psychiatric comorbidity. The low return to work rates and other generally poor outcomes reported in this study may indicate a more limited role for lumbar fusion among patients with DDD who have workers' compensation claims. More studies are needed to determine whether fusion for DDD can improve function and quality of life in these patients. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

  3. Occupational health and safety surveillance and research using workers' compensation data.

    PubMed

    Utterback, David F; Schnorr, Teresa M; Silverstein, Barbara A; Spieler, Emily A; Leamon, Tom B; Amick, Benjamin C

    2012-02-01

    Examine uses of US workers' compensation (WC) data for occupational safety and health purposes. This article is a summary of the proceedings from an invitational workshop held in September 2009 to discuss the use of WC data for occupational safety and health prevention purposes. Workers' compensation data systems, although limited in many ways, contain information such as medical treatments, their costs and outcomes, and disability causes that are unavailable from national occupational surveillance sources. Despite their limitations, WC records are collected in a manner consistent with many occupational health and safety surveillance needs. Reports are available on the use of WC data for surveillance and research purposes such as estimating the frequency, magnitude, severity, and cost of compensated injuries. Inconsistencies in WC data can limit generalization of research results.

  4. 77 FR 1513 - Division of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation; Proposed Renewal of Existing Collection; Comment...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-01-10

    ... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Office of Workers' Compensation Programs Division of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation; Proposed Renewal of Existing Collection; Comment Request ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre...

  5. Police accident report forms: safety device coding and enacted laws.

    PubMed

    Brock, K; Lapidus, G

    2008-12-01

    Safety device coding on state police accident report (PAR) forms was compared with provisions in state traffic safety laws. PAR forms were obtained from all 50 states and the District of Columbia (states/DC). For seat belts, 22 states/DC had a primary seat belt enforcement law vs 50 with a PAR code. For car seats, all 51 states/DC had a law and a PAR code. For booster seats, 39 states/DC had a law vs nine with a PAR code. For motorcycle helmets, 21 states/DC had an all-age rider helmet law and another 26 a partial-age law vs 50 with a PAR code. For bicycle helmets, 21 states/DC had a partial-age rider helmet law vs 48 with a PAR code. Therefore gaps in the ability of states to fully record accident data reflective of existing state traffic safety laws are revealed. Revising the PAR forms in all states to include complete variables for safety devices should be an important priority, independent of the laws.

  6. [No-fault medical accidents: review of two years' activity of the regional commission for the compensation of medical accidents of the Provence-Alpes-Côtes d'Azur region (PACA)].

    PubMed

    Piercecchi-Marti, M-D; Sastre, B; Zuck, S; François, A; Genety, C; Bartoli, C; Leonetti, G

    2008-01-01

    Compensation for victims of medical accidents identified as no-fault medical accidents (NFMA) will be financed by national solidarity: this is a major and innovative feature of the Law of March 4, 2002 relative to Patients' Rights. In this review, we analyse the decisions of the regional commission on compensation of medical accidents in the Provence-Alpes-Côtes d'Azur (PACA) region of France in 2004 and 2005, and we attempt to identify the prevalence of certain surgical procedures liable to result in NFMA and to define the concept of "unintended consequences" in the context of state of health of the patient and the predictable course of the malady. We hope to improve the medical information given to the patient and thereby the overall quality of management. NFMA was acknowledged in 57 claims, about 10% of all those received by the commission during this period. Nearly half of the claims were within the competence of the commission because of the existence of serious sequelae (Permanent Partial Disability) in 47%. No typical profile of age or gender emerged in the patients with NFMA. The majority of cases occurred after surgical procedures, in particular gastrointestinal surgery and orthopaedic surgery; 91% were planned procedures. We did not identify increased risk related to any given type of surgery, particular disease condition, or precise anatomic region. Complications were those usually observed such as neurological complications in vascular surgery or perforations in gastrointestinal surgery. The interpretation of NFMA has undergone an evolution during this two-year period. In 2004, previous poor health status precluded acknowledgment of a medical accident, the argument being that there was a predisposition to the complication which occurred. In 2005, compensation was based on a reduced Partial Permanent Disability score compared to the patient's previous health status. This became a means of measuring the impact of the medical complication on an already

  7. 20 CFR 1.1 - Under what authority was the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs established?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Under what authority was the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs established? 1.1 Section 1.1 Employees' Benefits OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAMS, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURES PERFORMANCE OF FUNCTIONS § 1.1 Under...

  8. 20 CFR 1.1 - Under what authority was the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs established?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Under what authority was the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs established? 1.1 Section 1.1 Employees' Benefits OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAMS, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURES PERFORMANCE OF FUNCTIONS § 1.1 Under...

  9. 20 CFR 1.1 - Under what authority does the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs operate?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Under what authority does the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs operate? 1.1 Section 1.1 Employees' Benefits OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAMS, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURES PERFORMANCE OF FUNCTIONS § 1.1 Under...

  10. 20 CFR 1.1 - Under what authority does the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs operate?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2014-04-01 2012-04-01 true Under what authority does the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs operate? 1.1 Section 1.1 Employees' Benefits OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAMS, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURES PERFORMANCE OF FUNCTIONS § 1.1 Under...

  11. 20 CFR 1.1 - Under what authority does the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs operate?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2013-04-01 2012-04-01 true Under what authority does the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs operate? 1.1 Section 1.1 Employees' Benefits OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAMS, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURES PERFORMANCE OF FUNCTIONS § 1.1 Under...

  12. Mortality of a cohort of road construction and maintenance workers with work disability compensation.

    PubMed

    d'Errico, A; Mamo, C; Tomaino, A; Dalmasso, M; Demaria, M; Costa, G

    2002-01-01

    Surveillance systems of occupational mortality are useful tools to identify cases of diseases suspected as occupational and to monitor their occurrence over time, in space and in population subgroups. Many surveillance systems make use of administrative data in which information about occupations and/or economic sectors of the subjects enrolled is reported, such as death certificates, hospital discharge data, census data, tax and pension records, and workers' compensation archives. In the present study we analyzed the mortality of a cohort of road construction and maintenance workers enrolled through the Italian national archive of work disability compensations, also in order to evaluate the possible use of this administrative source to monitor occupational mortality. 8,000 subjects (7,879 males) receiving a disability compensation while working in the "road construction and maintenance" sector were identified from INAIL (National Institute for Insurance of Accidents at Work) archives. Vital status of these subjects was ascertained using the information available in INAIL archives and in the national tax register. For those found to be deceased from INAIL or tax archives, or without any information on vital status, a mail follow-up was started. We considered as observation period the years from 1980 to 1993. A record linkage with the ISTAT (Italian Institute of Statistics) national mortality registry was performed and the cause of death was retrieved for 964 out of 1,259 subjects. The analysis was restricted to males, leaving altogether 863 observed deaths with ascertained cause (84.7% of 1,019 total male deaths). SMR for overall mortality and PMR for specific cause mortality were computed, using the general Italian male population as reference. Overall mortality was significantly reduced (SMR = 79.0; 95% CI = 74.2-84.0). Proportional mortality analysis revealed significant excess risks for all malignant tumours (332 deaths, PMR = 1.08) and for digestive diseases

  13. Occupational accidents involving biological material among public health workers.

    PubMed

    Chiodi, Mônica Bonagamba; Marziale, Maria Helena Palucci; Robazzi, Maria Lúcia do Carmo Cruz

    2007-01-01

    This descriptive research aimed to recognize the occurrence of work accidents (WA) involving exposure to biological material among health workers at Public Health Units in Ribeirão Preto-SP, Brazil. A quantitative approach was adopted. In 2004, 155 accidents were notified by means of the Work Accident Communication (WAC). Sixty-two accidents (40%) involved exposure to biological material that could cause infections like Hepatitis and Aids. The highest number of victims (42 accidents) came from the category of nursing aids and technicians. Needles were responsible for 80.6% of accidents and blood was the biological material involved in a majority of occupational exposure cases. This subject needs greater attention, so that prevention measures can be implemented, which consider the peculiarities of the activities carried out by the different professional categories.

  14. 20 CFR 601.6 - Grants for administration of unemployment compensation laws and employment service.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Grants for administration of unemployment... administration of unemployment compensation laws and employment service. Grants of funds for administration of State unemployment compensation laws and public employment service programs are made to States under...

  15. 20 CFR 601.6 - Grants for administration of unemployment compensation laws and employment service.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Grants for administration of unemployment... administration of unemployment compensation laws and employment service. Grants of funds for administration of State unemployment compensation laws and public employment service programs are made to States under...

  16. 20 CFR 601.6 - Grants for administration of unemployment compensation laws and employment service.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Grants for administration of unemployment... administration of unemployment compensation laws and employment service. Grants of funds for administration of State unemployment compensation laws and public employment service programs are made to States under...

  17. 20 CFR 601.6 - Grants for administration of unemployment compensation laws and employment service.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Grants for administration of unemployment... administration of unemployment compensation laws and employment service. Grants of funds for administration of State unemployment compensation laws and public employment service programs are made to States under...

  18. 20 CFR 601.6 - Grants for administration of unemployment compensation laws and employment service.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Grants for administration of unemployment... administration of unemployment compensation laws and employment service. Grants of funds for administration of State unemployment compensation laws and public employment service programs are made to States under...

  19. [Analysis of accidents at work in building yards: correlation between risk and law defaults in yards of Palermo].

    PubMed

    Arcadipane, C; Verso, M G; Schillaci, S; Picciotto, D

    2007-01-01

    In the last years the building firm underwent real boom for investments and workers but not for safety measures. In the building sector there is a great accidents risks for falls from the top. The aim of present study is to analyze trend of accidents at work in building yards according to INAIL DATA and we will identify causes and risks then we will correlate these risks with frequent law defaults that we noticed in the province of Palermo. At the end we will value possible preventive measures to avoid this phenomenon. DATA INAIL of period 2001-2005 about building sector show us a reduction of denounced accidents at work but this phenomenon is changeable. Palermo is the first sicilian province for accidents at work although the number of denounced accidents (from 2001 to 2005) is decreasing while this number in Catania is increasing, CPT of Palermo gave us data (from 2004 to 2006) about inspections in building yards. Our study interests 609 yards and 1827 work stages. We noticed the most number of rests in civil yards.

  20. Health care professionals' attitudes towards evidence-based medicine in the workers' compensation setting: a cohort study.

    PubMed

    Elbers, Nieke A; Chase, Robin; Craig, Ashley; Guy, Lyn; Harris, Ian A; Middleton, James W; Nicholas, Michael K; Rebbeck, Trudy; Walsh, John; Willcock, Simon; Lockwood, Keri; Cameron, Ian D

    2017-05-22

    Problems may arise during the approval process of treatment after a compensable work injury, which include excess paperwork, delays in approving services, disputes, and allegations of over-servicing. This is perceived as undesirable for injured people, health care professionals and claims managers, and costly to the health care system, compensation system, workplaces and society. Introducing an Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) decision tool in the workers' compensation system could provide a partial solution, by reducing uncertainty about effective treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate attitudes of health care professionals (HCP) to the potential implementation of an EBM tool in the workers' compensation setting. The study has a mixed methods design. The quantitative study consisted of an online questionnaire asking about self-reported knowledge, attitudes and behaviour to EBM in general. The qualitative study consisted of interviews about an EBM tool being applied in the workers' compensation process. Participants were health care practitioners from different clinical specialties. They were recruited through the investigators' clinical networks and the workers' compensation government regulator's website. Participants completing the questionnaire (n = 231) indicated they were knowledgeable about the evidence-base in their field, but perceived some difficulties when applying EBM. General practitioners reported having the greatest obstacles to applying EBM. Participants who were interviewed (n = 15) perceived that an EBM tool in the workers' compensation setting could potentially have some advantages, such as reducing inappropriate treatment, or over-servicing, and providing guidance for clinicians. However, participants expressed substantial concerns that the EBM tool would not adequately reflect the impact of psychosocial factors on recovery. They also highlighted a lack of timeliness in decision making and proper assessment, particularly in

  1. Workers' Compensation, Return to Work, and Lumbar Fusion for Spondylolisthesis.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Joshua T; Haas, Arnold R; Percy, Rick; Woods, Stephen T; Ahn, Uri M; Ahn, Nicholas U

    2016-01-01

    Lumbar fusion for spondylolisthesis is associated with consistent outcomes in the general population. However, workers' compensation is a risk factor for worse outcomes. Few studies have evaluated prognostic factors within this clinically distinct population. The goal of this study was to identify prognostic factors for return to work among patients with workers' compensation claims after fusion for spondylolisthesis. The authors used International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, and Current Procedural Terminology codes to identify 686 subjects from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation who underwent fusion for spondylolisthesis from 1993 to 2013. Positive return to work status was recorded in patients who returned to work within 2 years of fusion and remained working for longer than 6 months. The criteria for return to work were met by 29.9% (n=205) of subjects. The authors used multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify prognostic factors for return to work. Negative preoperative prognostic factors for postoperative return to work included: out of work for longer than 1 year before fusion (P<.001; odds ratio [OR], 0.16); depression (P=.007; OR<0.01); long-term opioid analgesic use (P=.006; OR, 0.41); lumbar stenosis (P=.043; OR, 0.55); and legal representation (P=.042; OR, 0.63). Return to work rates associated with these factors were 9.7%, 0.0%, 10.0%, 29.2%, and 25.0%, respectively. If these subjects were excluded, the return to work rate increased to 60.4%. The 70.1% (n=481) of subjects who did not return to work had markedly worse outcomes, shown by higher medical costs, chronic opioid dependence, and higher rates of failed back syndrome, total disability, and additional surgery. Psychiatric comorbidity increased after fusion but was much higher in those who did not return to work. Future studies are needed to identify how to better facilitate return to work among similar patients with workers' compensation claims. Copyright 2016

  2. Unreported workers' compensation claims to the BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses: Establishment factors.

    PubMed

    Wuellner, Sara E; Adams, Darrin A; Bonauto, David K

    2016-04-01

    Studies suggest employers underreport injuries to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII); less is known about reporting differences by establishment characteristics. We linked SOII data to Washington State workers' compensation claims data, using unemployment insurance data to improve linking accuracy. We used multivariable regression models to estimate incidence ratios (IR) of unreported workers' compensation claims for establishment characteristics. An estimated 70% of workers' compensation claims were reported in SOII. Claims among state and local government establishments were most likely to be reported. Compared to large manufacturing establishments, unreported claims were most common among small educational services establishments (IR = 2.47, 95%CI: 1.52-4.01) and large construction establishments (IR = 2.05, 95%CI: 1.77-2.37). Underreporting of workers' compensation claims to SOII varies by establishment characteristics, obscuring true differences in work injury incidence. Findings may differ from previous research due to differences in study methods. © 2016 The Authors. American Journal of Industrial Medicine Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Development and evaluation of a Naïve Bayesian model for coding causation of workers' compensation claims.

    PubMed

    Bertke, S J; Meyers, A R; Wurzelbacher, S J; Bell, J; Lampl, M L; Robins, D

    2012-12-01

    Tracking and trending rates of injuries and illnesses classified as musculoskeletal disorders caused by ergonomic risk factors such as overexertion and repetitive motion (MSDs) and slips, trips, or falls (STFs) in different industry sectors is of high interest to many researchers. Unfortunately, identifying the cause of injuries and illnesses in large datasets such as workers' compensation systems often requires reading and coding the free form accident text narrative for potentially millions of records. To alleviate the need for manual coding, this paper describes and evaluates a computer auto-coding algorithm that demonstrated the ability to code millions of claims quickly and accurately by learning from a set of previously manually coded claims. The auto-coding program was able to code claims as a musculoskeletal disorders, STF or other with approximately 90% accuracy. The program developed and discussed in this paper provides an accurate and efficient method for identifying the causation of workers' compensation claims as a STF or MSD in a large database based on the unstructured text narrative and resulting injury diagnoses. The program coded thousands of claims in minutes. The method described in this paper can be used by researchers and practitioners to relieve the manual burden of reading and identifying the causation of claims as a STF or MSD. Furthermore, the method can be easily generalized to code/classify other unstructured text narratives. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  4. Compensation for occupational injuries and diseases in special populations: farmers and soldiers.

    PubMed

    Kwon, Young-Jun; Lee, Soo-Jin

    2014-06-01

    Some types of workers such as farmers and soldiers are at a higher risk of work-related injury and illness than workers from other occupations. Despite this fact, they are not covered under the Industrial Safety Health (ISH) Act or the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI) Act. The Safety Aid System for Farmers (SASF) is a voluntary insurance scheme, and it is the only public compensation plan for self-employed farmers. Fifty percent of SASF premiums are subsidized by the Korean government. Soldiers are compensated by the Veterans' Pension (VP) Act. The approval standard of and procedure for the VP Act are provided in the Decree of VP Act, and the Council for VP Benefits determines work-relatedness in the claimed cases. Meanwhile, SASF applies the insurance clause automatically without any expert advice or additional procedures. Furthermore, compared with IACI, these programs pay fewer benefits to workers. Thus, a stronger institutional strategy is needed to maintain a safe work environment, to protect workers' health in unavoidably hazardous environments, and to compensate for work-related injuries and diseases.

  5. Injury Compensation Process Delays Prompt Payment of Benefits to Federal Workers.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-09-25

    Prompt Payment 9f Benefits 0 Federal Workers , "fem of benefits under the Federal Employees ’ Compen- , m Act am not being made on time a measured by the...A worker may also appeal adverse decisions to the Employees ’ Compensation Appeals Board. The Board is a quasi-judicial board of three members...agencies to distribute these pamphlets to workers . Similar instruc- tions are contained on Poster CA-10 "What a Federal Employee Should Do When

  6. Accident data study of concrete construction companies' similarities and differences between qualified and non-qualified workers in Spain.

    PubMed

    López-Arquillos, Antonio; Rubio-Romero, Juan Carlos; Gibb, Alistair

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to discuss findings from an analysis of accidents in concrete construction companies in Spain and to compare the accident rates of qualified and non-qualified workers. A total of 125,021 accidents between 2003 and 2008 involving both blue-collar and white-collar workers were analysed, comparing the variables of occupation, age, company staff, length of service, location of the accident, together with the severity of the accidents. Results showed that lack of experience in the first month is more significant in non-qualified workers and experienced supervisors and that head injuries are more likely to lead to fatalities. The most remarkable similarity was that fatal accidents to and from the worksite are a problem common to both groups of workers.

  7. The Occupationally Injured Worker: Investigating the Decision to Settle a Workers' Compensation Claim

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nay, Andrew Paul

    2010-01-01

    According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2007), a total of 4.2 million work-place injuries were reported within the United States in 2005, nearly half of which resulted in days away from work, job transfer, or restriction. In the majority of workers' compensation claims, wage-replacement benefits are paid voluntarily by the employer or…

  8. [Study of work accidents related to human body fluids exposure among health workers at a university hospital].

    PubMed

    Balsamo, Ana Cristina; Felli, Vanda Elisa Andres

    2006-01-01

    This descriptive and exploratory study from a quantitative approach aimed to characterize workers who were victims of work accidents related to human body fluids exposure and to evaluate the accident victim care protocol. The population consisted of 48 workers who were victims of work accidents involving exposure to human body fluids, from July 2000 to June 2001. Data were collected through a form and interviews. Results showed that nursing workers presented higher accident risk levels and that 87.50% involved piercing and cutting material, such as needles and butterflies (70%). As to the accident-related situation/activity, the workers indicated that 25% were due to an "inadequate act during the procedure"; 19.64% mentioned that "it happened" and 29.17% answered that they did not have any suggestion. This study provided important tools to review and elaborate strategies to prevent accidents involving exposure to human body fluids.

  9. Risk Perception and Occupational Accidents: A Study of Gas Station Workers in Southern Brazil

    PubMed Central

    Cezar-Vaz, Marta Regina; Rocha, Laurelize Pereira; Bonow, Clarice Alves; da Silva, Mara Regina Santos; Vaz, Joana Cezar; Cardoso, Letícia Silveira

    2012-01-01

    The present study aimed to identify the perceptions of gas station workers about physical, chemical, biological and physiological risk factors to which they are exposed in their work environment; identify types of occupational accidents involving gas station workers and; report the development of a socioenvironmental intervention as a tool for risk communication to gas station workers. A quantitative study was performed with 221 gas station workers in southern Brazil between October and December 2010. Data collection was performed between October to December 2010 via structured interviews. The data were analyzed using SPSS 19.0. The participants identified the following risk types: chemical (93.7%), physical (88.2%), physiological (64.3%) and biological (62.4%). In this sample, 94.1% of gas station workers reported occupational accidents, and 74.2% reported fuel contact with the eyes (p < 0.05). It is concluded that workers perceive risks, and that they tend to relate risks with the occurrence of occupational accidents as an indicator of the dangerous nature of their work environment. PMID:22851948

  10. Does time off work after injury vary by jurisdiction? A comparative study of eight Australian workers' compensation systems

    PubMed Central

    Collie, Alex; Lane, Tyler J; Hassani-Mahmooei, Behrooz; Thompson, Jason; McLeod, Chris

    2016-01-01

    Objectives To determine whether the jurisdiction in which a work-related injury compensation claim is made is an independent predictor of duration of time off work following work injury, and if so, the magnitude of the effect. Setting Eight Australian state and territory workers' compensation systems, providing coverage for more than 90% of the Australian labour force. Administrative claims data from these systems were provided by government regulatory authorities for the study. Participants 95 976 Australian workers with workers' compensation claims accepted in 2010 and with at least 2 weeks of compensated time off work. Primary outcome measure Duration of time lost from work in weeks, censored at 104 weeks. Results After controlling for demographic, worker, injury and employer factors in a Cox regression model, significant differences in duration of time loss between state and territory of claim were observed. Compared with New South Wales, workers in Victoria, South Australia and Comcare had significantly longer durations of time off work and were more likely to be receiving income benefits at 104 weeks postinjury, while workers in Tasmania and Queensland had significantly shorter durations of time off work. Conclusions The jurisdiction in which an injured worker makes a compensation claim has a significant and independent impact on duration of time loss. Further research is necessary to identify specific compensation system policies and practices that promote timely and appropriate return to work and reduce duration of time off work. PMID:27150186

  11. Hazard Prevention Regarding Occupational Accidents Involving Blue-Collar Foreign Workers: A Perspective of Taiwanese Manpower Agencies.

    PubMed

    Chang, Huan-Cheng; Wang, Mei-Chin; Liao, Hung-Chang; Cheng, Shu-Fang; Wang, Ya-Huei

    2016-07-13

    Since 1989, blue-collar foreign workers have been permitted to work in Taiwanese industries. Most blue-collar foreign workers apply for jobs in Taiwan through blue-collar foreign workers' agencies. Because blue-collar foreign workers are not familiar with the language and culture in Taiwan, in occupational accident education and hazard prevention, the agencies play an important role in the coordination and translation between employees and blue-collar foreign workers. The purpose of this study is to establish the agencies' role in the occupational accidents education and hazard prevention for blue-collar foreign workers in Taiwan. This study uses a qualitative method-grounded theory-to collect, code, and analyze the data in order to understand the agencies' role in occupational accident education and hazard prevention for blue-collar foreign workers in Taiwan. The results show that the duty of agencies in occupational accident education and hazard prevention includes selecting appropriate blue-collar foreign workers, communicating between employees and blue-collar foreign workers, collecting occupational safety and health information, assisting in the training of occupational safety and health, and helping blue-collar foreign workers adapt to their lives in Taiwan. Finally, this study suggests seven important points and discusses the implementation process necessary to improve governmental policies. The government and employees should pay attention to the education/training of occupational safety and health for blue-collar foreign workers to eliminate unsafe behavior in order to protect the lives of blue-collar foreign workers.

  12. Helmet use and risk compensation in motorcycle accidents.

    PubMed

    Ouellet, James V

    2011-02-01

    The "risk compensation" hypothesis suggests that individuals offset perceived gains in safety by increasing their risk-taking behavior to maintain a stable or "homeostatic" level of risk. If this is true for motorcyclists, then helmet use, which reduces the risk of brain injury and death, may lead helmet users to take more risks when they ride. Thus, increased risk-taking by helmet users should show up as overrepresentation in crashes, and accident reconstruction should reveal risky behaviors in the seconds just before the crash. This article examines data from two separate studies involving the on-scene, in-depth investigation and reconstruction of motorcycle crashes: 900 in Los Angeles (1976-1977) and another 1082 in Thailand (1999-2000). Each crash was investigated on scene within minutes of its occurrence by teams of specially trained researchers and later reconstructed in order to identify precrash and crash events, verify helmet use/nonuse, etc. "Exposure" data on helmet use and other readily visible factors were also collected for the population-at-risk by observing riders who passed by each accident scene some time after a crash that had been investigated by the team. In this article, helmeted and unhelmeted accident-involved riders are compared to each other as well as to the population-at-risk. In Thailand, helmeted riders did not differ significantly from unhelmeted riders in alcohol use, precrash speed, being the primary or sole cause of the crash, or unsafe speed or lane positioning for the traffic conditions; they were no more likely to be in a single-vehicle accident, to crash by running off the road, or to lose control. In Los Angeles, drinking riders were half as likely to wear a helmet as nondrinkers. However, when drinkers and nondrinkers were segregated, helmeted riders were no more likely to cause their crash, run stop signs or red lights, commit other traffic code violations, or run off the road. They did not differ in speed or single

  13. 75 FR 12270 - Division of Federal Employees' Compensation; Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-03-15

    ... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Office of Workers' Compensation Programs Division of Federal Employees...). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background: The Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) provides, under 5 U.S.C... employees of the Federal Government. The CA-721 and CA-722 are used by non-Federal law enforcement officers...

  14. Hazard Prevention Regarding Occupational Accidents Involving Blue-Collar Foreign Workers: A Perspective of Taiwanese Manpower Agencies

    PubMed Central

    Chang, Huan-Cheng; Wang, Mei-Chin; Liao, Hung-Chang; Cheng, Shu-Fang; Wang, Ya-huei

    2016-01-01

    Since 1989, blue-collar foreign workers have been permitted to work in Taiwanese industries. Most blue-collar foreign workers apply for jobs in Taiwan through blue-collar foreign workers’ agencies. Because blue-collar foreign workers are not familiar with the language and culture in Taiwan, in occupational accident education and hazard prevention, the agencies play an important role in the coordination and translation between employees and blue-collar foreign workers. The purpose of this study is to establish the agencies’ role in the occupational accidents education and hazard prevention for blue-collar foreign workers in Taiwan. This study uses a qualitative method—grounded theory—to collect, code, and analyze the data in order to understand the agencies’ role in occupational accident education and hazard prevention for blue-collar foreign workers in Taiwan. The results show that the duty of agencies in occupational accident education and hazard prevention includes selecting appropriate blue-collar foreign workers, communicating between employees and blue-collar foreign workers, collecting occupational safety and health information, assisting in the training of occupational safety and health, and helping blue-collar foreign workers adapt to their lives in Taiwan. Finally, this study suggests seven important points and discusses the implementation process necessary to improve governmental policies. The government and employees should pay attention to the education/training of occupational safety and health for blue-collar foreign workers to eliminate unsafe behavior in order to protect the lives of blue-collar foreign workers. PMID:27420085

  15. [A procedure for estimating the rate of occupational accidents in non-European-Union workers with irregular immigrant status].

    PubMed

    Marchiori, L; Marangi, G; Mazzoccoli, P; Scoizzato, L; Buja, Alessandra; Mastrangelo, G

    2008-01-01

    Statistics on occupational accidents provided by the Italian Institute for Occupational Diseases and Accidents (INAIL, Italian acronym) include only events that occurred in workers with regular employment status. The aim of the study was to establish a procedure in order to estimate the rate of occupational accidents in non-European-Union (non-EU) workers with irregular employment status and/or irregular immigrant status. The sources of data were the clinical records of the Emergency Department of San Bonifacio Hospital, and the population data of District 4 of Local Health Authority 20 of Verona, which was considered the catchment area of this hospital. Among 419 cases of accidents occurred in the numerator of the rate. The denominator of the rate was estimated by calculating: (1) the subjects of working age resident in District 4 (= 83714); (2) the total number of non-EU workers, assuming that the percentage was similar to that in San Bonifacio Municipality (= 0.115); the number of irregular non-EU workers, assuming that the percentage was similar to that in north-eastern Italy (= 0.103). Non-EU workers with irregular employment status and/or irregular immigrant status should, according to these calculations, be 992 (= 83714 x 0.115 x 0.103). The rate--147.2 (= 146/992) occupational accidents per 1000 irregular non-EU workers--is more than twice as high as that calculated in 2004 in Italy in regular non-EU workers (approximately 65 accidents per 1000). The difference can be explained by the fact that irregular workers find employment mainly in agriculture, building and the metallurgic industry, which have a high frequency of accidents, and are more willing to accept risky work and longer work shifts. On the assumption that the rate of occupational accidents in the 500,000 irregular workers living in Italy in 2004 was 147.2 per 1000 (as in the catchment area of the San Bonifacio Hospital), the number of accidents would be 73,600, against the 116,000 that occurred

  16. 48 CFR 728.305-70 - Overseas worker's compensation and war-hazard insurance-waivers and USAID insurance coverage.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Overseas worker's compensation and war-hazard insurance-waivers and USAID insurance coverage. 728.305-70 Section 728.305-70... REQUIREMENTS BONDS AND INSURANCE Insurance 728.305-70 Overseas worker's compensation and war-hazard insurance...

  17. The role of OSHA violations in serious workplace accidents.

    PubMed

    Mendeloff, J

    1984-05-01

    California accident investigations for 1976 show that violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's safety standards were a contributing factor in 13% to 19% of the 645 deaths reported to the workers' compensation program during that year. However, a panel of safety engineers judged that only about 50% of these violations could have been detected if an inspector had visited the day before the accident. These findings indicate that the potential gains from stronger enforcement of current standards are limited but not insignificant. The likelihood that a violation contributed to a serious accident varied considerably among accident types, industries, and size classes of plants. These findings can be used to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the OSHA program by means of better targeting of inspections and accident investigations, more intelligent assessment of which violations should be penalized most heavily, and the provision of information to employers and workers about which violations are most consequential.

  18. Posttraumatic stress disorder in co-workers following exposure to a fatal construction accident in China.

    PubMed

    Hu, B S; Liang, Y X; Hu, X Y; Long, Y F; Ge, L N

    2000-01-01

    To assess the mental disturbances induced by accidents at work, 41 male workers who had witnessed a fatal work accident were evaluated utilizing the criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from the ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioral Disorders. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) was also administered to the exposed workers, as well as to 47 non-exposed construction-worker controls. The two groups were well matched with respect to age, years of employment, and years of education. They were all of Han sect; and lifestyles, incomes, and living conditions were similar. The exposed workers had a high rate of PTSD: 11 of 41 (26.8%) at one month and five of 39 (12.9%) four months after the fatal accident. The exposed groups' scores for depressive symptoms were significantly higher than those of the controls, including: 1) depressed mood, 2) guilt, 3) initial insomnia, 4) middle insomnia, 5) delayed insomnia, 6) decreased interest in work and other activities, 7) anxiety, 8) somatization, and 9) gastrointestinal symptoms (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.001). Fatal work accidents, a major hazard in the construction industry, affect not only the victims but also the mental health of other workers. PTSD and associated emotional disorders related to exposure to serious work accidents deserve more attention for clinical and research purposes.

  19. Association between outdoor ozone and compensated acute respiratory diseases among workers in Quebec (Canada).

    PubMed

    Adam-Poupart, Ariane; Labrèche, France; Busque, Marc-Antoine; Brand, Allan; Duguay, Patrice; Fournier, Michel; Zayed, Joseph; Smargiassi, Audrey

    2015-01-01

    Respiratory effects of ozone in the workplace have not been extensively studied. Our aim was to explore the relationship between daily average ozone levels and compensated acute respiratory problems among workers in Quebec between 2003 and 2010 using a time-stratified case-crossover design. Health data came from the Workers' Compensation Board. Daily concentrations of ozone were estimated using a spatiotemporal model. Conditional logistic regressions, with and without adjustment for temperature, were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs, per 1 ppb increase of ozone), and lag effects were assessed. Relationships with respiratory compensations in all industrial sectors were essentially null. Positive non-statistically significant associations were observed for outdoor sectors, and decreased after controlling for temperature (ORs of 0.98; 1.01 and 1.05 at Lags 0, 1 and 2 respectively). Considering the predicted increase of air pollutant concentrations in the context of climate change, closer investigation should be carried out on outdoor workers.

  20. Cumulative injury or disease claims: an attempt to define employers' liability for workers' compensation.

    PubMed

    LaDou, J; Mulryan, L E; McCarthy, K J

    1980-01-01

    The workers' compensation systems of several states have been expanded in recent years to include injuries and diseases caused by cumulative injury and occupational stress. This expansion has placed a financial burden on the respective systems, on employers, and on consumers, who ultimately must pay the cost of claims through higher priced products or services. This expansion may not be justified from a social perspective, however; extant medical and sociological evidence is not conclusive as to whether occupational-stress injuries or diseases--such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, and neuropsychiatric illness--are the direct result of stressful work environments. Using the California workers' compensation system as a model, the authors submit that the underlying premises of liability governing the expanded systems should be reassessed based (1) on economic factors, specifically, the increasing costs of workers' compensation; (2) on the capacity of the system to process an ever-increasing number of claims; and (3) on the principle on which workers' compensation systems were established, that of equity between the employer and the employee. On the basis of these three factors, the authors evaluated three legislative approaches to restructuring the expanded system: presumption of compensability, apportionment of liability, and threshold of compensability. The first recognizes that although certain health problems are related to the workplace, the degree of causation is difficult to prove; under this approach, therefore, causation is presumed, and injury compensated, for all diseases and injuries that the system defines as work related. The second holds that where a causal relationship between the work and the injury can be proved, the employer nevertheless should be responsible only for that portion of the disability actually caused by the workplace. The third directs that the injured employee be compensated only when a direct causal link between the

  1. 78 FR 68867 - Division of Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-11-15

    ... requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is... respondents can be properly assessed. Currently, the Office of Workers' Compensation (OWCP) is soliciting...-266). A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the office...

  2. Profile of Brazilian workers victims of occupational accidents with biological fluids.

    PubMed

    Miranda, Fernanda Moura D'Almeida; Cruz, Elaine Drehmer de Almeida; Félix, Jorge Cestari Vinícius; Kalinke, Luciana Puchalski; Mantovani, Maria de Fátima; Sarquis, Leila Maria Mansano

    2017-01-01

    To characterize the Brazilian workers victims of occupational accidents with biological fluids. Epidemiological and descriptive research, in which 284,877 notifications of the Notifiable Diseases Information System were analyzed between 2007 and 2014. We used Stata 13 for data analysis. The highest incidence density occurred in females with 0.8 cases per 1,000 workers/year (n = 222,042, 77.9%); in the age group of 20 to 24 years old, with 0.6 cases per 1,000 workers/year (n = 64,221, 23.3%); with some high school and some college, with 0.6 cases per 1,000 workers/year (n = 141,275, 49.6%). We found that these accidents occurred among 23 occupational subgroups. For the most part, the workers had an employment relationship and had issued the Occupational Accident Notification. It is necessary to rethink the measures of orientation to workers regarding the risks and relative prophylaxis for these accidents, with the aim of reducing them. Caracterizar os trabalhadores brasileiros vítimas de acidente de trabalho com fluidos biológicos. Pesquisa epidemiológica, descritiva, na qual foram analisadas 284.877 notificações do Sistema Nacional de Notificação de Agravos, entre 2007 e 2014. Utilizou-se Stata 13 para a análise dos dados. A maior densidade de incidência ocorreu no sexo feminino com 0,8 caso a cada 1.000 trabalhadores/ano (n = 222.042; 77,9%); na faixa etária de 20 a 24 anos com 0,6 caso a cada 1.000 trabalhadores/ano (n = 64.221; 23,3%); com Ensino Médio e Superior incompleto com 0,6 caso a cada 1.000 trabalhadores/ano (n = 141.275; 49,6%). Verificou-se que esses acidentes ocorreram entre 23 subgrupos ocupacionais. Em sua maioria, os trabalhadores possuíam vínculo empregatício e tiveram emitida a Comunicação de Acidente de Trabalho. Faz-se necessário repensar as medidas de orientação aos trabalhadores quanto aos riscos e profilaxia relativa para estes acidentes, visando reduzi-los ou diminui-los.

  3. 78 FR 72717 - Division of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation; Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-12-03

    ... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Office of Workers' Compensation Programs Division of Coal Mine Workers... proposed collection: Comparability of Current Work to Coal Mine Employment (CM-913). A copy of the proposed...., provides for the payment of benefits to coal miners who are totally disabled by black lung disease arising...

  4. A system of safety management practices and worker engagement for reducing and preventing accidents: an empirical and theoretical investigation.

    PubMed

    Wachter, Jan K; Yorio, Patrick L

    2014-07-01

    The overall research objective was to theoretically and empirically develop the ideas around a system of safety management practices (ten practices were elaborated), to test their relationship with objective safety statistics (such as accident rates), and to explore how these practices work to achieve positive safety results (accident prevention) through worker engagement. Data were collected using safety manager, supervisor and employee surveys designed to assess and link safety management system practices, employee perceptions resulting from existing practices, and safety performance outcomes. Results indicate the following: there is a significant negative relationship between the presence of ten individual safety management practices, as well as the composite of these practices, with accident rates; there is a significant negative relationship between the level of safety-focused worker emotional and cognitive engagement with accident rates; safety management systems and worker engagement levels can be used individually to predict accident rates; safety management systems can be used to predict worker engagement levels; and worker engagement levels act as mediators between the safety management system and safety performance outcomes (such as accident rates). Even though the presence of safety management system practices is linked with incident reduction and may represent a necessary first-step in accident prevention, safety performance may also depend on mediation by safety-focused cognitive and emotional engagement by workers. Thus, when organizations invest in a safety management system approach to reducing/preventing accidents and improving safety performance, they should also be concerned about winning over the minds and hearts of their workers through human performance-based safety management systems designed to promote and enhance worker engagement. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  5. Why change. A look at the current system of disability determination and workers' compensation for occupational lung disease

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Richman, S.I.

    1982-12-01

    Under the current system of disability determination and workers' compensation for occupational lung disease, disabled workers or their survivors can reasonably count on being compensated. However, by rejecting established scientific truth in order to pay workers' compensation in circumstances where disability or death had not been due to occupation, the system has operated unfairly and has undermined public confidence and respect. To gain more scientific integrity and fairness, the system should be changed to provide for adjudication by scientifically informed disability boards. The adversary system sould be retained, however, as needed protection against bias, quackery, and mendacity.

  6. Workers' Compensation Claims and Physical Fitness Capacity of Police Officers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boyce, Robert W.; And Others

    1992-01-01

    A study compared police officers' physical fitness levels with workers' compensation (WC) claims. Officers who collected WC were predominantly female, younger, and lower ranking, with better physical fitness than officers not collecting WC. Officers in the second highest fitness level and older officers with greater cardiovascular fitness had…

  7. The growth in applications for Social Security Disability Insurance: a spillover effect from workers' compensation.

    PubMed

    Guo, Xuguang; Burton, John F

    2012-01-01

    We investigate the determinants of application for Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) benefits in approximately 45 jurisdictions between 1981 and 1999. We reproduce findings of previous studies of the determinants of DI application then test the additional influence of changes to workers' compensation program benefits and rules on DI application rates. Our findings indicate that the programs are interrelated: When workers' compensation benefits declined and eligibility rules tightened in the 1990s, the DI application rate increased.

  8. Cause, type, and workers' compensation costs of injury to fire fighters.

    PubMed

    Walton, Surrey M; Conrad, Karen M; Furner, Sylvia E; Samo, Daniel G

    2003-04-01

    Work-related injury rates in the fire service industry exceed those for most other industries, however little is known about the cost of injury to firefighters. This is a preliminary investigation of detailed worker's compensation records of firefighter injuries, 1,343 claims in all, collected from 1992-1999. Summary statistics and regression analysis regarding the cause, nature, and cost of injury to firefighters are presented. Overexertion accounted for a significant portion (over 1/3) of injuries to firefighters, typically involved injuries to the back, and was associated with significantly higher costs than other types of injuries. The per-claim average worker's compensation cost of injury to firefighters was $5,168 and the average for injuries caused by overexertion was $9,715. Overexertion is a costly source of injury to firefighters that can likely be reduced through policy intervention. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  9. The Impact of Workers' Compensation on Outcomes of Surgical and Nonoperative Therapy for Patients with a Lumbar Disc Herniation SPORT

    PubMed Central

    Atlas, Steven J.; Tosteson, Tor D.; Blood, Emily A.; Skinner, Jonathan S.; Pransky, Glenn S.; Weinstein, James N.

    2010-01-01

    Study Design Prospective randomized and observational cohorts. Objective To compare outcomes of patients with and without workers' compensation who had surgical and nonoperative treatment for a lumbar intervertebral disc herniation (IDH). Summary of Background Data Few studies have examined the association between worker's compensation and outcomes of surgical and nonoperative treatment. Methods Patients with at least 6 weeks of sciatica and a lumbar IDH were enrolled in either a randomized trial or observational cohort at 13 US spine centers. Patients were categorized as workers' compensation or nonworkers' compensation based on baseline disability compensation and work status. Treatment was usual nonoperative care or surgical discectomy. Outcomes included pain, functional impairment, satisfaction and work/disability status at 6 weeks, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months. Results Combining randomized and observational cohorts, 113 patients with workers' compensation and 811 patients without were followed for 2 years. There were significant improvements in pain, function, and satisfaction with both surgical and nonoperative treatment in both groups. In the nonworkers' compensation group, there was a clinically and statistically significant advantage for surgery at 3 months that remained significant at 2 years. However, in the workers' compensation group, the benefit of surgery diminished with time; at 2 years no significant advantage was seen for surgery in any outcome (treatment difference for SF-36 bodily pain [−5.9; 95% CI: −16.7–4.9] and physical function [5.0; 95% CI: −4.9–15]). Surgical treatment was not associated with better work or disability outcomes in either group. Conclusion Patients with a lumbar IDH improved substantially with both surgical and nonoperative treatment. However, there was no added benefit associated with surgical treatment for patients with workers' compensation at 2 years while those in the nonworkers' compensation group had

  10. [Fatal occupational accidents in Lombardy].

    PubMed

    Pianosi, G

    1995-01-01

    All fatal occupational accidents compensated in Lombardy from 1984 to 1989 were analyzed (1259 cases): significant differences between geographical distribution of fatal occupational accidents and workers were observed. Males accounted for about 95% of fatalities; an excess of cases was shown in both young and elderly workers. Death was the consequence of injuries involving most frequently the head, thorax and spinal cord. An excess of fatalities was observed in agriculture and, at a lower level, in manufacturing industries; small enterprises were involved in approximately 25% of fatalities occurring in the manufacturing industries and services. Employers were the victims of fatal accidents in 50% of cases in agriculture and in 70% of cases in craft industries. Construction, agriculture and transport accounted for about 50% of all fatalities. About 50% of fatal occupational accidents were related to vehicle use: the victim was the driver in the majority of cases, sometimes the victim was run over by a vehicle or fell from a vehicle. The results agree with some previous observations (e.g.: sex and age distribution; construction, agriculture and transport as working activities at high accident risk); but some original observations have emerged, in particular about the frequency of employers as victims and the role of vehicles in the genesis of fatal occupational accidents. If further studies confirm these latter observations, important developments could follow in preventive action design and implementation.

  11. Prospective evaluation of postoperative compliance and outcomes after rotator cuff repair in patients with and without workers' compensation claims.

    PubMed

    Cuff, Derek J; Pupello, Derek R

    2012-12-01

    This study prospectively evaluated compliance and outcomes after rotator cuff repair in patients with and without Workers' Compensation claims. From December 2007 to January 2010, 42 consecutive patients with Workers' Compensation claims (Work Comp group), and 50 consecutive patients without a Workers' Compensation claim (non-Work Comp group) underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and were enrolled in this study. Compliance with a postoperative protocol of shoulder immobilization and physical therapy was documented. Patients were monitored clinically for a minimum of 12 months. Noncompliance with protocol was documented in 22 of 42 patients (52%) in the Work Comp group compared with 2 of 50 (4%) in the non-Work Comp group (P < .001). The Work Comp group had less improvement in preoperative to postoperative outcome scores for the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score (40.4 to 60.1), Simple Shoulder Test (SST) score (3.9 to 6.0) and visual analog scale (VAS) for pain (7.0 to 3.5) compared with the non-Work Comp group (ASES, 41.7 to 89.2; SST, 4.3 to 10.7; VAS, 6.2 to 0.35; P < .0001). The compliant Work Comp patients had more favorable results in final outcome scores (ASES, 73.1; SST, 7.9; VAS, 1.5) than noncompliant Work Comp patients (ASES, 48.4; SST, 4.3; VAS, 5.3; P < .0001). Patients with Workers' Compensation claims demonstrated a high rate of postoperative noncompliance (52%) compared with patients without Workers' Compensation claims (4%) after rotator cuff repair. Those Workers' Compensation patients who had no evidence of noncompliance had significant improvements and more favorable outcomes than the noncompliant Workers' Compensation patients. Copyright © 2012 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Characterization of exposures to workers covered under the U.S. Energy Employees Compensation Act.

    PubMed

    Neton, James W

    2014-02-01

    Since the mid-1940s, hundreds of thousands of workers have been engaged in nuclear weapons-related activities for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and its predecessor agencies. In 2000, Congress promulgated the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000 (EEOICPA), which provides monetary compensation and medical benefits to certain energy employees who have developed cancer. Under Part B of EEOICPA, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is required to estimate radiation doses for those workers who have filed a claim, or whose survivors have filed a claim, under Part B of the Act. To date, over 39,000 dose reconstructions have been completed for workers from more than 200 facilities. These reconstructions have included assessment of both internal and external exposure at all major DOE facilities, as well as at a large number of private companies [known as Atomic Weapons Employer (AWE) facilities in the Act] that engaged in contract work for the DOE and its predecessor agencies. To complete these dose reconstructions, NIOSH has captured and reviewed thousands of historical documents related to site operations and worker/workplace monitoring practices at these facilities. Using the data collected and reviewed pursuant to NIOSH's role under EEOICPA, this presentation will characterize historical internal and external exposures received by workers at DOE and AWE facilities. To the extent possible, use will be made of facility specific coworker models to highlight changes in exposure patterns over time. In addition, the effects that these exposures have on compensation rates for workers are discussed.Introduction of Characterization of Exposures to Workers (Video 1:59, http://links.lww.com/HP/A3).

  13. 76 FR 18259 - Announcement Regarding Delaware Triggering “on” Tier Four of Emergency Unemployment Compensation...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-01

    ... Triggering ``on'' Tier Four of Emergency Unemployment Compensation 2008 (EUC08) AGENCY: Employment and...'' Tier Four of Emergency Unemployment Compensation 2008 (EUC08). Public Law 111-312 extended provisions... the EUC08 program for qualified unemployed workers claiming benefits in high unemployment states. The...

  14. CHARACTERIZATION OF EXPOSURES TO WORKERS COVERED UNDER THE U.S. ENERGY EMPLOYEES COMPENSATION ACT

    PubMed Central

    Neton, James W.

    2015-01-01

    Since the mid-1940s, hundreds of thousands of workers have been engaged in nuclear weapons-related activities for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and its predecessor agencies. In 2000, Congress promulgated the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000 (EEOICPA), which provides monetary compensation and medical benefits to certain energy employees who have developed cancer. Under Part B of EEOICPA, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is required to estimate radiation doses for those workers who have filed a claim, or whose survivors have filed a claim, under Part B of the Act. To date, over 39,000 dose reconstructions have been completed for workers from more than 200 facilities. These reconstructions have included assessment of both internal and external exposure at all major DOE facilities, as well as at a large number of private companies [known as Atomic Weapons Employer (AWE) facilities in the Act] that engaged in contract work for the DOE and its predecessor agencies. To complete these dose reconstructions, NIOSH has captured and reviewed thousands of historical documents related to site operations and worker/workplace monitoring practices at these facilities. Using the data collected and reviewed pursuant to NIOSH’s role under EEOICPA, this presentation will characterize historical internal and external exposures received by workers at DOE and AWE facilities. To the extent possible, use will be made of facility specific coworker models to highlight changes in exposure patterns over time. In addition, the effects that these exposures have on compensation rates for workers are discussed. PMID:24378500

  15. Biopsychosocial law, health care reform, and the control of medical inflation in Colorado.

    PubMed

    Bruns, Daniel; Mueller, Kathryn; Warren, Pamela A

    2012-05-01

    A noteworthy attempt at health care reform was the 1992 Colorado workers' compensation reform bill, which led to the creation of what has been called "biopsychosocial laws." These laws mandated the use of treatment guidelines for patients with injury or chronic pain, which advocated a biopsychosocial model of rehabilitation, and aspired to use a "best practice" approach to controlling costs. The purpose of this study was to examine the financial impact of this health care reform process, and to test the hypothesis that this approach can be an effective strategy to contain costs while providing good care. This study utilized a dataset collected prospectively from 1992 to 2007 in 45 U.S. states for regulatory purposes. These data summarized the medical treatment and disability costs of 520,314 injured workers in Colorado, and an estimated 28.6 million injured workers nationally. As no other state passed a comparable bill, the Colorado worker compensation reform bill created a natural experiment, where a treatment group was created by legally enforceable medical treatment guidelines. In the 15 years following the implementation of the reform, the inflation of medical costs in Colorado workers' compensation was only one third that of the national average, saving an estimated $859 million on patients injured in 2007 alone. Although there were confounding variables, and causality could not be determined, these data are consistent with the hypothesis that Colorado's 1992 legislative efforts to reform workers compensation law using the biopsychosocial model worked as intended to provide good care while controlling costs. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

  16. The biomedicalisation of war and military remains: US nuclear worker compensation in the 'post-Cold War'.

    PubMed

    Krupar, Shiloh

    2013-01-01

    This paper analyses the recent legislation and administration of United States nuclear worker compensation--the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Programme Act (EEOICPA)--in order to show the domestic impacts of war and the social order that has been established to respond to the Cold War legacy of occupational exposures, illness, and death. Examining the epistemological politics and material effects of compensation, an insufficiently analysed aspect of the Cold War, I argue that the system designed to redress the occupational exposures of nuclear workers accomplishes something else: obscuring the ethical problem of misinformation and missing data from the Cold War era; mobilising an industry of knowledge and market-economic opportunities in the arena of biomedical exposure assessment and dose reconstruction for parts of the former US nuclear complex; and, lastly, dematerialising and depoliticising geographies of the Cold War and its differential impacts through an individualistic epidemiological reprocessing of radiation exposures. The paper shows how the general claims procedure, combined with two methods mandated by EEOICPA--dose reconstruction and the probability of causation--effectively de-link workers from each other, and worksites from homes, pin compensation to a cost-benefit logic, implicate genuine scientific complexity and uncertainty in an ongoing denial of the toxic legacies of war, and ethically undermine the social justice aims of the legislation. The article ends by considering some of the ways that US nuclear workers have responded to living as the remains of both US bomb production and the compensation system.

  17. Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Workers' Compensation Claims and Costs: Results From the North Carolina League of Municipalities Database.

    PubMed

    Chenoweth, David H; Rager, Robin C; Haynes, Robert G

    2015-09-01

    To determine whether a relationship exists between elevated levels of body mass index (BMI) and workers' compensation measures. This was a retrospective analysis of 3951 workers' compensation claimants between 1981 and 2009 representing municipal workplaces. A BMI scale composed of seven levels, including two overweight tiers, was used. Higher BMI levels were related to more lost workdays, indemnity costs, and total costs. Medical care costs were virtually the same in overweight and obese claimants and moderately higher than claimants with recommended BMIs. Males were more likely to incur workers' compensation claims than females across all BMI tiers; yet, obese females incurred twice as many lost workdays and indemnity costs, and nearly 50% higher medical costs and total costs than obese men. Elevated levels of BMI negatively influence several workers' compensation outcome measures.

  18. Service quality assessment of workers compensation health care delivery programs in New York using SERVQUAL.

    PubMed

    Arunasalam, Mark; Paulson, Albert; Wallace, William

    2003-01-01

    Preferred provider organizations (PPOs) provide healthcare services to an expanding proportion of the U.S. population. This paper presents a programmatic assessment of service quality in the workers' compensation environment using two different models: the PPO program model and the fee-for-service (FFS) payor model. The methodology used here will augment currently available research in workers' compensation, which has been lacking in measuring service quality determinants and assessing programmatic success/failure of managed care type programs. Results indicated that the SERVQUAL tool provided a reliable and valid clinical quality assessment tool that ascertained that PPO marketers should focus on promoting physician outreach (to show empathy) and accessibility (to show reliability) for injured workers.

  19. Do Blue Laws Save Lives? The Effect of Sunday Alcohol Sales Bans on Fatal Vehicle Accidents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lovenheim, Michael F.; Steefel, Daniel P.

    2011-01-01

    This paper analyzes the effect of state-level Sunday alcohol sales restrictions ("blue laws") on fatal vehicle accidents, which is an important parameter in assessing the desirability of these laws. Using a panel data set of all fatal vehicle accidents in the U.S. between 1990 and 2009 combined with 15 state repeals of blue laws, we show that…

  20. 20 CFR 726.6 - The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs. 726.6 Section 726.6 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, AS AMENDED BLACK LUNG BENEFITS; REQUIREMENTS FOR COAL MINE OPERATOR'S INSURANCE General § 726.6 The...

  1. Etiology of work-related electrical injuries: a narrative analysis of workers' compensation claims.

    PubMed

    Lombardi, David A; Matz, Simon; Brennan, Melanye J; Smith, Gordon S; Courtney, Theodore K

    2009-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to provide new insight into the etiology of primarily nonfatal, work-related electrical injuries. We developed a multistage, case-selection algorithm to identify electrical-related injuries from workers' compensation claims and a customized coding taxonomy to identify pre-injury circumstances. Workers' compensation claims routinely collected over a 1-year period from a large U.S. insurance provider were used to identify electrical-related injuries using an algorithm that evaluated: coded injury cause information, nature of injury, "accident" description, and injury description narratives. Concurrently, a customized coding taxonomy for these narratives was developed to abstract the activity, source, initiating process, mechanism, vector, and voltage. Among the 586,567 reported claims during 2002, electrical-related injuries accounted for 1283 (0.22%) of nonfatal claims and 15 fatalities (1.2% of electrical). Most (72.3%) were male, average age of 36, working in services (33.4%), manufacturing (24.7%), retail trade (17.3%), and construction (7.2%). Body part(s) injured most often were the hands, fingers, or wrist (34.9%); multiple body parts/systems (25.0%); lower/upper arm; elbow; shoulder, and upper extremities (19.2%). The leading activities were conducting manual tasks (55.1%); working with machinery, appliances, or equipment; working with electrical wire; and operating powered or nonpowered hand tools. Primary injury sources were appliances and office equipment (24.4%); wires, cables/cords (18.0%); machines and other equipment (11.8%); fixtures, bulbs, and switches (10.4%); and lightning (4.3%). No vector was identified in 85% of cases. and the work process was initiated by others in less than 1% of cases. Injury narratives provide valuable information to overcome some of the limitations of precoded data, more specially for identifying additional injury cases and in supplementing traditional epidemiologic data for further

  2. Safety Is 99 Percent Attitude: Strategies to Contain Workers' Compensation Costs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parnell, Janet

    1993-01-01

    The University of Denver (Colorado) reduced workers' compensation losses 97 percent in 1990-91 by developing a master safety plan, sponsoring safety training, managing medical costs, providing modified duty for injured employees, screening applicants, orienting new employees, investigating claims thoroughly, performing life-safety audits, and…

  3. Occupational exposure monitoring data collection, storage, and use among state-based and private workers' compensation insurers.

    PubMed

    Shockey, Taylor M; Babik, Kelsey R; Wurzelbacher, Steven J; Moore, Libby L; Bisesi, Michael S

    2018-06-01

    Despite substantial financial and personnel resources being devoted to occupational exposure monitoring (OEM) by employers, workers' compensation insurers, and other organizations, the United States (U.S.) lacks comprehensive occupational exposure databases to use for research and surveillance activities. OEM data are necessary for determining the levels of workers' exposures; compliance with regulations; developing control measures; establishing worker exposure profiles; and improving preventive and responsive exposure surveillance and policy efforts. Workers' compensation insurers as a group may have particular potential for understanding exposures in various industries, especially among small employers. This is the first study to determine how selected state-based and private workers' compensation insurers collect, store, and use OEM data related specifically to air and noise sampling.  Of 50 insurers contacted to participate in this study, 28 completed an online survey. All of the responding private and the majority of state-based insurers offered industrial hygiene (IH) services to policyholders and employed 1 to 3 certified industrial hygienists on average. Many, but not all, insurers used standardized forms for data collection, but the data were not commonly stored in centralized databases. Data were most often used to provide recommendations for improvement to policyholders. Although not representative of all insurers, the survey was completed by insurers that cover a substantial number of employers and workers. The 20 participating state-based insurers on average provided 48% of the workers' compensation insurance benefits in their respective states or provinces. These results provide insight into potential next steps for improving the access to and usability of existing data as well as ways researchers can help organizations improve data collection strategies. This effort represents an opportunity for collaboration among insurers, researchers, and

  4. Predicting workers' compensation claims and disciplinary actions using SecureFit®: Further support for integrative models of workplace safety.

    PubMed

    O'Connell, Matthew; Delgado, Kristin; Lawrence, Amie; Kung, Mavis; Tristan, Esteban

    2017-06-01

    A growing body of applied research has identified certain psychological traits that are predictive of worker safety. However, most of these studies suffer from an overreliance on common method bias caused by self-report measures of both: (a) personal factors such as personality traits; and (b) outcomes such as safety behaviors and injuries. This study utilized archival data from 796 employees at a large U.S. automobile manufacturer. Data were gathered on a pre-employment assessment, SecureFit®, that measured key personality characteristics such as conscientiousness, locus of control, and risk taking. In addition, objective measures of workers' compensation claims and disciplinary actions were also gathered. The results indicated that disciplinary actions and workers' compensation claims were strongly correlated. It also demonstrated that the pre-employment assessment was able to predict both disciplinary actions and workers' compensation claims up to 12months in the future. Screening out just 8% of the applicant sample using the assessment would have resulted in a 35% reduction in disciplinary actions and 46% in workers' compensation claims, respectively. The study found a very strong relationship between counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs), such as not following rules, and workers' compensation claims. It also found a strong relationship between a combination of personality traits that have been shown to be associated with both variables, although the current study was able to demonstrate that relationship with objective measure of both variables. Individuals who receive disciplinary actions for things such as not following rules, not coming to work on time, etc. are significantly more likely to also be involved in serious safety incidents, and vice versa. Identifying those individuals early on in the hiring process and screening them out can significantly reduce the number of CWBs as well as workers' compensation claims. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and

  5. The Impact of Heat Waves on Occurrence and Severity of Construction Accidents.

    PubMed

    Rameezdeen, Rameez; Elmualim, Abbas

    2017-01-11

    The impact of heat stress on human health has been extensively studied. Similarly, researchers have investigated the impact of heat stress on workers' health and safety. However, very little work has been done on the impact of heat stress on occupational accidents and their severity, particularly in South Australian construction. Construction workers are at high risk of injury due to heat stress as they often work outdoors, undertake hard manual work, and are often project based and sub-contracted. Little is known on how heat waves could impact on construction accidents and their severity. In order to provide more evidence for the currently limited number of empirical investigations on the impact of heat stress on accidents, this study analysed 29,438 compensation claims reported during 2002-2013 within the construction industry of South Australia. Claims reported during 29 heat waves in Adelaide were compared with control periods to elicit differences in the number of accidents reported and their severity. The results revealed that worker characteristics, type of work, work environment, and agency of accident mainly govern the severity. It is recommended that the implementation of adequate preventative measures in small-sized companies and civil engineering sites, targeting mainly old age workers could be a priority for Work, Health and Safety (WHS) policies.

  6. Descriptive Study of Occupational Accidents and their Causes among Electricity Distribution Company Workers at an Eight-year Period in Iran

    PubMed Central

    Rahmani, Abdolrasoul; Khadem, Monireh; Madreseh, Elham; Aghaei, Habib-Allah; Raei, Mehdi; Karchani, Mohsen

    2013-01-01

    Background Occupational accidents are unplanned events that cause damage. The socio-economic impacts and human costs of accidents are tremendous around the world. Many fatalities happen every year in workplaces such as electricity distribution companies. Some electrical injuries are electrocution, electric shock, and burns. This study was conducted in an electricity distribution company (with rotational 12-hour shift work) in Iran during an 8-year period to survey descriptive factors of injuries. Methods Variables collected included accident time, age of injured worker, employment type, work experience, injury cause, educational background, and other information about accidents. Results Results indicated that most of the accidents occurred in summer, and 51.3% were during shift work. Worker negligence (malpractice) was the cause of 75% of deaths. Type of employment had a significant relationship with type of injuries (p < 0.05). Most injuries were electrical burns. Conclusion High rate of accidents in summer may be due to the warm weather or insufficient professional skills in seasonal workers. Shift workers are at risk of sleep complaints leading to a high rate of work injuries. Acquiring knowledge about safety was related to job experiences. Temporary workers have no chance to work all year like permanent workers, therefore impressive experiences may be less in them. Because the lack of protective equipment and negligence are main causes of accidents, periodical inspections in workshops are necessary. PMID:24106647

  7. 48 CFR 752.228-3 - Worker's compensation insurance (Defense Base Act).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... insurance (Defense Base Act). 752.228-3 Section 752.228-3 Federal Acquisition Regulations System AGENCY FOR... Clauses 752.228-3 Worker's compensation insurance (Defense Base Act). As prescribed in 728.309, the... contracting officer. (a) The Contractor agrees to procure Defense Base Act (DBA) insurance pursuant to the...

  8. 48 CFR 752.228-3 - Worker's compensation insurance (Defense Base Act).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... insurance (Defense Base Act). 752.228-3 Section 752.228-3 Federal Acquisition Regulations System AGENCY FOR... Clauses 752.228-3 Worker's compensation insurance (Defense Base Act). As prescribed in 728.309, the... contracting officer. (a) The Contractor agrees to procure Defense Base Act (DBA) insurance pursuant to the...

  9. 48 CFR 752.228-3 - Worker's compensation insurance (Defense Base Act).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... insurance (Defense Base Act). 752.228-3 Section 752.228-3 Federal Acquisition Regulations System AGENCY FOR... Clauses 752.228-3 Worker's compensation insurance (Defense Base Act). As prescribed in 728.309, the... contracting officer. (a) The Contractor agrees to procure Defense Base Act (DBA) insurance pursuant to the...

  10. 48 CFR 752.228-3 - Worker's compensation insurance (Defense Base Act).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... insurance (Defense Base Act). 752.228-3 Section 752.228-3 Federal Acquisition Regulations System AGENCY FOR... Clauses 752.228-3 Worker's compensation insurance (Defense Base Act). As prescribed in 728.309, the... contracting officer. (a) The Contractor agrees to procure Defense Base Act (DBA) insurance pursuant to the...

  11. 48 CFR 752.228-3 - Worker's compensation insurance (Defense Base Act).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... insurance (Defense Base Act). 752.228-3 Section 752.228-3 Federal Acquisition Regulations System AGENCY FOR... Clauses 752.228-3 Worker's compensation insurance (Defense Base Act). As prescribed in 728.309, the... contracting officer. (a) The Contractor agrees to procure Defense Base Act (DBA) insurance pursuant to the...

  12. Occupational Contact Dermatitis: Workers' Compensation Patch Test Results of Portland, Oregon, 2005-2014.

    PubMed

    Coman, Garrett; Zinsmeister, Chris; Norris, Patricia

    2015-01-01

    Workers are exposed to potential irritants and allergens with constant introduction of new industrial chemicals in the workplace. Characterize the final diagnoses, demographics, occupations, exposures, clinical presentations, patch test results, dermatologic histories, and risk factors of workers evaluated for suspected work-related allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). A retrospective chart review of 310 workers' compensation independent medical examinations evaluated for suspected work-related ACD was performed. Workers were seen in a community dermatology clinic in Portland, Oregon, from 2005 to 2014. Evaluation included history, physical examination, patch testing, and further diagnostic workup when indicated. Hand dermatitis was the most common presentation (n = 148, 47.7%). Prevalent occupations included health care workers (n = 51, 16.5%), custodial staff (n = 41, 13.2%), and machinists (n = 36, 11.6%). Allergic contact dermatitis (47.5%) was more common than irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) (38.9%) in those diagnosed as having occupational skin disease (n = 185). The highest-frequency work-related allergens were thiuram mix (21 of 88, 23.9%), carba mix (20 of 88, 22.7%), potassium dichromate (9 of 88, 10.2%), and epoxy resin (9 of 88, 10.2%). Allergic contact dermatitis and ICD are common occupational skin disorders. In this population of workers' compensation referrals, ACD was more common, with 73.3% of those cases work related, compared with 86.7% of ICD. Blue collar work and wet work were risk factors for the development of ACD and ICD.

  13. Determinants of escalating costs in low risk workers' compensation claims.

    PubMed

    Bernacki, Edward J; Yuspeh, Larry; Tao, Xuguang

    2007-07-01

    To identify and quantify attributes that lead to unanticipated cost escalation in workers' compensation claims. We constructed four claim categories: low initial reserve/low cost, migrated catastrophic (low initial reserve/high cost), high initial reserve/low cost, and catastrophic (high initial reserve/high cost). To assess the attributes associated with the increased cost of migrated catastrophic claims, we analyzed 36,329 Louisiana workers' compensation claims in the four categories over a 5-year period. In the 729 claims initially thought to be low-cost claims (migrated catastrophic), the most significant predictors for cost escalation were attorney involvement and claim duration, followed by low back disorder, married/single/divorced status, male gender, small company size, high premium, reporting delays, and older age. These injuries accounted for 2% of all claims but 32.3% of the costs. Accelerated escalation of costs occurred late in the claim cycle (2 years). Certain attributes, particularly attorney involvement and claim duration, are associated with unanticipated cost escalation in a small number of claims that drastically affect overall losses. The results of this study suggest that these cases may be identified and addressed before rapid escalation occurs.

  14. 75 FR 63864 - Division of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation; Proposed Extension of Existing Collection; Comment...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-18

    ... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Office of Workers' Compensation Programs Division of Coal Mine Workers... comments concerning the proposed collection: Comparability of Current Work to Coal Mine Employment (CM-913... Benefits Act of 1977, as amended, 30 U.S.C. 901 et seq., provides for the payment of benefits to coal...

  15. Does Protecting Older Workers From Discrimination Make It Harder to Get Hired? Evidence From Disability Discrimination Laws.

    PubMed

    Neumark, David; Song, Joanne; Button, Patrick

    2017-01-01

    We explore the effects of disability discrimination laws on hiring of older workers. A concern with antidiscrimination laws is that they may reduce hiring by raising the cost of terminations and-in the specific case of disability discrimination laws-raising the cost of employment because of the need to accommodate disabled workers. Moreover, disability discrimination laws can affect nondisabled older workers because they are fairly likely to develop work-related disabilities, but are generally not protected by these laws. Using state variation in disability discrimination protections, we find little or no evidence that stronger disability discrimination laws lower the hiring of nondisabled older workers. We similarly find no evidence of adverse effects of disability discrimination laws on hiring of disabled older workers.

  16. Uninsured Workers Have More Severe Hospitalizations: Examining the Texas Workers' Compensation System, 2012.

    PubMed

    Boggess, Bethany; Scott, Brittany; Pompeii, Lisa

    2017-08-01

    Texas' unique elective system of workers' compensation (WC) coverage is being discussed widely in the United States as a possible model to be adopted by other states. Texas is the only state that does not mandate that employers provide state-certified WC insurance. Oklahoma passed legislation for a similar system in 2013, but it was declared unconstitutional by the Oklahoma Supreme Court in 2016. This study examined 9523 work-related hospitalizations that occurred in Texas in 2012 using Texas Department of State Health Services data. We sought to examine work-related injury characteristics by insurance source. An unexpected finding was that among those with WC, 44.6% of the hospitalizations were not recorded as work related by hospital staff. These unrecorded cases had 1.9 (1.6-2.2) times higher prevalence of a severe risk of mortality compared to WC cases that were recorded as work related. Uninsured and publicly insured workers also had a higher prevalence of severe mortality risk. The hospital charges for one year were $615.2 million, including at least $102.8 million paid by sources other than WC, and with $29.6 million that was paid for by injured workers or by taxpayers. There is an urgent need for more research to examine how the Texas WC system affects injured workers.

  17. Farm accidents and injuries among farm families and workers. A pilot study.

    PubMed

    Cummings, P H

    1991-09-01

    Farm accident facts traditionally have been difficult to collect because of the wide array of farm family and non-family involvement in farming practices. Areas commonly involved in farm related accidents include farm machinery, tractor overturns, farm animals, farm trucks, hand and power tools, household items, chemicals, and garden equipment. Two purposes of this descriptive study were to examine, over a 1 year period, the demographic features and types, severity, and mechanisms of injury among farm families and their workers in a representative county in South Carolina, and to develop a two part mail-out questionnaire for data collection relative to farm work related accidents. The researcher concluded that farm accidents are sparsely researched; that traditional data collection methods are difficult, expensive, and time consuming; and that mail-out questionnaires are not a very effective method of collecting data relative to farm accidents, since farmers proved very reluctant to report accidents.

  18. The National Shipbuilding Research Program. Application of Industrial Engineering Techniques to Reduce WorkersCompensation and Environmental Costs - Deliverable G

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1999-10-01

    to prove that we can operate as efficiently as other nations where worker safety and health are emphasized as highly. With the support of government...N8-96-3 Application of Industrial Engineering Techniques to Reduce WorkersCompensation and Environmental Costs - Deliverable G U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE...Techniques to Reduce WorkersCompensation and Environmental Costs - Deliverable G 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6

  19. Risk of fatal industrial accidents and death from other external causes among asphalt workers

    PubMed Central

    Burstyn, I; Boffetta, P; Jarvholm, B; Partanen, T; Svane, O; Langard, S; Kauppinen, T; Stucker, I; Shaham, J; Heederik, D; Ahrens, W; Bergdahl, I; Cenee, S; Hooiveld, M; Randem, B; Johansen, C; Ferro, G; Kromhout, H

    2004-01-01

    Overall, no evidence was found supporting the hypothesis that asphalt workers are at increased risk of fatal industrial or road accidents. Mortality from other external causes did not increase in this population as a whole, but increased risks among short term workers deserve further attention. PMID:14691280

  20. Assessment of potential doses to workers during postulated accident conditions at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hoover, M.D.; Farrell, R.F.; Newton, G.J.

    1995-12-01

    The recent 1995 WIPP Safety Analysis Report (SAR) Update provided detailed analyses of potential radiation doses to members of the public at the site boundary during postulated accident scenarios at the U.S. Department of Energy`s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). The SAR Update addressed the complete spectrum of potential accidents associated with handling and emplacing transuranic waste at WIPP, including damage to waste drums from fires, punctures, drops, and other disruptions. The report focused on the adequacy of the multiple layers of safety practice ({open_quotes}defense-in-depth{close_quotes}) at WIPP, which are designed to (1) reduce the likelihood of accidents and (2) limitmore » the consequences of those accidents. The safeguards which contribute to defense-in-depth at WIPP include a substantial array of inherent design features, engineered controls, and administrative procedures. The SAR Update confirmed that the defense-in-depth at WIPP is adequate to assure the protection of the public and environment. As a supplement to the 1995 SAR Update, we have conducted additional analyses to confirm that these controls will also provide adequate protection to workers at the WIPP. The approaches and results of the worker dose assessment are summarized here. In conformance with the guidance of DOE Standard 3009-94, we emphasize that use of these evaluation guidelines is not intended to imply that these numbers constitute acceptable limits for worker exposures under accident conditions. However, in conjunction with the extensive safety assessment in the 1995 SAR Update, these results indicate that the Carlsbad Area Office strategy for the assessment of hazards and accidents assures the protection of workers, members of the public, and the environment.« less

  1. Prioritizing industries for occupational injury and illness prevention and research, Washington State Workers' compensation claims, 1999-2003.

    PubMed

    Bonauto, David; Silverstein, Barbara; Adams, Darrin; Foley, Michael

    2006-08-01

    The objective of this study was to identify high-risk industry groups for effective allocation of occupational safety and health prevention and research resources. We used all compensable Washington state workers' compensation claims to rank North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) industry groups by a "prevention index" (PI). The PI is the average of the rank orders of each industry group's claim count and claim incidence rate. Of the 274 industry groups ranked by PI for all compensable workers' compensation claims, the following industry groups ranked the highest: NAICS 2381 Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors, NAICS 4841 General Freight Trucking, and NAICS 2361 Residential Building Construction. Industry group PI rankings are reported for the seven most common costly occupational injury types. Use of a PI can focus prevention and research resources where they can be of most benefit.

  2. Incidence of workers compensation indemnity claims across socio-demographic and job characteristics.

    PubMed

    Du, Juan; Leigh, J Paul

    2011-10-01

    We hypothesized that low socioeconomic status, employer-provided health insurance, low wages, and overtime were predictors of reporting workers compensation indemnity claims. We also tested for gender and race disparities. Responses from 17,190 (person-years) Americans participating in the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 1997-2005, were analyzed with logistic regressions. The dependent variable indicated whether the subject collected benefits from a claim. Odds ratios for men and African-Americans were relatively large and strongly significant predictors of claims; significance for Hispanics was moderate and confounded by education. Odds ratios for variables measuring education were the largest for all statistically significant covariates. Neither low wages nor employer-provided health insurance was a consistent predictor. Due to confounding from the "not salaried" variable, overtime was not a consistently significant predictor. Few studies use nationally representative longitudinal data to consider which demographic and job characteristics predict reporting workers compensation indemnity cases. This study did and tested some common hypotheses about predictors. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  3. The relationship between motivation, monetary compensation, and data quality among US- and India-based workers on Mechanical Turk.

    PubMed

    Litman, Leib; Robinson, Jonathan; Rosenzweig, Cheskie

    2015-06-01

    In this study, we examined data quality among Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) workers based in India, and the effect of monetary compensation on their data quality. Recent studies have shown that work quality is independent of compensation rates, and that compensation primarily affects the quantity but not the quality of work. However, the results of these studies were generally based on compensation rates below the minimum wage, and far below a level that was likely to play a practical role in the lives of workers. In this study, compensation rates were set around the minimum wage in India. To examine data quality, we developed the squared discrepancy procedure, which is a task-based quality assurance approach for survey tasks whose goal is to identify inattentive participants. We showed that data quality is directly affected by compensation rates for India-based participants. We also found that data were of a lesser quality among India-based than among US participants, even when optimal payment strategies were utilized. We additionally showed that the motivation of MTurk users has shifted, and that monetary compensation is now reported to be the primary reason for working on MTurk, among both US- and India-based workers. Overall, MTurk is a constantly evolving marketplace where multiple factors can contribute to data quality. High-quality survey data can be acquired on MTurk among India-based participants when an appropriate pay rate is provided and task-specific quality assurance procedures are utilized.

  4. Investigating the relationship between worker demographics and nature of injury on Federal Department of Defense workers' compensation injury rates and costs from 2000 to 2008.

    PubMed

    Mallon, Timothy M; Cherry, Scott E

    2015-03-01

    This is the first study of workers' compensation injuries and costs in Department of Defense workers that examined whether any demographic factors including age, sex, occupation, and nature of injury altered the risks or costs of an injury or illness over time. Department of Defense Workers' Compensation claims for period 2000 to 2008 were analyzed (n = 142,115) using Defense Portal Analysis and Defense Manpower Data Center to calculate injury rates and costs. Regression analysis was done using SPSS to examine the change in the risk of injury or illness over time from 2000 to 2008. The age group of 30 to 34 years had the lowest costs per claim and highest claims rate, 332 per 10,000. The age group of 65 to 70 years had the lowest claims rate of 188 per 10,000 but the highest costs per claim. Claims cost increased $69 for each 5-year group, and older workers had a threefold increase in costs per claim. Younger workers get hurt more often, but older workers tend to have more expensive claims.

  5. Obesity and workers' compensation: results from the Duke Health and Safety Surveillance System.

    PubMed

    Ostbye, Truls; Dement, John M; Krause, Katrina M

    2007-04-23

    Obese individuals have increased morbidity and use of health services. Less is known about the effect of obesity on workers' compensation. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) and number and types of workers' compensation claims, associated costs, and lost workdays. Retrospective cohort study. Participants included 11 728 health care and university employees (34 858 full-time equivalents [FTEs]) with at least 1 health risk appraisal between January 1, 1997, and December 31, 2004. The main outcome measures were stratified rates of workers' compensation claims, associated costs, and lost workdays, calculated by BMI, sex, age, race/ethnicity, smoking status, employment duration, and occupational group. The body part affected, nature of the illness or injury, and cause of the illness or injury were also investigated. Multivariate Poisson regression models examined the effects of BMI, controlling for demographic and work-related variables. There was a clear linear relationship between BMI and rate of claims. Employees in obesity class III (BMI >/=40) had 11.65 claims per 100 FTEs, while recommended-weight employees had 5.80; the effect on lost workdays (183.63 vs 14.19 lost workdays per 100 FTEs), medical claims costs ($51 091 vs $7503 per 100 FTEs), and indemnity claims costs ($59 178 vs $5396 per 100 FTEs) was even stronger. The claims most strongly affected by BMI were related to the following: lower extremity, wrist or hand, and back (body part affected); pain or inflammation, sprain or strain, and contusion or bruise (nature of the illness or injury); and falls or slips, lifting, and exertion (cause of the illness or injury). The combination of obesity and high-risk occupation was particularly detrimental. Maintaining healthy weight not only is important to workers but should also be a high priority for their employers given the strong

  6. Work-related musculoskeletal disorder surveillance using the Washington state workers' compensation system: Recent declines and patterns by industry, 1999-2013.

    PubMed

    Marcum, Jennifer; Adams, Darrin

    2017-05-01

    Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are common and place large economic and social burdens on workers and their communities. We describe recent WMSD trends and patterns of WMSD incidence among the Washington worker population by industry. We used Washington State's workers' compensation compensable claims from 1999 to 2013 to describe incidence and cost of WMSD claims by body part and diagnosis, and to identify high-risk industries. WMSD claim rates declined by an estimated annual 5.4% (95% CI: 5.0-5.9%) in Washington State from 1999 to 2013, but WMSDs continue to account for over 40% of all compensable claims. High risk industries identified were Construction; Transportation and Warehousing; Health Care and Social Assistance; and Manufacturing. As documented in other North American contexts, this study describes an important decline in the incidence of WMSDs. The Washington State workers' compensation system provides a rich data source for the surveillance of WMSDs. © Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  7. The Impact of Heat Waves on Occurrence and Severity of Construction Accidents

    PubMed Central

    Rameezdeen, Rameez; Elmualim, Abbas

    2017-01-01

    The impact of heat stress on human health has been extensively studied. Similarly, researchers have investigated the impact of heat stress on workers’ health and safety. However, very little work has been done on the impact of heat stress on occupational accidents and their severity, particularly in South Australian construction. Construction workers are at high risk of injury due to heat stress as they often work outdoors, undertake hard manual work, and are often project based and sub-contracted. Little is known on how heat waves could impact on construction accidents and their severity. In order to provide more evidence for the currently limited number of empirical investigations on the impact of heat stress on accidents, this study analysed 29,438 compensation claims reported during 2002–2013 within the construction industry of South Australia. Claims reported during 29 heat waves in Adelaide were compared with control periods to elicit differences in the number of accidents reported and their severity. The results revealed that worker characteristics, type of work, work environment, and agency of accident mainly govern the severity. It is recommended that the implementation of adequate preventative measures in small-sized companies and civil engineering sites, targeting mainly old age workers could be a priority for Work, Health and Safety (WHS) policies. PMID:28085067

  8. [Croatian and international regulations on the protection and rights of workers exposed to asbestos at work].

    PubMed

    Zavalić, Marija; Macan, Jelena

    2009-11-01

    exposed to asbestos, and criteria for the confirmation of occupational asbestos-related diseases which are harmonised with the Helsinki criteria acknowledged by ILO and EU, particularly concerning the level and length of exposure. Croatian law on compensation of workers occupationally exposed to asbestos from 2007 regulates compensation claims for workers with occupational asbestos-related disease, authorities competent to process these claims, and funds and coefficients for compensation payments. Accordingly, Croatia is responsible for compensation claims payment for workers with occupational asbestos-related disease. The 2007 law on conditions for entitlement to full pension for workers exposed to asbestos at work defines the conditions for fulfilling criteria for retirement pension for workers exposed to asbestos at work.

  9. Impact of the Spanish smoking law in smoker hospitality workers.

    PubMed

    Martínez-Sánchez, Jose M; Fernández, Esteve; Fu, Marcela; Pérez-Ríos, Mónica; López, María J; Ariza, Carles; Pascual, José A; Schiaffino, Anna; Pérez-Ortuño, Raúl; Saltó, Esteve; Nebot, Manel

    2009-09-01

    A smoke-free law went into effect in Spain on 1 January 2006, affecting all enclosed workplaces except hospitality venues, where only partial bans were implemented. The objective was to evaluate the impact of the law among hospitality workers who smoke. The study design is a before-and-after evaluation. We formed a cohort at baseline, during the 3 months before the law went into effect, with 431 hospitality workers (222 smokers). From them, 288 were successfully followed-up 12 months after the ban (118 were smokers at baseline). We analyzed the quit rate, the reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked per day, changes in the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) scores, and changes in salivary cotinine concentrations in smokers from baseline to 1 year after the ban. Among 118 smokers, six (5.1%) quit smoking. Among the 112 remaining smokers, the mean number of cigarettes smoked decreased by 8.9% after the ban (from 17.9 to 16.3 cigarettes/day, p < .01). The proportion of workers with a high nicotine dependence (FTND score >6) was reduced by half after the ban (19.5% vs. 9.7%, p = .03). Salivary cotinine decreased by 4.4% after the ban (geometric mean 104.3 vs. 99.7 ng/ml, p = .02). No meaningful differences were found in quit rates and the FTND scores according to type of regulation. The Spanish smoking law has had beneficial effects (reduction in number of cigarettes smoked, cotinine levels, and FTND score) among hospitality workers who smoke.

  10. Filing for workers' compensation among Ontario cases of mesothelioma.

    PubMed

    Payne, Jennifer Isabelle; Pichora, Erin

    2009-01-01

    For many types of cancer, disease attribution to occupational exposures is difficult. Mesothelioma, however, is a 'sentinel' occupational cancer associated with asbestos exposure. The present study linked workers' compensation claims data with cancer registry data to explore the completeness of reporting of mesothelioma to the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) according to characteristics of cases diagnosed among Ontario residents. Two data sources were linked at the person level: the WSIB Occupational Disease Information and Surveillance System and the Ontario Cancer Registry. Filing rates were calculated as the proportion of Ontario Cancer Registry mesothelioma cases (International Classification of Diseases - Oncology code 905) that linked to a WSIB-filed cancer claim. Filing rates were calculated for the period 1980 to 2002, and trends were calculated by year, age and county of residence at diagnosis. The filing rate for compensation has increased little over the past 20 years, reaching a high of 43% in 2000. Overall, filing rates were highest among pleural mesothelioma cases among men (range 27% to 57%). Filing rates were highest among individuals 50 to 59 years of age and declined substantially throughout the retirement years. There was substantial variation in filing rates by area of residence, with the highest rate being in Lambton County, Ontario. The filing rate for compensation in Ontario was much lower than the estimated proportion of cases eligible for compensation. The increased filing rate in Lambton County was likely related to this community's awareness of the association between asbestos and mesothelioma. Physicians can play an important role in educating patients of their potential entitlement to compensation benefits.

  11. Factors affecting first return to work following a compensable occupational back injury.

    PubMed

    Oleinick, A; Gluck, J V; Guire, K

    1996-11-01

    Occupational back injuries produced $27 billion in direct and indirect costs in 1988. Predictors of prolonged disability have generally been identified in selected clinical populations, but there have been few population-based studies using statewide registries from workers' compensation systems. This study uses a 1986 cohort of 8,628 Michigan workers with compensable back injuries followed to March 1, 1990. Cox proportional hazards analyses with nine categorical covariates identified factors predicting missed worktime for the first disability episode following the injury. The model distinguished factors affecting the acute (< or = 8 weeks) and chronic disability periods (> 8 weeks). The first disability episode following injury contains 69.6% of the missed worktime observed through follow-up. In the acute phase, which contributes 15.2% of first episode missed worktime, gender, age, number of dependents, industry (construction), occupation, and type of accident predict continued work disability. Marital status, weekly wage compensation rate, and establishment size do not. Beyond 8 weeks, age, establishment size and, to a lesser degree, wage compensation rate predict duration of work disability. Graphs show the predicted disability course for injured workers with specific covariate patterns. Future efforts to reduce missed worktime may require modifications in current clinical practice by patient age group and the development of new strategies to encourage small and medium-size employers to find ways to return their injured employees to work sooner. Recent federal statutes covering disabled workers will only partially correct the strong effect of employer establishment size.

  12. School Law for Counselors, Psychologists, and Social Workers. Third Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fischer, Louis; Sorenson, Gail Paulus

    A variety of laws and regulations apply to school counselors, psychologists, and social workers in their work. This book presents information on legal issues of particular interest to counselors, psychologists, and social workers. Each chapter concludes with at least one relevant court case. Ten chapters provide indepth information on the…

  13. Analysis of workers' compensation claims data for machine-related injuries in metal fabrication businesses.

    PubMed

    Yamin, Samuel C; Bejan, Anca; Parker, David L; Xi, Min; Brosseau, Lisa M

    2016-08-01

    Metal fabrication workers are at high risk for machine-related injury. Apart from amputations, data on factors contributing to this problem are generally absent. Narrative text analysis was performed on workers' compensation claims in order to identify machine-related injuries and determine work tasks involved. Data were further evaluated on the basis of cost per claim, nature of injury, and part of body. From an initial set of 4,268 claims, 1,053 were classified as machine-related. Frequently identified tasks included machine operation (31%), workpiece handling (20%), setup/adjustment (15%), and removing chips (12%). Lacerations to finger(s), hand, or thumb comprised 38% of machine-related injuries; foreign body in the eye accounted for 20%. Amputations were relatively rare but had highest costs per claim (mean $21,059; median $11,998). Despite limitations, workers' compensation data were useful in characterizing machine-related injuries. Improving the quality of data collected by insurers would enhance occupational injury surveillance and prevention efforts. Am. J. Ind. Med. 59:656-664, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Mental health and alcohol problems among Estonian cleanup workers 24 years after the Chernobyl accident.

    PubMed

    Laidra, Kaia; Rahu, Kaja; Tekkel, Mare; Aluoja, Anu; Leinsalu, Mall

    2015-11-01

    To study the long-term mental health consequences of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident among cleanup workers from Estonia. In 2010, 614 Estonian Chernobyl cleanup workers and 706 geographically and age-matched population-based controls completed a mail survey that included self-rated health, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL), alcohol symptoms (AUDIT), and scales measuring depressive, anxiety, agoraphobia, fatigue, insomnia, and somatization symptoms. Respondents were dichotomized into high (top quartile) and low symptom groups on each measure. Logistic regression analysis detected significant differences between cleanup workers and controls on all measures even after adjustment for ethnicity, education, marital status, and employment status. The strongest difference was found for somatization, with cleanup workers being three times more likely than controls to score in the top quartile (OR = 3.28, 95% CI 2.39-4.52), whereas for alcohol problems the difference was half as large (OR = 1.52, 95% CI 1.16-1.99). Among cleanup workers, arrival at Chernobyl in 1986 (vs. later) was associated with sleep problems, somatization, and symptoms of agoraphobia. The toll of cleanup work was evident 24 years after the Chernobyl accident among Estonian cleanup workers indicating the need for focused mental health interventions.

  15. Do claim factors predict health care utilization after transport accidents?

    PubMed

    Elbers, Nieke A; Cuijpers, Pim; Akkermans, Arno J; Collie, Alex; Ruseckaite, Rasa; Bruinvels, David J

    2013-04-01

    Injured people who are involved in compensation processes have less recovery and less well-being compared to those not involved in claims settlement procedures. This study investigated whether claim factors, such as no-fault versus common law claims, the number of independent medical assessments, and legal disputes, predict health care utilization after transport accidents. The sample consisted of 68,911 claimants who lodged a compensation claim at the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) in Victoria, Australia, between 2000 and 2005. The main outcome measure was health care utilization, which was defined as the number of visits to health care providers (e.g. general practitioners, physiotherapists, psychologists) during the 5 year period post-accident. After correction for gender, age, role in accident, injury type, and severity of injury, it was found that independent medical assessments were associated with greater health care utilization (β=.36, p<.001). Involvement in common law claims and legal disputes were both significantly related to health care utilization (respectively β=.05, p<.001 and β=-.02, p<.001), however, the standardized betas were negligible, therefore the effect is not clinically relevant. A model including claim factors predicted the number of health care visits significantly better (ΔR(2)=.08, p<.001) than a model including only gender, age, role in accident, injury type, and severity of injury. The positive association between the number of independent medical assessments and health care utilization after transport accidents may imply that numerous medical assessments have a negative effect on claimants' health. However, further research is needed to determine a causal relationship. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Relationship between stressfulness of claiming for injury compensation and long-term recovery: a prospective cohort study.

    PubMed

    Grant, Genevieve M; O'Donnell, Meaghan L; Spittal, Matthew J; Creamer, Mark; Studdert, David M

    2014-04-01

    Each year, millions of persons worldwide seek compensation for transport accident and workplace injuries. Previous research suggests that these claimants have worse long-term health outcomes than persons whose injuries fall outside compensation schemes. However, existing studies have substantial methodological weaknesses and have not identified which aspects of the claiming experience may drive these effects. To determine aspects of claims processes that claimants to transport accident and workers' compensation schemes find stressful and whether such stressful experiences are associated with poorer long-term recovery. Prospective cohort study of a random sample of 1010 patients hospitalized in 3 Australian states for injuries from 2004 through 2006. At 6-year follow-up, we interviewed 332 participants who had claimed compensation from transport accident and workers' compensation schemes ("claimants") to determine which aspects of the claiming experience they found stressful. We used multivariable regression analysis to test for associations between compensation-related stress and health status at 6 years, adjusting for baseline determinants of long-term health status and predisposition to stressful experiences (via propensity scores). Disability, quality of life, anxiety, and depression. Among claimants, 33.9% reported high levels of stress associated with understanding what they needed to do for their claim; 30.4%, with claim delays; 26.9%, with the number of medical assessments; and 26.1%, with the amount of compensation they received. Six years after their injury, claimants who reported high levels of stress had significantly higher levels of disability (+6.94 points, World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule sum score), anxiety and depression (+1.89 points and +2.61 points, respectively, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and lower quality of life (-0.73 points, World Health Organization Quality of Life instrument, overall item), compared

  17. Compensation for psychiatric injury: evolution of a law of nervous shock.

    PubMed

    Griffith, Richard

    2006-09-01

    District nurses will be well aware that if a person receives an injury because of someone else's negligence they are entitled to compensation for the harm that has been caused. However, where the injury is in the form of psychiatric harm the law has traditionally imposed rules that set out the conditions to be met before a successful claim for damages can be made. Even in today's enlightened society the law still does not always treat a psychiatric injury in the same way as a physical injury. In this article Richard Griffith outlines the development of the law in relation to psychiatric injury--historically called "nervous shock"--and considers the current approach to claims for damages where a person suffers psychiatric harm because of another's negligent act.

  18. Impact of the Illinois Seat Belt Use Law on Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rock, Steven M.

    1992-01-01

    The impact of the 1985 Illinois seat belt law is explored using Box-Jenkins Auto-Regressive, Integrated Moving Averages (ARIMA) techniques and monthly accident statistical data from the state department of transportation for January-July 1990. A conservative estimate is that the law provides benefits of $15 million per month in Illinois. (SLD)

  19. Trends in workers compensation costs in a hotel-operating company over a six-year period.

    PubMed

    Kelley, C R; Mark, C R

    1995-03-01

    A large Honolulu-based hotel-operating company reviewed its workers compensation costs over the last 6 years. Data retrieved from the company's computerized data base is used to describe trends in injury incidence rate, average cost per claim, average medical cost per claim, and medical expenses as a percentage of total costs. Factors that might have influenced these parameters include company reorganization, employee training and safety programs, changes in the economy, company morale, aggressive case management, and the quality of the adjusting services hired. Cause-and-effect relationships, although suggested, cannot be proven. The data is presented, in this year of imminent workers compensation legislative reform, to increase the available factual data base on which rational and efficacious reform proposals can be developed.

  20. Clinical aspects of the health disturbances in Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident clean-up workers (liquidators) from Latvia.

    PubMed

    Eglite, M E; Zvagule, T J; Rainsford, K D; Reste, J D; Curbakova, E V; Kurjane, N N

    2009-06-01

    The health status of some 6,000 workers from Latvia who went to clean-up the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (CNPP) site following the explosion on 26 April 1986 has been analyzed. The data on these workers have been recorded in the Latvian State Register of Occupational disease patients and people exposed to ionizing radiation due to Chernobyl NPP accident (Latvian State Register) that was established in 1994. From these data, estimates have been made of external ionizing radiation to which these workers were exposed together with observations on the impact of exposure to heavy metals (especially lead and zinc) and radioactive isotopes released during the reactor 'meltdown'. These factors along with psycho-emotional and social-economic stresses account for a marked excess of mortality and morbidity in the group of CNPP accident clean-up workers compared with that of the non-exposed normal Latvian population adjusted for age and sex. The number of diseases or conditions in the CNPP accident clean-up workers has progressively risen from an average of 1.3 in 1986 to 10.9 in 2007. This exceeds for the Latvian population when adjusted for age and sex. The most serious conditions affect the nervous, digestive, respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine (especially thyroid) and immunological systems. While the morbidity associated with diseases of the respiratory and digestive systems has decreased in recent years that in the other systems is increasing. In recent years, there has been an increased occurrence of cancers affecting the thyroid, prostate and stomach. Clinical and laboratory investigations suggest that surviving CNPP accident clean-up workers exhibit signs of immuno-inflammatory reactions causing premature aging with evidence of autoimmune diseases and immunological deficiencies or abnormalities. It is suggested that the CNPP accident clean-up workers may have a specific syndrome, the 'Chernobyl post-radiation neurosomatic polypathy', due to sustained oxidant

  1. Magnetic resonance imaging in evaluating workers' compensation patients.

    PubMed

    Babbel, Daniel; Rayan, Ghazi

    2012-04-01

    We studied the utility of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies for workers' compensation patients with hand conditions in which the referring doctor obtained the images. We compared the MRI findings with the eventual clinical findings. We also investigated the approximate cost of these MRI studies. We retrospectively reviewed the charts of all workers' compensation patients seen in a hand and upper extremity practice over the course of 3 years. We selected patients who had MRI studies of the affected upper extremities before referral to the senior author (G.R.). We reviewed the charts for information regarding demographics, referral diagnoses, MRI diagnoses made by the radiologist, the area of the upper extremity studied, and eventual clinical diagnoses by the senior author. We made a determination as to whether a hand surgeon could have adequately diagnosed and treated the patients' conditions without the imaging studies. We also investigated the cost associated with these MRIs. We included 62 patients with a total of 67 MRI scans in this study. The MRI studies did not contribute to clinically diagnosing the patients' conditions in any of the cases we reviewed. The hand surgeon's clinical diagnosis disagreed with the radiologist's MRI diagnosis in 63% of patients. The MRI was unnecessary to arrive at the clinical diagnosis and did not influence the treatment offered for any of the 62 patients. The total cost for the 67 non-contrast MRI studies was approximately $53,000. Costly imaging studies are frequently done to determine the validity of a patient's reported problems; unfortunately, these tests are frequently unnecessary and waste resources. Magnetic resonance imaging scans may not be the standard for accurate diagnosis and can misdirect care. Therapeutic III. Copyright © 2012 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. [Drugs and occupational accident].

    PubMed

    Bratzke, H; Albers, C

    1996-02-01

    In a case of a fatal occupational accident (construction worker, fall from roof, urine test positive for cocaine and THC, e.g. cannabis) the question arised to what extent those drug-related occupational accidents occur. In the literature only few cases, mainly dealing with cannabis influence, have been reported, however, a higher number is suspected. Cocaine and other stimulating drugs (amphetamine) are more often used to increase physical fitness. By direct or indirect interference with vigilance these compounds may provoke accidents. Due to the lack of a legal basis proving of the influence of drugs at the working place is still very limited, although highly sensitive chemical-toxicological assay procedures are available to detect even the chronic abuse (in hair). In the general conditions of accident insurances a compensation is excluded when alcohol is involved, but drugs are not mentioned. It is indeed difficult to establish a concentration limit for drugs like that existing for alcohol (1.1%). In each case the assay of the drug involved and exact knowledge of its specific effects is in an essential prerequisite to prove the causal relationship.

  3. 78 FR 40513 - Division of Federal Employees' Compensation; Proposed Extension of Existing Collection; Comment...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-05

    ... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Office of Workers' Compensation Programs Division of Federal Employees... Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a... concerning the proposed collection: Notice of Law Enforcement Officer's Injury or Occupational Disease (CA...

  4. The Dark Side of Workers' Compensation: Burdens and Benefits in Occupational Disease Coverage.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robblee, Richard

    1978-01-01

    The imposition of legal proof requirements to detect occupational disease and the burden that this places on compensation claimants and the medical profession are examined, along with various court decisions, present legislation, and revision proposals to improve disease diagnosis and the legal treatment of occupationally disabled workers. (MF)

  5. Age in relation to worker compensation costs in the construction industry.

    PubMed

    Schwatka, Natalie V; Butler, Lesley M; Rosecrance, John C

    2013-03-01

    A better understanding of how workers' compensation (WC) costs are affected by an aging US workforce is needed, especially for physically demanding industries, such as construction. The relationship between age and injury type on claim costs was evaluated using a database of 107,064 Colorado WC claims filed between 1998 and 2008 among construction workers. Mean WC costs increased with increasing age for total cost (P < 0.0001), medical costs (P < 0.0001), and indemnity costs (P < 0.0001). For each one-year increase in age, indemnity, and medical costs increased by 3.5% and 1.1%, respectively. For specific injury types, such as strains and contusions, the association between age and indemnity costs was higher among claimants aged ≥65 compared to claimants aged 18-24. Our findings suggest that specific injury types may be partially responsible for the higher indemnity costs among older construction workers, compared with their younger coworkers. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Workers' compensation claims for musculoskeletal disorders among wholesale and retail trade industry workers--Ohio, 2005-2009.

    PubMed

    2013-06-07

    Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) resulting from ergonomic hazards are common in the United States. Recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicate that in 2011, one third of occupational injuries and illnesses resulting in lost time from work were WMSDs. Based on data from the 2010 BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, a higher rate of WMSDs resulting in lost time from work occurred in the Wholesale and Retail Trade (WRT) industry compared with most other industries. To assess trends and identify WRT subsectors and subgroups associated with high rates of WMSD workers' compensation claims, the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (OBWC) and CDC analyzed OBWC claims data for single-location WRT employers in Ohio for the period 2005-2009. From 2005 to 2009, the rate of WMSD claims declined from 86.3 to 52.8 per 10,000 employees. The three WRT industry subsectors with the highest rates of WMSD claims were Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods; Furniture and Home Furnishings Stores; and Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods. Within those three WRT subsectors, the highest rates of WMSD claims were noted in five subgroups: furniture stores and wholesalers of alcoholic beverages, groceries and related products, metal and minerals, and motor vehicle parts. Providing recommendations for WMSD prevention is particularly important for these WRT subgroups.

  7. Analysis of the Uniform Accident And Sickness Policy Provision Law: lessons for social work practice, policy, and research.

    PubMed

    Cochran, Gerald

    2010-01-01

    The Uniform Accident and Sickness Policy Provision Law (UPPL) is a state statute that allows insurance companies in 26 states to deny claims for accidents and injuries incurred by persons under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Serious repercussions can result for patients and health care professionals as states enforce this law. To examine differences within the laws that might facilitate amendments or reduce insurance companies' ability to deny claims, a content analysis was carried out of each state's UPPL law. Results showed no meaningful differences between each state's laws. These results indicate patients and health professionals share similar risk related to the UPPL regardless of state.

  8. Occupational Accidents with Agricultural Machinery in Austria.

    PubMed

    Kogler, Robert; Quendler, Elisabeth; Boxberger, Josef

    2016-01-01

    The number of recognized accidents with fatalities during agricultural and forestry work, despite better technology and coordinated prevention and trainings, is still very high in Austria. The accident scenarios in which people are injured are very different on farms. The common causes of accidents in agriculture and forestry are the loss of control of machine, means of transport or handling equipment, hand-held tool, and object or animal, followed by slipping, stumbling and falling, breakage, bursting, splitting, slipping, fall, and collapse of material agent. In the literature, a number of studies of general (machine- and animal-related accidents) and specific (machine-related accidents) agricultural and forestry accident situations can be found that refer to different databases. From the database Data of the Austrian Workers Compensation Board (AUVA) about occupational accidents with different agricultural machinery over the period 2008-2010 in Austria, main characteristics of the accident, the victim, and the employer as well as variables on causes and circumstances by frequency and contexts of parameters were statistically analyzed by employing the chi-square test and odds ratio. The aim of the study was to determine the information content and quality of the European Statistics on Accidents at Work (ESAW) variables to evaluate safety gaps and risks as well as the accidental man-machine interaction.

  9. Human errors and occupational injuries of older female workers in the residential healthcare facilities for the elderly.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jun Sik; Jeong, Byung Yong

    2018-05-03

    The study aimed to describe the characteristics of occupational injuries of female workers in the residential healthcare facilities for the elderly, and analyze human errors as causes of accidents. From the national industrial accident compensation data, 506 female injuries were analyzed by age and occupation. The results showed that medical service worker was the most prevalent (54.1%), followed by social welfare worker (20.4%). Among injuries, 55.7% were <1 year of work experience, and 37.9% were ≥60 years old. Slips/falls were the most common type of accident (42.7%), and proportion of injured by slips/falls increases with age. Among human errors, action errors were the primary reasons, followed by perception errors, and cognition errors. Besides, the ratios of injuries by perception errors and action errors increase with age, respectively. The findings of this study suggest that there is a need to design workplaces that accommodate the characteristics of older female workers.

  10. Unrestrained outsourcing in Brazil: more precarization and health risks for workers.

    PubMed

    Druck, Graça

    2016-06-20

    This article discusses the current status of outsourcing in Brazil, with new regulation underway featuring a bill of law under review by the National Congress, aimed at allowing outsourcing for all activities. The authors argue that outsourcing and precarization of work are inseparable phenomena, based on the results of 20 years of research in Brazil that reveals the more precarious working conditions of outsourced workers in different occupational categories. They focus particularly on workers' health: outsourcing of risks has led to more fatal work accidents, invariably at higher rates in outsourced workers. Finally, the article contends that to remove restraints on outsourcing in Brazil amounts to legalizing and legitimizing predatory workforce exploitation, disregarding workers' physical limits, exposing them to risk of fatal accidents, and reverting to forms of work that violate the human condition.

  11. The Federal Employees' Compensation Act.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nordlund, Willis J.

    1991-01-01

    The 1916 Federal Employees' Compensation Act is still the focal point around which the federal workers compensation program works today. The program has gone through many changes on its way to becoming a modern means of compensating workers for job-related injury, disease, and death. (Author)

  12. Adolescent occupational injuries and workplace risks: an analysis of Oregon workers' compensation data 1990-1997.

    PubMed

    McCall, Brian P; Horwitz, Irwin B; Carr, Bethanie S

    2007-09-01

    Injuries to adolescents from occupational activities has been recognized as a significant public health concern. The objective of this study was to quantify adolescent injury rates, analyze risk factors, and measure the severity of injuries sustained using Oregon workers' compensation data. From 1990-1997, a total of 8060 workers' compensation claims, submitted by claimants 16-19 years old, were accepted by Oregon and used in these analyses. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics were used to derive injury rates. An overall estimated claim rate of 134.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] 124.9-143.6) per 10,000 adolescent workers was found, with males having over twice the rate of females. The total average annual claim cost was $3,168,457, representing $3145 per claim. The average total temporary disability period per claim was 22.3 days. Precision production workers had the highest claim rate of 296.2 (95% CI 178.9-413.4) and highest associated costs ($8266) for all occupations, whereas those in the farming/fishing/forestry occupation had the longest average periods of indemnification with 31.6 days. Day shift workers had the highest claim rates and most severe injuries relative to other shifts. The injury rates found among adolescent workers demonstrates that continued safety interventions and increased training are needed. Because of high claim rate and injury severity, particular attention should be focused on adolescents in food service, manufacturing, and agricultural occupations. Understanding the differences of adolescent circadian rhythm patterns in establishing work schedules and supervisory practices could also prove valuable for decreasing injury risk.

  13. Positive impact of the Portuguese smoking law on respiratory health of restaurant workers.

    PubMed

    Madureira, Joana; Mendes, Ana; Almeida, Sofia; Teixeira, João Paulo

    2012-01-01

    The impact of smoke-free law on the respiratory and sensory symptoms among restaurant workers was evaluated. Fifty-two workers in 10 Portuguese restaurants were interviewed before and 2 years after implementation of the smoke-free law. A significant reduction in self-reported workplace environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure was observed after the enforcement of the law, as well as a marked reduction in adverse respiratory and sensory symptoms such as dry, itching, irritated, or watery eyes, nasal problems, and sore or dry throat or cough, between pre- and post-ban. This study demonstrates that the smoking ban was effective in diminishing the exposure symptoms among workers and consequently in improving their respiratory health. These observations may have implications for policymakers and legislators in other countries currently considering the nature and extent of their smoke-free workplace legislation.

  14. 32 CFR 728.53 - Department of Labor, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) beneficiaries.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 5 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Department of Labor, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) beneficiaries. 728.53 Section 728.53 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY PERSONNEL MEDICAL AND DENTAL CARE FOR ELIGIBLE PERSONS AT NAVY MEDICAL...

  15. Workplace engagement and workers' compensation claims as predictors for patient safety culture.

    PubMed

    Thorp, Jonathon; Baqai, Waheed; Witters, Dan; Harter, Jim; Agrawal, Sangeeta; Kanitkar, Kirti; Pappas, James

    2012-12-01

    Demonstrate the relationship between employee engagement and workplace safety for predicting patient safety culture. Patient safety is an issue for the U.S. health-care system, and health care has some of the highest rates of nonfatal workplace injuries. Understanding the types of injuries sustained by health-care employees, the type of safety environment employees of health-care organizations work in, and how employee engagement affects patient safety is vital to improving the safety of both employees and patients. The Gallup Q survey and an approved, abbreviated, and validated subset of questions from the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture were administered to staff at a large tertiary academic medical center in 2007 and 2009. After controlling for demographic variables, researchers conducted a longitudinal, hierarchical linear regression analysis to study the unique contributions of employee engagement, changes in employee engagement, and employee safety in predicting patient safety culture. Teams with higher baseline engagement, more positive change in engagement, fewer workers' compensation claims, and fewer part-time associates in previous years had stronger patient safety cultures in 2009. Baseline engagement and change in engagement were the strongest independent predictors of patient safety culture in 2009. Engagement and compensation claims were additive and complimentary predictors, independent of other variables in the analysis, including the demographic composition of the workgroups in the study. A synergistic effect exists between employee engagement and decreased levels of workers' compensation claims for improving patient safety culture. Organizations can improve engagement and implement safety policies, procedures, and devices for employees with an ultimate effect of improving patient safety culture.

  16. Occupational injuries to Oregon workers 24 years and younger: An analysis of workers' compensation claims, 2000-2007.

    PubMed

    Walters, Jaime K; Christensen, Kari A; Green, Mandy K; Karam, Lauren E; Kincl, Laurel D

    2010-10-01

    Occupational injuries to adolescents and young adults are a known public health problem. We sought to describe and estimate rates of occupational injuries to workers younger than 25 years of age in Oregon during an 8-year period. Oregon workers' compensation disabling claims data (n = 23,325) and one commercial insurance carrier's non-disabling claims data (n = 16,153) were analyzed. Total employment from the Local Employment Dynamics of the U.S. Census Bureau and the Oregon Labor Market Information System was used as a denominator for rates. Injuries were more frequent among 22-24 year olds and among males, though females accounted for a higher proportion of claims in the youngest age group. The most common injury type was a sprain or strain, but lacerations and burns were more frequently reported in the 14-18 year olds. When non-disabling claims were included, the rate of injury for 14-18 year olds doubled. The overall rate of injury was 122.7/10,000 workers, but was higher in the construction, manufacturing, and transportation sectors, and in the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting sector for older teens and young adults. Young workers continue to be at risk for occupational injuries. Our results show that specific interventions may be needed for older teen and young adult workers to reduce their rate of injury. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  17. Survival rates and worker compensation expenses in a national cohort of Mexican workers with permanent occupational disability caused by diabetes.

    PubMed

    Ascencio-Montiel, Iván de Jesús; Kumate-Rodríguez, Jesús; Borja-Aburto, Víctor Hugo; Fernández-Garate, José Esteban; Konik-Comonfort, Selene; Macías-Pérez, Oliver; Campos-Hernández, Ángel; Rodríguez-Vázquez, Héctor; López-Roldán, Verónica Miriam; Zitle-García, Edgar Jesús; Solís-Cruz, María Del Carmen; Velázquez-Ramírez, Ismael; Aguilar-Jiménez, Miriam; Villa-Caballero, Leonel; Cisneros-González, Nelly

    2016-09-01

    Permanent occupational disability is one of the most severe consequences of diabetes that impedes the performance of usual working activities among economically active individuals. Survival rates and worker compensation expenses have not previously been examined among Mexican workers. We aimed to describe the worker compensation expenses derived from pension payments and also to examine the survival rates and characteristics associated with all-cause mortality, in a cohort of 34,014 Mexican workers with permanent occupational disability caused by diabetes during the years 2000-2013 at the Mexican Institute of Social Security. A cross-sectional analysis study was conducted using national administrative records data from the entire country, regarding permanent occupational disability medical certification, pension payment and vital status. Survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI) in order to assess the cohort characteristics and all-cause mortality risk. Total expenses derived from pension payments for the period were accounted for in U.S. dollars (USD, 2013). There were 12,917 deaths in 142,725.1 person-years. Median survival time was 7.26 years. After multivariate adjusted analysis, males (HR, 1.39; 95 % CI, 1.29-1.50), agricultural, forestry, and fishery workers (HR, 1.41; 95 % CI, 1.15-1.73) and renal complications (HR, 3.49; 95 % CI, 3.18-3.83) had the highest association with all-cause mortality. The all-period expenses derived from pension payments amounted to $777.78 million USD (2013), and showed a sustained increment: from $58.28 million USD in 2000 to $111.62 million USD in 2013 (percentage increase of 91.5 %). Mexican workers with permanent occupational disability caused by diabetes had a median survival of 7.26 years, and those with renal complications showed the lowest survival in the cohort

  18. Mesothelioma incidence surveillance systems and claims for workers' compensation. Epidemiological evidence and prospects for an integrated framework.

    PubMed

    Marinaccio, Alessandro; Scarselli, Alberto; Merler, Enzo; Iavicoli, Sergio

    2012-07-05

    Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive and lethal tumour strongly associated with exposure to asbestos (mainly occupational). In Italy a large proportion of workers are protected from occupational diseases by public insurance and an epidemiological surveillance system for incident mesothelioma cases. We set up an individual linkage between the Italian national mesothelioma register (ReNaM) and the Italian workers' compensation authority (INAIL) archives. Logistic regression models were used to identify and test explanatory variables. We extracted 3270 mesothelioma cases with occupational origins from the ReNaM, matching them with 1625 subjects in INAIL (49.7%); 91.2% (1,482) of the claims received compensation. The risk of not seeking compensation is significantly higher for women and the elderly. Claims have increased significantly in recent years and there is a clear geographical gradient (northern and more developed regions having higher claims rates). The highest rates of compensation claims were after work known to involve asbestos. Our data illustrate the importance of documentation and dissemination of all asbestos exposure modalities. Strategies focused on structural and systematic interaction between epidemiological surveillance and insurance systems are needed.

  19. Physical, social and emotional function after work accidents: a medicolegal perspective.

    PubMed

    Holtedahl, Robin; Veiersted, Kaj Bo

    2007-01-01

    The aim of this study was to analyse social and functional consequences of work accidents in a group of workers' compensation claimants who had been referred from the National Insurance Administration for a medicolegal assessment. The injured workers were evaluated on average 3 years after their accidents. Their medical records were analysed, and each injury was scored according to the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS). Participants completed the Short Form Questionnaire (SF-36). Factors relating to outcome on SF-36 were analysed using univariate and multivariate methods. 191 claimants returned the SF-36 (62%), 83% of the respondents had an AIS score of less than two, 33% reported working full time. Compared to population-based norms, the respondents reported significantly reduced health on all eight scales of SF-36. Better health and function was mainly associated with a higher level of education and more serious injuries. The extent of social support in the workplace after the accident was only partly related to outcome. The importance of psychosocial factors when making injury assessments in a medicolegal setting is highlighted.

  20. A Policy Intervention Study to Identify High-Risk Groups to Prevent Industrial Accidents in Republic of Korea.

    PubMed

    Yi, Kwan Hyung; Lee, Seung Soo

    2016-09-01

    The objective of this study is to identify high-risk groups for industrial accidents by setting up 2003 as the base year and conducting an in-depth analysis of the trends of major industrial accident indexes the index of industrial accident rate, the index of occupational injury rate, the index of occupational illness and disease rate per 10,000 people, and the index of occupational injury fatality rate per 10,000 people for the past 10 years. This study selected industrial accident victims, who died or received more than 4 days of medical care benefits, due to occupational accidents and diseases occurring at workplaces, subject to the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act, as the study population. According to the trends of four major indexes by workplace characteristics, the whole industry has shown a decreasing tendency in all four major indexes since the base year (2003); as of 2012, the index of industrial accident rate was 67, while the index of occupational injury fatality rate per 10,000 people was 59. The manufacturing industry, age over 50 years and workplaces with more than 50 employees showed a high severity level of occupational accidents. Male workers showed a higher severity level of occupational accidents than female workers. The employment period of < 3 years and newly hired workers with a relatively shorter working period are likely to have more occupational accidents than others. Overall, an industrial accident prevention policy must be established by concentrating all available resources and capacities of these high-risk groups.

  1. Occupational lead poisoning in Ohio: surveillance using workers' compensation data.

    PubMed

    Seligman, P J; Halperin, W E; Mullan, R J; Frazier, T M

    1986-11-01

    To determine the utility of workers' compensation (WC) data in a system for the surveillance of occupational lead poisoning, we reviewed workers' compensation claims for lead poisoning in Ohio. For the period 1979 through 1983, 92 (81 per cent) of the 114 claims attributed to lead met our case definition of lead poisoning. The likelihood that a company had a case of lead poisoning was strongly correlated with the number of claims against the company. Thirty companies accounted for the 92 cases; two companies accounted for 49 per cent of these. Inspection by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) occurred at 14 of these companies, all of which were cited for violations of the OSHA lead standard. Comparison of the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes for the 14 companies inspected by OSHA with the 15 companies not inspected by OSHA revealed that OSHA inspected battery manufacturers, non-ferrous foundries, secondary smelters, and primary lead smelters, but not bridge painters, manufacturers of electronic components, mechanical power transmission equipment, pumps, and paints, nor a sheriff's office where firing range slugs were remelted to make new bullets. Neither the number of cases of lead poisoning at a company nor the size of a company was related to the likelihood of being inspected by OSHA. Claims for WC appear to be a useful adjunct to an occupational lead poisoning surveillance system; their usefulness should be compared to that of other systems such as laboratory reports of elevated blood lead levels in adults.

  2. [Changes in hospitality workers' expectations and attitudes after the implementation of the Spanish smoking law].

    PubMed

    Martínez-Sánchez, Jose M; Fenández, Esteve; Fu, Marcela; Pérez-Ríos, Mónica; Schiaffino, Anna; López, María J; Alonso, Begoña; Saltó, Esteve; Nebot, Manel; Borràs, Josep M

    2010-01-01

    To assess changes in hospitality workers' expectations and attitudes towards the Spanish smoking law before and 2 years after the smoking ban. We performed a longitudinal study of a cohort (n=431) of hospitality workers in five regions in Spain before the law came into effect and 24 months later. Expectations and attitudes towards the ban and knowledge about the effect of second-hand smoke on health were compared before and after the ban. We recruited 431 hospitality workers in the baseline survey and 219 were followed-up 24 months later (overall follow-up rate of 50.8%). The percentage of hospitality workers who knew the law was 79.0% before it was passed and was 94.1% 24 months later (p<0.05). We observed an increase in support to the smoke-free ban in all public places, including bars and restaurants (54.1% to 65.8%; p<0.05). The percentages of support for the current ban, perception of compliance with the ban by employees and customers, and knowledge of the effect of second-hand smoke on health also increased. Knowledge and support to the Spanish smoking law among hospitality workers increased 2 years after the implementation of the ban. Copyright 2009 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  3. Improving the quality of workers' compensation health care delivery: the Washington State Occupational Health Services Project.

    PubMed

    Wickizer, T M; Franklin, G; Plaeger-Brockway, R; Mootz, R D

    2001-01-01

    This article has summarized research and policy activities undertaken in Washington State over the past several years to identify the key problems that result in poor quality and excessive disability among injured workers, and the types of system and delivery changes that could best address these problems in order to improve the quality of occupational health care provided through the workers' compensation system. Our investigations have consistently pointed to the lack of coordination and integration of occupational health services as having major adverse effects on quality and health outcomes for workers' compensation. The Managed Care Pilot Project, a delivery system intervention, focused on making changes in how care is organized and delivered to injured workers. That project demonstrated robust improvements in disability reduction; however, worker satisfaction suffered. Our current quality improvement initiative, developed through the Occupational Health Services Project, synthesizes what was learned from the MCP and other pilot studies to make delivery system improvements. This initiative seeks to develop provider incentives and clinical management processes that will improve outcomes and reduce the burden of disability on injured workers. Fundamental to this approach are simultaneously preserving workers' right to choose their own physician and maintaining flexibility in the provision of individualized care based on clinical need and progress. The OHS project then will be a "real world" test to determine if aligning provider incentives and giving physicians the tools they need to optimize occupational health delivery can demonstrate sustainable reduction in disability and improvements in patient and employer satisfaction. Critical to the success of this initiative will be our ability to: (1) enhance the occupational health care management skills and expertise of physicians who treat injured workers by establishing community-based Centers of Occupational

  4. Air quality, mortality, and economic benefits of a smoke - free workplace law for non-smoking Ontario bar workers.

    PubMed

    Repace, J; Zhang, B; Bondy, S J; Benowitz, N; Ferrence, R

    2013-04-01

    We estimated the impact of a smoke-free workplace bylaw on non-smoking bar workers' health in Ontario, Canada. We measured bar workers' urine cotinine before (n = 99) and after (n = 91) a 2004 smoke-free workplace bylaw. Using pharmacokinetic and epidemiological models, we estimated workers' fine-particle (PM2.5 ) air pollution exposure and mortality risks from workplace secondhand smoke (SHS). workers' pre-law geometric mean cotinine was 10.3 ng/ml; post-law dose declined 70% to 3.10 ng/ml and reported work hours of exposure by 90%. Pre-law, 97% of workers' doses exceeded the 90th percentile for Canadians of working age. Pre-law-estimated 8-h average workplace PM2.5 exposure from SHS was 419 μg/m(3) or 'Very Poor' air quality, while outdoor PM2.5 levels averaged 7 μg/m(3) , 'Very Good' air quality by Canadian Air Quality Standards. We estimated that the bar workers' annual mortality rate from workplace SHS exposure was 102 deaths per 100000 persons. This was 2.4 times the occupational disease fatality rate for all Ontario workers. We estimated that half to two-thirds of the 10620 Ontario bar workers were non-smokers. Accordingly, Ontario's smoke-free law saved an estimated 5-7 non-smoking bar workers' lives annually, valued at CA $50 million to $68 million (US $49 million to $66 million). © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  5. Pedestrian safety in Virginia : accident characteristics and suggested revisions to Virginia's pedestrian laws.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1981-01-01

    The purpose of the research reported here was to evaluate the nature, characteristics, and severity of accidents involving pedestrians in Virginia and to determine whether or not these data would suggest the need for changes in Virginia traffic laws ...

  6. 76 FR 64976 - Division of Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Proposed Renewal of Existing Collection...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-10-19

    ... requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is... respondents can be properly assessed. Currently, the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) is...-207). A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the office...

  7. 77 FR 13636 - Division of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation; Proposed Extension of Existing Collection; Comment...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-03-07

    ... requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is... respondents can be properly assessed. Currently, the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs is soliciting... Benefit Payments (CM-908). A copy of the information collection request can be obtained by contacting the...

  8. [Prospectic evaluation of the Italian Workers' Compensation Authority in a large case series of Occupational sino-nasal cancers].

    PubMed

    Casà, M; Bonzini, M; Parassoni, D; Tavecchio, D; Facchinetti, N; Castelnuovo, P; Ferrario, M M

    2012-01-01

    Sino-nasal cancer (SNC) are rare tumours with an elevated occupational etiological fraction, due both to well-established risk factors (wood and leather) and to more rare carcinogens. We evaluated the assessment for workers' compensation performed by the Italian Authority (INAL) in a case-series of occupational SNC (N = 45). We observed an elevated proportion of cases that were recognised as occupational, overall (36 on 39) and for any histotype. INAIL tended to recognize as professional not only patients with exposure to wood and leather but also cases with a documented exposure to formaldehyde, metal, polycyclic hydrocarbons. Significant differences across Italian macro-regions appeared, when the amount of worker compensation was investigated.

  9. [Compensation of unforeseeable medical complications following cosmetic surgery finally made possible by ONIAM].

    PubMed

    Theissen, A; Pujol, N; Lascar, T; Flavin, P; Fuz, F; Niccolai, P

    2015-02-01

    In the absence of any proven medical fault by a plastic surgeon, the patient could not obtain compensation through national solidarity (as stipulated by the Law of March 4th 2002). Indeed ONIAM (France's National Office for Medical Accidents' Compensation) has always rejected any claims on the grounds that cosmetic surgery differs from medical care. Through its judgment of February 5th 2014, France's final Court of Appeals settled the question and considered cosmetic surgery as medical care; in case of serious injuries following unforeseeable medical complications, the patient may be compensated by ONIAM, as with any other medical act. This jurisprudence will certainly result in medical liability insurers be no longer those only responsible for compensation of injuries following cosmetic surgery. Plastic surgeons' insurance premiums should logically become cheaper. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  10. Risk of Occupational Accidents in Workers with Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

    PubMed Central

    Garbarino, Sergio; Guglielmi, Ottavia; Sanna, Antonio; Mancardi, Gian Luigi; Magnavita, Nicola

    2016-01-01

    Study Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the single most important preventable medical cause of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and driving accidents. OSA may also adversely affect work performance through a decrease in productivity, and an increase in the injury rate. Nevertheless, no systematic review and meta-analysis of the relationship between OSA and work accidents has been performed thus far. Methods: PubMed, PsycInfo, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched. Out of an initial list of 1,099 papers, 10 studies (12,553 participants) were eligible for our review, and 7 of them were included in the meta-analysis. The overall effects were measured by odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). An assessment was made of the methodological quality of the studies. Moderator analysis and funnel plot analysis were used to explore the sources of between-study heterogeneity. Results: Compared to controls, the odds of work accident was found to be nearly double in workers with OSA (OR = 2.18; 95% CI = 1.53–3.10). Occupational driving was associated with a higher effect size. Conclusions: OSA is an underdiagnosed nonoccupational disease that has a strong adverse effect on work accidents. The nearly twofold increased odds of work accidents in subjects with OSA calls for workplace screening in selected safety-sensitive occupations. Commentary: A commentary on this article appears in this issue on page 1171. Citation: Garbarino S, Guglielmi O, Sanna A, Mancardi GL, Magnavita N. Risk of occupational accidents in workers with obstructive sleep apnea: systematic review and meta-analysis. SLEEP 2016;39(6):1211–1218. PMID:26951401

  11. The impact of the accident at the Three Mile Island on the behavior and well-being of nuclear workers: Part II: job tension, psychophysiological symptoms, and indices of distress.

    PubMed Central

    Kasl, S V; Chisholm, R F; Eskenazi, B

    1981-01-01

    TMI workers experienced much greater job tension and lower occupational self-esteem (supervisors only). At the time of the accident, TMI workers reported experiencing more periods of anger, extreme worry and extreme upset, and more psychophysiological symptoms. Six months after the accident, some persistence of these feelings and symptoms was evident. Demoralization was greater primarily among TMI non-supervisory workers. The impact of the accident was not greater among TMI workers living closer to the plant. Presence of a preschool child at home enhanced the impact of the accident, but primarily among TMI supervisors. PMID:7212136

  12. 20 CFR 410.219 - Filing a claim under State workmen's compensation law; when filing such claim shall be considered...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ...' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, TITLE IV-BLACK... matter of law in a denial of his claim for compensation under such law. (c) To be considered to have...

  13. 20 CFR 410.219 - Filing a claim under State workmen's compensation law; when filing such claim shall be considered...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ...' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, TITLE IV-BLACK... matter of law in a denial of his claim for compensation under such law. (c) To be considered to have...

  14. [Accidents reported at the Workers' Reference Center in Ribeirão Preto, southeastern Brazil].

    PubMed

    Chiodi, Mônica Bonagamba; Marziale, Maria Helena Palucci; Mondadori, Rosângela Murari; Robazzi, Maria Lúcia do Carmo Cruz

    2010-06-01

    This is a quantitative, descriptive study that aims to investigate work-related injuries involving exposure to biomaterial among health workers in health care units in the city of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. Data was obtained from Work-Related Injury Report forms filled at the Worker's Health Reference Center in Ribeirão Preto in 2005. A total of 1,665 work-related injuries (91.7%) were reported and 151 (8.3%) were diagnosed as occupational diseases. Of the 1,665 injuries reported, 480 (28.82%) affected workers working at health care units and 153 (31.87%) were associated to biological material exposure. The situational diagnosis of occupational accidents is relevant for the development of preventive strategies by worker's health services. The results of the present study provide major indicators that allow the organization of actions following the National Network for Workers' Comprehensive Health Care (RENAST) guidelines and effectively contribute for workers health promotion.

  15. Experiences and Perspectives of Physical Therapists Managing Patients Covered by Workers' Compensation in Queensland, Australia

    PubMed Central

    Nielsen, Mandy; Corbière, Marc; Franche, Reneé-Louise

    2012-01-01

    Background Physical therapists have an active role in the rehabilitation of injured workers. However, regulations in Queensland, Australia, do not afford them the opportunity to participate in return-to-work (RTW) decisions in a standardized way. No prior research has explored the experiences and perceptions of therapists in determining work capacity. Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate physical therapists' experiences with and perspectives on their role in determining readiness for RTW and work capacity for patients receiving workers' compensation in Queensland. Design A qualitative design was used. Participants were physical therapists who manage injured workers. Methods Novice (n=5) and experienced (n=20) therapists managing patients receiving workers' compensation were selected through purposeful sampling to participate in a focus group or semistructured telephone interviews. Data obtained were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were thematically analyzed. Physical therapists' confidence in making RTW decisions was determined with 1 question scored on a 0 to 10 scale. Results Themes identified were: (1) physical therapists believe they are important in RTW, (2) physical therapists use a variety of methods to determine work capacity, and (3) physical therapists experience a lack of role clarity. Therapists made recommendations for RTW using clinical judgment informed by subjective and objective information gathered from the injured worker. Novice therapists were less confident in making RTW decisions. Conclusion Therapists are well situated to gather and interpret the information necessary to make RTW recommendations. Strategies targeting the Australian Physiotherapy Association, physical therapists, and the regulators are needed to standardize assessment of readiness for RTW, improve role clarity, and assist novice practitioners. PMID:22745200

  16. Effectiveness of employer financial incentives in reducing time to report worker injury: an interrupted time series study of two Australian workers' compensation jurisdictions.

    PubMed

    Lane, Tyler J; Gray, Shannon; Hassani-Mahmooei, Behrooz; Collie, Alex

    2018-01-05

    Early intervention following occupational injury can improve health outcomes and reduce the duration and cost of workers' compensation claims. Financial early reporting incentives (ERIs) for employers may shorten the time between injury and access to compensation benefits and services. We examined ERI effect on time spent in the claim lodgement process in two Australian states: South Australia (SA), which introduced them in January 2009, and Tasmania (TAS), which introduced them in July 2010. Using administrative records of 1.47 million claims lodged between July 2006 and June 2012, we conducted an interrupted time series study of ERI impact on monthly median days in the claim lodgement process. Time periods included claim reporting, insurer decision, and total time. The 18-month gap in implementation between the states allowed for a multiple baseline design. In SA, we analysed periods within claim reporting: worker and employer reporting times (similar data were not available in TAS). To account for external threats to validity, we examined impact in reference to a comparator of other Australian workers' compensation jurisdictions. Total time in the process did not immediately change, though trend significantly decreased in both jurisdictions (SA: -0.36 days per month, 95% CI -0.63 to -0.09; TAS: 0.35, -0.50 to -0.20). Claim reporting time also decreased in both (SA: -1.6 days, -2.4 to -0.8; TAS: -5.4, -7.4 to -3.3). In TAS, there was a significant increase in insurer decision time (4.6, 3.9 to 5.4) and a similar but non-significant pattern in SA. In SA, worker reporting time significantly decreased (-4.7, -5.8 to -3.5), but employer reporting time did not (-0.3, -0.8 to 0.2). The results suggest that ERIs reduced claim lodgement time and, in the long-term, reduced total time in the claim lodgement process. However, only worker reporting time significantly decreased in SA, indicating that ERIs may not have shortened the process through the intended target of

  17. Workers not Paid for Sick Leave after Implementation of the New York City Paid Sick Leave Law.

    PubMed

    Hall, Gerod Sharper; Walters, Sarah; Wimer, Christopher; Levanon Seligson, Amber; Maury, Matthew; Waldfogel, Jane; Gould, L Hannah; Lim, Sungwoo

    2018-02-01

    This study examined factors associated with being paid for sick leave after implementation of the New York City (NYC) paid sick leave law. A random sample of NYC residents was surveyed by telephone multiple times over a 2-year period. Participants (n = 1195) reported socio-demographics, awareness of the law, income, work hours per week, and payment for sick time off work. In the year after implementation of the law, part-time workers were significantly more likely to attend work while sick than full-time workers (relative risk = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.1, 1.4). Seventy percent of workers who missed work due to illness (n = 249) were paid for sick leave. Part-time workers, respondents not aware of the benefit (30% of workers), and workers without a college degree were the least likely to be paid for sick days. More than one third (37%) of persons not paid for sick leave worked in retail, food service, or health care. Although 70% of respondents were paid for sick leave after implementation of the law, part-time workers and workers with low education were least likely to access the benefit and more likely to work while sick. The disparity in paid sick leave may have public health consequences as many persons not paid for sick leave had occupations that carry a high risk of disease transmission to others.

  18. The proportion of work-related emergency department visits not expected to be paid by workers' compensation: implications for occupational health surveillance, research, policy, and health equity.

    PubMed

    Groenewold, Matthew R; Baron, Sherry L

    2013-12-01

    To examine trends in the proportion of work-related emergency department visits not expected to be paid by workers' compensation during 2003-2006, and to identify demographic and clinical correlates of such visits. A total of 3,881 work-related emergency department visit records drawn from the 2003-2006 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys. Secondary, cross-sectional analyses of work-related emergency department visit data were performed. Odds ratios and 95 percent confidence intervals were modeled using logistic regression. A substantial and increasing proportion of work-related emergency department visits in the United States were not expected to be paid by workers' compensation. Private insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, and workers themselves were expected to pay for 40 percent of the work-related emergency department visits with this percentage increasing annually. Work-related visits by blacks, in the South, to for-profit hospitals and for work-related illnesses were all more likely not to be paid by workers' compensation. Emergency department-based surveillance and research that determine work-relatedness on the basis of expected payment by workers' compensation systematically underestimate the occurrence of occupational illness and injury. This has important methodological and policy implications. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  19. 78 FR 35327 - Division of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation; Proposed Collection of Existing Collection; Comment...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-06-12

    ... Safety and Health Act of 1977, as amended (30 U.S.C. 901) and 20 CFR 725.535, require that DOL Black Lung... gather information to determine the amounts of Black Lung benefits paid to beneficiaries. Black Lung amounts are reduced dollar for dollar, for other Black Lung related workers' compensation awards the...

  20. Age in Relation to Worker Compensation Costs in the Construction Industry

    PubMed Central

    Schwatka, Natalie V.; Butler, Lesley M.; Rosecrance, John C.

    2015-01-01

    Background A better understanding of how workers’ compensation (WC) costs are affected by an aging US workforce is needed, especially for physically demanding industries, such as construction. Methods The relationship between age and injury type on claim costs was evaluated using a database of 107,064 Colorado WC claims filed between 1998 and 2008 among construction workers. Results Mean WC costs increased with increasing age for total cost (P < 0.0001), medical costs (P < 0.0001), and indemnity costs (P < 0.0001). For each one-year increase in age, indemnity, and medical costs increased by 3.5% and 1.1%, respectively. For specific injury types, such as strains and contusions, the association between age and indemnity costs was higher among claimants aged ≥65 compared to claimants aged 18–24. Conclusions Our findings suggest that specific injury types may be partially responsible for the higher indemnity costs among older construction workers, compared with their younger coworkers. PMID:22782837

  1. [Occupational accidents in an oil refinery in Brazil].

    PubMed

    Souza, Carlos Augusto Vaz de; Freitas, Carlos Machado de

    2002-10-01

    Work in oil refineries involves the risk of minor to major accidents. National data show the impact of accidents on this industry. A study was carried out to describe accident profile and evaluate the adequacy of accident reporting system. Data on all accidents reported in an oil refinery in the state of Rio de Janeiro for the year 1997 were organized and analyzed. The study population consisted of 153 injury cases, 83 hired and 69 contracted workers. The variables were: type of accident, operation mode and position of the worker injured. Among hired workers, minor accidents predominated (54.2%) and they occurred during regular operation activities (62.9%). Among contracted workers, there also predominated minor accidents (75.5%) in a higher percentage, but they occurred mainly during maintenance activities (96.8%). The study results showed that there is a predominance of accidents in lower hierarchy workers, and these accidents occur mainly during maintenance activities. There is a need to improve the company's accident reporting system and accident investigation procedures.

  2. Workers safety in public psychiatric services: problems, laws and protections.

    PubMed

    Carabellese, F; Urbano, M; Coluccia, A; Gualtieri, G

    2017-01-01

    The dramatic case of murder of a psychiatrist during her service in her public office (Centro di Salute Mentale of Bari-Libertà) has led the authors to reflect on the safety of workplaces, in detail of public psychiatric services. It is in the light of current legislation, represented by the Legislative Decree of April 9th, 2008 no. 81, which states the implementing rules of Law 123/2007. In particular, the Authors analyzed the criticalities of the application of this Law, with the aim of safeguarding the health and safety of the workers in all psychiatric services (nursing departments, outpatient clinics, community centers, day care centers, etc.). The Authors suggest the need to set up an articulated specific organizational system of risk assessment of psychiatric services, that can prevent and protect the workers from identified risks, and finally to ensure their active participation in prevention and protection activities, in absence of which specific profiles of responsibility would be opened up to the employers.

  3. [Accidents among postmen using motorbikes for mail deliveries in Tuscany in the period 2007-2009].

    PubMed

    Chellini, Elisabetta; Cortini, Barbara; Mameli, Marina; Abbarchi, M; Dei, Simona; Rossi, Oriana; Zallocco, A

    2014-01-01

    Health risks for postmen using motorbikes for mail delivery may be influenced by stability, weight and ease of handling of the vehicle, traffic and slippery or irregular road surface. To describe accidents that occurred among postmen in Tuscany and evaluate how many of these would have been prevented using the UNI EN 13595/2004 safety jacket. Record linkage of data obtained from the employer--the main mail delivery company in Italy--and from the Italian Workers Compensation Authority on accidents that occurred in postmen in Tuscany who used motorbikes for deliveries during the period 2007-2009. Accident rates (with CI 95%) by age, sex, year and province were calculated; the differences were evaluated using chi2 test. 1,342 accidents requiring at least 3 days' sick absence were recorded in postmen in Tuscany in the period 2007-2009, with an increasing trend in young men. The average accident rate was 17.6 per 100 workers, with 42,419 sick absence days. The female rate was higher compared to men (19.4%, CI 95% 18.03-20.79 in women vs 15.5%, CI 95%: 14.15-16.89 in men). 68% of accidents occurred driving a motorbike. The index of severity was 6.79, which was higher than that calculated by INAIL for the whole Tuscan transport and communication work sector (5.31). 309 accidents (11,021 sick absence days) could have been mitigated or avoided using UNI EN 13595/2004 safety jackets (47% spinal, 30% shoulder, 23% elbow, arm and forearm). The frequency of accidents in postmen using motorbikes is extremely high. Several serious accidents could have been prevented using the UNI EN 13595/2004 safety jackets, suggesting the need to make their use obligatory by these workers.

  4. The impact of workplace screening on the occurrence of cumulative trauma disorders and workers' compensation claims.

    PubMed

    Melhorn, J M

    1999-02-01

    Work-related musculoskeletal pain, commonly referred to more specifically as musculoskeletal disorders or cumulative trauma disorders, has continued to occur despite efforts by employers, employees, health care providers, and the government to eradicate it. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has encouraged employers to establish ergonomic prevention programs; however, many employers are concerned that screening, education, and focused attention on workplace pain will cause an increase in the number of OSHA 200 events and the incidence of workers' compensation claims. This prospective cohort study demonstrated that there was no increase in the number of OSHA 200 events and no increase in the incidence of workers' compensation claims after completion of an individual risk screening program that included education and employee awareness about work-related musculoskeletal pain. Incidence of cumulative trauma disorders has been most effectively reduced by use of individual risk-screening programs. Therefore, employers should be encouraged to develop and implement prevention programs that include individual risk screening.

  5. National regulations for diagnostics in health surveillance, therapy and compensation of hand-transmitted vibration injury in Japan.

    PubMed

    Yamada, Shin'ya

    2002-01-01

    During the period of technological innovation and rapid economic development, portable power tools were introduced on a large scale in Japan. Vibration disease from the operation of those tools and its prevention and therapy became urgent social problems in the 1970s. This paper aims to introduce national regulations in Japan for diagnostics in the health surveillance, certification, therapy and compensation of vibration disease and evaluates them in the present perspective. Relevant laws, regulations and administrative directives were described in chronological order. Effect of those laws, regulations and directives were evaluated by statistics. Relevant regulations were established in 1947 and were revised in the 1960s and 1970s. According to those regulations, administrative directives were issued. Relevant vibration-disease statistics improved from the 1970s to 1990s. The annual ratio of workers examined was 95% to 100% in national forests (NFs), 47.3% in 1980 and 40.8% in 1990 in private industry (PI). The number of workers certified in NFs was 1,796 from 1971-1975, with a decrease to nine from 1991-1995, while in PI there were 9,783 from 1976-1980, decreasing to 2,331 from 1991-1995. However, in the construction industry the number increased again in the 1990s. The top four workers certified by the type of tool from 1994-1997 were operators of rock drills, chainsaws, pick hammers and concrete vibrators. The annual number of workers under treatment (at highest level) was 3,605 (1982; NFs) and 13,501 (1987; PI), with a decrease to 3,481 (1997; NFs) and 8,958 (1997; PI). Regulations for compensation covered 3,670 workers from 1965 to 1997 (NFs) and 22,723 from 1976 to 1997 (PI) in medical treatment benefits, and 189 (NFs) and 15,448 (PI) in disability benefits during the same term. The national regulations developed in Japan since 1965 for health surveillance, certification, therapy and compensation of hand-transmitted vibration disease have proven effective for

  6. [Mesothelioma in construction workers: risk estimate, lung content of asbestos fibres, claims for compensation for occupational disease in the Veneto Region mesothelioma register].

    PubMed

    Merler, E; Bressan, Vittoria; Somigliana, Anna

    2009-01-01

    Work in the construction industry is causing the highest number of mesotheliomas among the residents of the Veneto Region (north-east Italy, 4,5 million inhabitants). To sum up the results on occurrence, asbestos exposure, lung fibre content analyses, and compensation for occupational disease. Case identification and asbestos exposure classification: active search of mesotheliomas that were diagnosed via histological or cytological examinations occurring between 1987 and 2006; a probability of asbestos exposure was attributed to each case, following interviews with the subjects or their relatives and collection of data on the jobs held over their lifetime. Risk estimate among construction workers: the ratio between cases and person-years, the latter derived from the number of construction workers reported by censuses. Lung content of asbestos fibres: examination of lung specimens by Scanning Electron Microscope to determine number and type of fibres. Claims for compensation and compensation awarded: data obtained from the National Institute for Insurance against Occupational Diseases available for the period 1999-2006. of 952 mesothelioma cases classified as due to asbestos exposure, 251 were assigned to work in the construction industry (21 of which due to domestic of environmental exposures), which gives a rate of 4.1 (95% CI 3.6-4.8) x 10(5) x year among construction workers. The asbestos fibre content detected in the lungs of 11 construction workers showed a mean of 1.7 x 10(6) fibres/g dry tissue (range 350,000-3 million) for fibres > 1 micro, almost exclusively due to amphibole fibres. 62% of the claims for compensation were granted but the percentage fell to less than 40% when claims were submitted by a relative, after the death of the subject. The prevalence of mesothelioma occurring among construction workers is high and is associated with asbestos exposure; the risk is underestimated by the subjects and their relatives. All mesotheliomas occurring among

  7. Why are the Workers' Compensation systems dysfunctional? From scientists we ought also to expect science!

    PubMed

    Samuels, Sheldon W

    2010-01-01

    In the context of the history of science and the American labor movement, this comment in response to Joseph LaDou's in this issue briefly addresses impediments to Workers' Compensation reform: intellectual lapses in understanding the key concept of causation and political mistakes rooted in professional timidity. The result is the perpetuation of failures of government.

  8. Occupational skin diseases in Washington State, 1989 through 1993: using workers' compensation data to identify cutaneous hazards.

    PubMed

    Kaufman, J D; Cohen, M A; Sama, S R; Shields, J W; Kalat, J

    1998-07-01

    This study sought to characterize occupational dermatoses and cutaneous hazards. Workers' compensation claims filed for skin disease in the Washington State Fund were analyzed for 1989 through 1993; incidence rates for industries and employers were calculated, and cutaneous hazards associated with the highest rates were identified. A total of 7445 claims were filed for skin disorders, principally contact dermatitis; 675 (9.1%) involved more than 3 missed work-days. The rate of accepted skin disorder claims was 1.0 per 1000 full-time employee-years. The highest incidence rates (4.6 to 30.7 accepted claims per 1000 full-time employee-years) were in certain manufacturing industries (plastics related, concrete products, aircraft parts, sporting goods, and boat building), wholesale farm product raw materials, automotive glass replacement, and beauty shops. Seven of the 10 employers with the highest incidence rates (19.6 to 85.5 accepted claims per 1000 full-time employee-years) used fiber-reinforced plastics (composites) and exposed workers to epoxy and other resin systems associated with contact dermatitis. Workers' compensation data identify known and emerging workplace cutaneous hazards and show promise for targeting prevention efforts.

  9. Occupational skin diseases in Washington State, 1989 through 1993: using workers' compensation data to identify cutaneous hazards.

    PubMed Central

    Kaufman, J D; Cohen, M A; Sama, S R; Shields, J W; Kalat, J

    1998-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: This study sought to characterize occupational dermatoses and cutaneous hazards. METHODS: Workers' compensation claims filed for skin disease in the Washington State Fund were analyzed for 1989 through 1993; incidence rates for industries and employers were calculated, and cutaneous hazards associated with the highest rates were identified. RESULTS: A total of 7445 claims were filed for skin disorders, principally contact dermatitis; 675 (9.1%) involved more than 3 missed work-days. The rate of accepted skin disorder claims was 1.0 per 1000 full-time employee-years. The highest incidence rates (4.6 to 30.7 accepted claims per 1000 full-time employee-years) were in certain manufacturing industries (plastics related, concrete products, aircraft parts, sporting goods, and boat building), wholesale farm product raw materials, automotive glass replacement, and beauty shops. Seven of the 10 employers with the highest incidence rates (19.6 to 85.5 accepted claims per 1000 full-time employee-years) used fiber-reinforced plastics (composites) and exposed workers to epoxy and other resin systems associated with contact dermatitis. CONCLUSIONS: Workers' compensation data identify known and emerging workplace cutaneous hazards and show promise for targeting prevention efforts. PMID:9663152

  10. [Potential under-registration of occupational accidents in the Mexican Institute of Social Security].

    PubMed

    Salinas-Tovar, José Santiago; López-Rojas, Pablo; Soto-Navarro, María Oralia; Caudillo-Araujo, David Efraín; Sánchez-Román, Francisco Raúl; Borja-Aburto, Victor Hugo

    2004-01-01

    To assess the potential under-registration of work-related accidents in the Mexican Institute of Social Security. A countrywide cross-sectional study was carried out with information collected from 27 district offices of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (MISS), on workers seen at MISS emergency rooms during November 2001 because of a probable accident at work. We compared these reports to official records of work-related accidents to estimate the proportion of incomplete reports. Data analysis consisted of descriptive statistics for each variable; the annual estimation of incomplete reporting proportions was made by multiplying by twelve months; 95% confidence intervals were estimated using Poisson's exact method for a proportion. Data from 27 out of 37 MISS district offices revealed that 7211 cases were not recognized as work accidents, accounting for an underestimation of 26.3%, ranging between 0 and 68% among the different district offices. The accidents that were most frequently left unregistered were mild and blunt injuries. Under-registration can affect worker compensation plans and the financial balance of the institution's occupational risk insurance. Research is needed to investigate and eliminate the causes of under-registration. Employers, the industry, and health institutions should be involved in this effort. The English version of this paper is available at: http://www.insp.mx/salud/index.html.

  11. The addict as victim: producing the 'problem' of addiction in Australian victims of crime compensation laws.

    PubMed

    Seear, Kate; Fraser, Suzanne

    2014-09-01

    Much academic scholarship has explored drug use and 'addiction' in the criminal justice system. This paper explores what happens when 'addicts' are victims, through an analysis of victims of crime compensation case law within the state of Victoria, Australia. We argue that the law enacts a set of unexamined assumptions about the 'problem' of addiction, including the assumption that it is incompatible to be both addict and victim. However, courts reconcile this 'dilemma' by explaining addiction as an 'effect' of trauma, violence or abuse, a seemingly sympathetic rendering of addiction. Although this appears to represent a less stigmatising approach than found in the criminal law, we argue that these processes actually produce new challenges for people who use drugs and 'addicts', and that these may be counter to the stated aims and objectives of crimes compensation law. We argue that even legal systems with an explicitly remedial rationale have the potential to generate harms, creating those who use drugs and 'addicts' as pathological in certain ways and thereby undermining their claims to citizenship. Our analysis is underpinned by a critical approach to the constitution of social problems based on the work of Carol Bacchi. Although the focus is on Australian law, the arguments we develop in this paper are likely to resonate beyond the specific jurisdiction reviewed here, and raise questions about the mutually interdependent role of law and policy in compounding the stigmatisation and marginalisation of people who use drugs and drug 'addicts'. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Review of Cytogenetic analysis of restoration workers for Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station accident.

    PubMed

    Suto, Yumiko

    2016-09-01

    Japan faced with the nuclear accident of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS) caused by the combined disaster of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the subsequent tsunamis on 11 March 2011. National Institute of Radiological Sciences received all nuclear workers who were engaged in emergency response tasks at the NPS and suspected of being overexposed to acute radiation. Biological dosimetry by dicentric chromosome assay was helpful for medical triage and management of the workers. © World Health Organisation 2016. All rights reserved. The World Health Organization has granted Oxford University Press permission for the reproduction of this article.

  13. What are the factors that contribute to road accidents? An assessment of law enforcement views, ordinary drivers' opinions, and road accident records.

    PubMed

    Rolison, Jonathan J; Regev, Shirley; Moutari, Salissou; Feeney, Aidan

    2018-06-01

    What are the main contributing factors to road accidents? Factors such as inexperience, lack of skill, and risk-taking behaviors have been associated with the collisions of young drivers. In contrast, visual, cognitive, and mobility impairment have been associated with the collisions of older drivers. We investigated the main causes of road accidents by drawing on multiple sources: expert views of police officers, lay views of the driving public, and official road accident records. In Studies 1 and 2, police officers and the public were asked about the typical causes of road traffic collisions using hypothetical accident scenarios. In Study 3, we investigated whether the views of police officers and the public about accident causation influence their recall accuracy for factors reported to contribute to hypothetical road accidents. The results show that both expert views of police officers and lay views of the driving public closely approximated the typical factors associated with the collisions of young and older drivers, as determined from official accident records. The results also reveal potential underreporting of factors in existing accident records, identifying possible inadequacies in law enforcement practices for investigating driver distraction, drug and alcohol impairment, and uncorrected or defective eyesight. Our investigation also highlights a need for accident report forms to be continuously reviewed and updated to ensure that contributing factor lists reflect the full range of factors that contribute to road accidents. Finally, the views held by police officers and the public on accident causation influenced their memory recall of factors involved in hypothetical scenarios. These findings indicate that delay in completing accident report forms should be minimised, possibly by use of mobile reporting devices at the accident scene. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  14. [Accident with biological material at the prehospital mobile care: reality for health and non-healthcare workers].

    PubMed

    Tipple, Anaclara Ferreira Veiga; Silva, Elisangelo Aparecido Costa; Teles, Sheila Araújo; Mendonça, Katiane Martins; Souza, Adenícia Custódia Silva E; Melo, Dulcelene Sousa

    2013-01-01

    Analytical transversal study that was conducted with the objectives of identifying the prevalence and characterizing the accidents with biological material among professionals in pre-hospital service (PHS) and comparing the risk behaviors adopted by healthcare and non-healthcare groups that can affect the occurrence and seriousness of such accidents. Data were obtained by questionnaire applied to all PHS workers in Goiânia-GO. The study revealed a high prevalence of accidents involving biological material which, although higher for the healthcare group, also affected the non-healthcare group. There were significant (p < 0.05) risk behaviors for these accidents in both groups: not using gloves, masks or eye protectors; inappropriate disposal of sharps; inadequate dress; re-capping of needles; and a lack of immunization against hepatitis B. The results underscore the importance of both groups in adhering to preventive measures, and further point to the need to structure and implement vigilance and control system for this type of accident.

  15. 5 CFR 894.304 - Am I eligible to enroll if I'm retired or receiving workers' compensation?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Am I eligible to enroll if I'm retired or receiving workers' compensation? 894.304 Section 894.304 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES DENTAL AND VISION INSURANCE...

  16. 5 CFR 894.304 - Am I eligible to enroll if I'm retired or receiving workers' compensation?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Am I eligible to enroll if I'm retired or receiving workers' compensation? 894.304 Section 894.304 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES DENTAL AND VISION INSURANCE...

  17. Job-related diseases and occupations within a large workers' compensation data set.

    PubMed

    Leigh, J P; Miller, T R

    1998-03-01

    The objective of this report is to describe workers' job-related diseases and the occupations associated with those diseases. The methods include aggregation and analysis of job-related disease and occupation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Supplementary Data System (SDS) for 1985 and 1986--the last years of data available with workers' compensation categories: death, permanent total, permanent partial, and temporary total and partial. Diseases are ranked according to their contribution to the four workers' compensation (WC) categories and also ranked within occupations according to the number of cases. Occupations are ranked according to their contribution to specific diseases within one of the four categories. The following diseases comprise the greatest numbers of deaths: heart attacks, asbestosis, silicosis, and stroke. Within the permanent total category, the diseases with the greatest contributions are heart attack, silicosis, strokes, and inflammation of the joints. For the permanent partial category, they are hearing loss, inflammation of joints, carpal tunnel syndrome, and heart attacks. For the temporary total and partial category, they are: inflammation of joints, carpal tunnel syndrome, dermatitis, and toxic poisoning. Hearing loss or inflammation of joints are associated with more than 300 occupations. Circulatory diseases comprise a larger share of job-related diseases than is generally acknowledged. Occupations contributing the most heart attack deaths are truck drivers, managers, janitors, supervisors, firefighters, and laborers. Ratios of numbers of deaths to numbers of disabilities are far higher for illnesses than injuries. Occupations that are consistent in their high ranking on most lists involving a variety of conditions include nonconstruction laborers, janitors, and construction laborers. The large SDS, though dated, provides a tentative national look at the broad spectrum of occupational diseases as defined by WC and the

  18. How to avoid deferred-compensation troubles.

    PubMed

    Freeman, Todd I

    2005-06-01

    Executive compensation packages have long included stock options and deferred compensation plans in order to compete for talent. Last year, Congress passed a law in response to the Enron debacle, in which executives were perceived to be protecting their deferred compensation at the expense of employees, creditors, and investors. The new law is designed to protect companies and their shareholders from being raided by the very executives that guided the company to financial ruin. Physicians who are part owners of medical practices need to know about the changes in the law regarding deferred compensation and how to avoid costly tax penalties. This article discusses how the changes affect medical practices as well as steps physician-owned clinics can take to avoid the risk of penalty, such as freezing deferred compensation and creating a new deferred compensation plan.

  19. Food safety knowledge, attitude, and practice toward compliance with abattoir laws among the abattoir workers in Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Abdullahi, Auwalu; Hassan, Azmi; Kadarman, Norizhar; Saleh, Ahmadu; Baraya, Yusha'u Shu'aibu; Lua, Pei Lin

    2016-01-01

    Foodborne diseases are common in the developing countries due to the predominant poor food handling and sanitation practices, particularly as a result of inadequate food safety laws, weak regulatory structures, and inadequate funding as well as a lack of appropriate education for food-handlers. The most frequently involved foods in disease outbreaks are of animal origin. However, in spite of the adequate legislation and laws governing the abattoir operation in Malaysia, compliance with food safety requirements during meat processing and waste disposal is inadequate. Therefore, the present study was designed to assess the food safety knowledge, attitude, and practice toward compliance with abattoir laws among the workers in Terengganu, Malaysia. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using simple random sampling technique in the six districts of Terengganu: two districts were used for the pilot study and the remaining four were used for the main study. One hundred sixty-five abattoir workers from the selected districts were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The mean and standard deviation of knowledge, attitude, and practice scores of the workers were 6.02 and 1.954, 45.16 and 4.496, and 18.03 and 3.186, respectively. The majority of the workers (38.8%) had a low level of knowledge and 91.7% had a positive attitude, while 77.7% had a good practice of compliance. Sex had a significant association with the level of knowledge (P<0.001) and practice (P=0.044) among the workers. The females had a higher level of knowledge than the males, while the males had a better practice of compliance than females. Similarly, knowledge also had a significant (P=0.009) association with the level of practice toward compliance with abattoir laws among the workers. The abattoir workers had a positive attitude and good practice, but a low level of knowledge toward compliance with the abattoir laws. Therefore, public awareness, workshops, and seminars relevant to the abattoir

  20. Food safety knowledge, attitude, and practice toward compliance with abattoir laws among the abattoir workers in Malaysia

    PubMed Central

    Abdullahi, Auwalu; Hassan, Azmi; Kadarman, Norizhar; Saleh, Ahmadu; Baraya, Yusha’u Shu’aibu; Lua, Pei Lin

    2016-01-01

    Purpose Foodborne diseases are common in the developing countries due to the predominant poor food handling and sanitation practices, particularly as a result of inadequate food safety laws, weak regulatory structures, and inadequate funding as well as a lack of appropriate education for food-handlers. The most frequently involved foods in disease outbreaks are of animal origin. However, in spite of the adequate legislation and laws governing the abattoir operation in Malaysia, compliance with food safety requirements during meat processing and waste disposal is inadequate. Therefore, the present study was designed to assess the food safety knowledge, attitude, and practice toward compliance with abattoir laws among the workers in Terengganu, Malaysia. Materials and methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted using simple random sampling technique in the six districts of Terengganu: two districts were used for the pilot study and the remaining four were used for the main study. One hundred sixty-five abattoir workers from the selected districts were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Results The mean and standard deviation of knowledge, attitude, and practice scores of the workers were 6.02 and 1.954, 45.16 and 4.496, and 18.03 and 3.186, respectively. The majority of the workers (38.8%) had a low level of knowledge and 91.7% had a positive attitude, while 77.7% had a good practice of compliance. Sex had a significant association with the level of knowledge (P<0.001) and practice (P=0.044) among the workers. The females had a higher level of knowledge than the males, while the males had a better practice of compliance than females. Similarly, knowledge also had a significant (P=0.009) association with the level of practice toward compliance with abattoir laws among the workers. Conclusion The abattoir workers had a positive attitude and good practice, but a low level of knowledge toward compliance with the abattoir laws. Therefore, public awareness

  1. Examination of the relationship between theory-driven policies and allowed lost-time back claims in workers' compensation: a system dynamics model.

    PubMed

    Wong, Jessica J; McGregor, Marion; Mior, Silvano A; Loisel, Patrick

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop a model that evaluates the impact of policy changes on the number of workers' compensation lost-time back claims in Ontario, Canada, over a 30-year timeframe. The model was used to test the hypothesis that a theory- and policy-driven model would be sufficient in reproducing historical claims data in a robust manner and that policy changes would have a major impact on modeled data. The model was developed using system dynamics methods in the Vensim simulation program. The theoretical effects of policies for compensation benefit levels and experience rating fees were modeled. The model was built and validated using historical claims data from 1980 to 2009. Sensitivity analysis was used to evaluate the modeled data at extreme end points of variable input and timeframes. The degree of predictive value of the modeled data was measured by the coefficient of determination, root mean square error, and Theil's inequality coefficients. Correlation between modeled data and actual data was found to be meaningful (R(2) = 0.934), and the modeled data were stable at extreme end points. Among the effects explored, policy changes were found to be relatively minor drivers of back claims data, accounting for a 13% improvement in error. Simulation results suggested that unemployment, number of no-lost-time claims, number of injuries per worker, and recovery rate from back injuries outside of claims management to be sensitive drivers of back claims data. A robust systems-based model was developed and tested for use in future policy research in Ontario's workers' compensation. The study findings suggest that certain areas within and outside the workers' compensation system need to be considered when evaluating and changing policies around back claims. © 2014. Published by National University of Health Sciences All rights reserved.

  2. Insights into the Experiences of Older Workers and Change: Through the Lens of Selection, Optimization, and Compensation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Unson, Christine; Richardson, Margaret

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: The study examined the barriers faced, the goals selected, and the optimization and compensation strategies of older workers in relation to career change. Method: Thirty open-ended interviews, 12 in the United States and 18 in New Zealand, were conducted, recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for themes. Results: Barriers to…

  3. Analysis of workers' compensation disabling claims in Oregon's seafood preparation and packaging industry, 2007-2013.

    PubMed

    Syron, Laura N; Kincl, Laurel; Yang, Liu; Cain, Daniel T; Smit, Ellen

    2017-05-01

    Few occupational health and safety studies have focused on the US seafood preparation and packaging industry, and none on Oregon's seafood industry. Oregon workers' compensation (WC) disabling claims data were analyzed. Oregon Employment Department and US Census Bureau data were used as denominators for rates. During 2007-2013, there were 188 accepted disabling claims, with an average annual rate of 24 claims per 1000 workers. Men experienced a significantly higher rate (27.6 per 1000) than women. The most frequent incident characteristics and circumstances were: by nature-traumatic injuries to muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints (42%); by body part-upper extremities (44%); and by event-overexertion and bodily reaction (48%), and contact with objects and equipment (31%). Analyzing WC disabling claims data provides important preliminary information for understanding workplace hazards to develop control strategies. Reducing traumatic and cumulative injury risk among seafood workers is paramount. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. [Minor and major work accidents in a Puglia business in the food sector: a 10-year study].

    PubMed

    Di Lorenzo, L; Zocchetti, C; Platania, A; De Francesco, G; De Metrio, R; Pirris, A; Gigante, M R

    1998-01-01

    At present no official data are available for those occupational accidents which, according to current law, are not subject to notification to the Italian National Institute for Insurance of Occupational Accidents (INAIL) and which are conventionally called "minor" accidents. They can be divided into accidents with prognosis from 1 to 3 days (franchises) and accidents which do not cause absence from work (medications). The already mentioned lack of data, which is not confined to Italy, is reflected in the small number of articles published in Italian and international journals. Also information regarding the possible relationships between "minor" accidents and the life habits of injured workers, are rare. The aim of this study was to provide detailed data on the characteristics of the different kinds of occupational accidents occurring in a food factory in Apulia, southern Italy, from 1985 to 1994, as well as to verify whether any relationship existed between the different types of occupational accidents and the consumption of cigarettes and alcohol by injured workers. The company's accident register yielded data on injuries which caused absence from work; the nursing service register provided information about accidents which did not determine absence from work; personal health documents gave details of worker life habits; and the company pay roll showed the amount of "worked hours". "Minor" accidents represented 70% of all accidents occurring during the ten year period studied. "Blue collars" had more frequent and serious occupational injuries, in comparison with "technical employees". "Minor" accidents, and especially "medications", occurred more frequently during one-shift work than during three-shift work. As work seniority increased, the number of "major" accidents decreased and number of accidents without absence from work rose. Contusions were the most frequent lesions and were responsible for the majority of the 3 kinds of accidents. "Medications" together

  5. Construction industry accidents in Spain.

    PubMed

    Camino López, Miguel A; Ritzel, Dale O; Fontaneda, Ignacio; González Alcantara, Oscar J

    2008-01-01

    This paper analyzed industrial accidents that take place on construction sites and their severity. Eighteen variables were studied. We analyzed the influence of each of these with respect to the severity and fatality of the accident. This descriptive analysis was grounded in 1,630,452 accidents, representing the total number of accidents suffered by workers in the construction sector in Spain over the period 1990-2000. It was shown that age, type of contract, time of accident, length of service in the company, company size, day of the week, and the remainder of the variables under analysis influenced the seriousness of the accident. IMPACT ON INJURY PREVENTION: The results obtained show that different training was needed, depending on the severity of accidents, for different age, length of service in the company, organization of work, and time when workers work. The research provides an insight to the likely causes of construction injuries in Spain. As a result of the analysis, industries and governmental agencies in Spain can start to provide appropriate strategies and training to the construction workers.

  6. The association of the use of opioid and psychotropic medications with workers' compensation claim costs and lost work time.

    PubMed

    Tao, Xuguang Grant; Lavin, Robert A; Yuspeh, Larry; Weaver, Virginia M; Bernacki, Edward J

    2015-02-01

    To study the relationship between the use of psychotropic and opioid medications with workers' compensation disability and costs. The study population included lost time claimants injured between 1999 and 2002 followed to closing in December 31, 2009. Controlling for age, sex, marital status, attorney involvement, and spinal surgeries, multivariate logistic regression revealed that odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of claim costs ≥$100,000 compared with claimants who were never prescribed opioids were 4.3 for short-acting opioids only; 8.6 for any use of long-acting opioids; 2.8 for any use of hypnotics; 2.6 for any use of antipsychotics; 1.6 for any use of anti-anxiety agents; and 2.9 for any use of antidepressants. The use of psychotropic and opioid medications was associated with high workers' compensation costs and prolonged disability.

  7. Effects of a smoke-free law on hair nicotine and respiratory symptoms of restaurant and bar workers.

    PubMed

    Hahn, Ellen J; Rayens, Mary Kay; York, Nancy; Okoli, Chizimuzo T C; Zhang, Mei; Dignan, Mark; Al-Delaimy, Wael K

    2006-09-01

    Bar and restaurant workers' exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) was compared before and 3 and 6 months after implementation of a smoke-free ordinance. Hair nicotine, self-reported exposure to SHS, and respiratory symptoms were assessed on 105 smoking and nonsmoking workers from randomly selected establishments in Lexington, Kentucky. Thirty-eight percent were current smokers with more than half smoking 10 or fewer cigarettes per day. Workers provided a hair sample at baseline and at the 3-month interview. There was a significant decline in hair nicotine 3 months postlaw when controlling for cigarettes smoked per day. Bar workers showed a significantly larger decline in hair nicotine compared with restaurant workers. The only significant decline in SHS exposure was in the workplace and other public places. Regardless of smoking status, respiratory symptoms declined significantly postlaw. Hospitality workers demonstrated significant declines in hair nicotine and respiratory symptoms after the law. Comprehensive smoke-free laws can provide the greatest protection to bar workers who are the most vulnerable to SHS exposure at work.

  8. Is the State of Indonesia In Charge to Provide Law Protection to the Indonesian Migrant Workers ?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rahayu, D.

    2018-01-01

    Right to work is assured in the regulation of 1945 Constitution (amendment) Article 28 D Clause (2) mandating that every person deserves to work and in return they get wages, fair and proper treatment in the relation of employment. Working as migrant worker is accessible job opportunity, especially to people who have low education and skill with promising income. Many case facedto the migrant worker. It is necessary to analyze how the state’s position in providing protection to its citizens experiencing problems overseas. Country has the right to protect its citizens overseas and to intervene diplomatically. It cannot provide direct protection because if there is a criminal act committed by Migrant Worker of Indonesia, then the applicable law is the law of country where the Migrant Worker works. The actual protection is to make bilateral agreements with the destination country. Law No 39 Year 2004. Article 77 regulates the right to obtain protection from pre-placement, placement period to post-placement. Employment or the right to work is one of human rights that is the right to social freedom, namely the right to meet the basic needs. Regarding the legal protection for women migrant workers, the relevant human rights theory used is the natural rights theory because the right to work in this case is the right that every human being possesses

  9. [An analysis of industrial accidents in the working field with a particular emphasis on repeated accidents].

    PubMed

    Wakisaka, I; Yanagihashi, T; Tomari, T; Sato, M

    1990-03-01

    The present study is based on an analysis of routinely submitted reports of occupational accidents experienced by the workers of industrial enterprises under the jurisdiction of Kagoshima Labor Standard Office during a 5-year period 1983 to 1987. Officially notified injuries serious enough to keep employees away from their job for work at least 4 days were utilized in this study. Data was classified so as to give an observed frequency distribution for workers having any specified number of accidents. Also, the accident rate which is an indicator of the risk of accident was compared among different occupations, between age groups and between the sexes. Results obtained are as follows; 1) For the combined total of 6,324 accident cases for 8 types of occupation (Construction, Transportation, Mining & Quarrying, Forestry, Food manufacture, Lumber & Woodcraft, Manufacturing industry and Other business), the number of those who had at least one accident was 6,098, of which 5,837 were injured only once, 208 twice, 21 three times and 2 four times. When occupation type was fixed, however, the number of workers having one, two, three and four times of accidents were 5,895, 182, 19 and 2, respectively. This suggests that some workers are likely to have experienced repeated accidents in more than one type of occupation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  10. Ergonomic and socioeconomic risk factors for hospital workers' compensation injury claims.

    PubMed

    Boyer, Jon; Galizzi, Monica; Cifuentes, Manuel; d'Errico, Angelo; Gore, Rebecca; Punnett, Laura; Slatin, Craig

    2009-07-01

    Hospital workers are a diverse population with high rates of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The risk of MSD leading to workers' compensation (WC) claims is likely to show a gradient by socioeconomic status (SES) that may be partly explained by working conditions. A single community hospital provided workforce demographics and WC claim records for 2003-2005. An ergonomic job exposure matrix (JEM) was developed for these healthcare jobs from direct observation of physical workload and extraction of physical and psychosocial job requirements from the O*NET online database. Occupational exposures and SES categories were assigned to workers through their O*NET job titles. Univariate and multivariate Poisson regression analyses were performed to estimate the propensity to file an injury claim in relation to individual factors, occupational exposures, and SES. The jobs with the highest injury rates were nurses, semi-professionals, and semi-skilled. Increased physical work and psychological demands along with low job tenure were associated with an increase in risk, while risk decreased with psychosocial rewards and supervisor support. Both occupational and individual factors mediated the relationship between SES and rate of injury claims. Physical and organizational features of these hospital jobs along with low job tenure predicted WC injury claim risk and explained a substantial proportion of the effects of SES. Further studies that include lifestyle risk factors and control for prior injuries and co-morbidities are warranted to strengthen the current study findings.

  11. Patient factors influencing return to work and cumulative financial claims after clavicle fractures in workers' compensation cases.

    PubMed

    Shields, Edward; Thirukumaran, Caroline; Thorsness, Robert; Noyes, Katia; Voloshin, Ilya

    2016-07-01

    This study analyzed workers' compensation patients after surgical or nonoperative treatment of clavicle fractures to identify factors that influence the time for return to work and total health care reimbursement claims. We hypothesized that return to work for operative patients would be faster. The International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis codes and Current Procedural Terminology codes were used to retrospectively query the Workers' Compensation national database. The outcomes of interest were the number of days for return to full work after surgery and total reimbursement for health care-related claims. The primary independent variable was treatment modality. There were 169 claims for clavicle fractures within the database (surgical, n = 34; nonoperative, n = 135). The average health care claims reimbursed were $29,136 ± $26,998 for surgical management compared with $8366 ± $14,758 for nonoperative management (P < .001). We did not find a statistically significant difference between surgical (196 ± 287 days) and nonoperative (69 ± 94 days) treatment groups in their time to return to work (P = .06); however, there was high variability in both groups. Litigation was an independent predictor of prolonged return to work (P = .007) and higher health care costs (P = .003). Workers' compensation patients treated for clavicle fractures return to work at roughly the same time whether they are treated surgically or nonoperatively, with surgery being roughly 3 times more expensive. There was a substantial amount of variability in return to work timing by subjects in both groups. Litigation was a predictor of longer return to work timing and higher health care costs. Copyright © 2016 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Attributions of responsibility and recovery within a no-fault insurance compensation system.

    PubMed

    Thompson, Jason; Berk, Michael; O'Donnell, Meaghan; Stafford, Lesley; Nordfjaern, Trond

    2014-08-01

    Although a great deal of literature supports the negative relationship between postinjury health outcomes and compensation, it has not fully examined the relative influence of the diverse factors that underlie compensable status. In particular, this study sought to understand the relative influence that attributions of responsibility for accidents have on mental and physical health outcomes. Using a structural equation modeling approach, we assessed the strength of relationships between demographic and accident circumstance variables, and postinjury mental and physical health for 934 road-trauma survivors compensated under a single no-fault insurance system. Analysis of direct and indirect effects demonstrated that although a range of standard demographic and accident circumstance variables influenced health outcomes, by far the greatest effect was generated from perceptions of responsibility for the accident. People who reported lower levels of responsibility for their accident showed significantly poorer mental and physical health outcomes. Perceptions of responsibility for accidents are strongly associated with postaccident mental and physical health outcomes within compensable road trauma populations. Future studies should control for attributions of responsibility when assessing the effect of compensation, or any other variable, on health outcomes among injured populations. Mechanisms underlying the effect of attributions of responsibility on outcomes, particularly in relation to its association with self-blame, warrant further exploration.

  13. Workplace health and safety regulations: Impact of enforcement and consultation on workers' compensation claims rates in Washington State.

    PubMed

    Baggs, James; Silverstein, Barbara; Foley, Michael

    2003-05-01

    There has been considerable debate in the public policy arena about the appropriate mix of regulatory enforcement and consultation in achieving desired health and safety behavior across industries. Recently there has been a shift in federal policy toward voluntary approaches and constraining the scope of enforcement programs, although there is little evidence that this might improve health and safety outcomes. To address this, we examined changes in lost time workers compensation claims rates for Washington State employers who had (1) no OSHA State Plan (WISHA) activity, (2) enforcement, (3) consultation, and (4) both types of visits. Compensable claims rates, hours, and WISHA activity were determined for each employer account with a single business location that had payroll hours reported for every quarter from 1997-2000 and more than 10 employees. We used a generalized estimating equations (GEE) approach to Poisson regression to model the association between WISHA activity and claims rate controlling for other external factors. Controlling for previous claims rate and average size, claims rates for employers with WISHA enforcement activity declined 22.5% in fixed site industry SIC codes compared to 7% among employers with no WISHA activity (P < 0.05), and in non-fixed site SICs (e.g., construction) claims rates declined 12.8% for employers with enforcement activity compared to a 7.4% decline for those with no WISHA activity (P > 0.10). WISHA consultation activity was not associated with a greater decline in compensable claims rates (-2.3% for fixed sites and +3.5% for non-fixed sites). WISHA activity did not adversely affect worksite survivability through the study period. Enforcement inspections are significantly associated with decreasing compensable workers compensation claims rates especially for fixed site employers. We were unable to identify an association between consultation activities and decreasing claims rates. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  14. Do outcomes differ between work and non-work-related injury in a universal injury compensation system? Findings from the New Zealand Prospective Outcomes of Injury Study

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Poorer recovery outcomes for workers injured in a work setting, as opposed to a non-work setting, are commonly attributed to differences in financial gain via entitlement to compensation by injury setting (ie. workers compensation schemes). To date, this attribution hasn’t been tested in a situation where both work and non-work-related injuries have an equivalent entitlement to compensation. This study tests the hypothesis that there will be no differences in recovery outcomes for workers by injury setting (work and non-work) within a single universal entitlement injury compensation scheme. Methods Workforce active participants from the Prospective Outcomes of Injury Study (POIS) cohort were followed up at 3- and 12-months following injury. Participants who were injured in the period June 2007- May 2009 were recruited from New Zealand’s universal entitlement injury compensation scheme managed by the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC). An analysis of ten vocational, disability, functional and psychological recovery outcomes was undertaken by injury setting. Modified Poisson regression analyses were undertaken to examine the relationship between injury setting and recovery outcomes. Results Of 2092 eligible participants, 741 (35%) had sustained an injury in a work setting. At 3 months, workers with work-related injuries had an elevated risk of work absence however, this difference disappeared after controlling for confounding variables (adjusted RR 1.10, 95% CI 0.94-1.29). By 12 months, workers with work-related injuries had poorer recovery outcomes with a higher risk of absence from work (aRR 1.37, 95% CI 1.10-1.70), mobility-related functional problems (aRR 1.35, 95% CI 1.14-1.60), disability (aRR 1.32, 95% CI 1.04-1.68) and impaired functioning related to anxiety/depression (aRR 1.21, 95% CI 1.00-1.46). Conclusion Our study, comparing recovery outcomes for workers by injury setting within a single universal entitlement injury compensation

  15. Coal workers' pneumoconiosis and the compensation dilemma.

    PubMed

    Whitaker, P J

    1981-06-01

    Coal workers' pneumoconiosis is a preventable occupational disorder of the respiratory system resulting from exposure to and retention of respirable coal dust. It exists in two distinguishable forms: simple, which is seldom if ever disabling, and complicated, also known as progressive massive fibrosis (PMF), which is sometimes totally disabling and is associated with a high mortality rate. The disease affects a small proportion of active U.S. miners, and only a very small number develop PMF. In its more advanced stages, the disorder is characterized by shortness of breath. Scientific criteria for diagnosis are well established but are not followed in the U.S. because of Federal law and regulation. However, an acceptable scheme for classification of chest radiographs exists. Black lung benefits payable to miners, their survivors and dependents are approaching $2 billion annually, and regulations concerning eligibility for such benefits are intentionally slanted to make it possible for claimants to receive benefits in a manner not consistent with regulations governing similar payments to other occupationally employed persons or in accordance with established medical criteria.

  16. Reanalysis of the occurrence of back pain among construction workers: modelling for the interdependent effects of heavy physical work, earlier back accidents, and aging.

    PubMed

    Nurminen, M

    1997-11-01

    To re-examine the relation between heavy physical work and the occurrence of sciatic pain among construction workers reported previously to be absent in an epidemiological study. METHODS-Poisson log linear regression was used to model for the frequency of sciatic pain among concrete reinforcement workers and maintenance house painters with adjustment for the interactive effects of earlier back accidents and aging that modified the relation. Concrete reinforcement work not only had a direct effect on the frequency of sciatic pain, but it also contributed significantly to the risk indirectly through earlier back accidents. The risk of sciatic pain increased from age 25 to 54 in a different manner for a worker depending on his occupational group and record of back accidents. Epidemiological studies on low back pain need to be analysed with sound methodology. This is important in view of future meta-analyses that will be performed for the purpose of providing guidelines on the prevention of back disorders in heavy physical work.

  17. A survey of forest workers in New Zealand. Do hours of work, rest, and recovery play a role in accidents and injury?

    PubMed

    Lilley, Rebbecca; Feyer, Anne-Marie; Kirk, Patrick; Gander, Philippa

    2002-01-01

    A number of structural and organizational changes have occurred recently within the New Zealand Forestry Industry, with concerns being raised about the impact of these changes on the forestry worker in terms of fatigue, sleepiness, and compromised safety. This study explored the relationship of fatigue, and some of its key determinants, with accidents and injuries in a group of forestry industry workers in New Zealand. A total of 367 forestry workers responded to a self-administered questionnaire. Fatigue was found to be commonly experienced at work in the forest, with 78% of workers reporting that they experienced fatigue at least "sometimes." This study found that certain groups of workers reported long working hours, reduced sleep, compromised recovery time, and intensely paced work. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that recent sleep, number of breaks taken during the workday, and specific job/tasks were independently associated with reporting of high fatigue levels at work. Near-miss injury events were significantly more common among those reporting a high level of fatigue at work. Accidents and lost-time injury were associated with length of time at work, ethnicity, and having had near-miss injury events. Together, these results suggest that fatigue and aspects of work organization, which are likely to be fatiguing, may be associated with compromised safety for forest workers. With an already slim margin of error present in forest operations, an impairment due to increased fatigue may constitute a significant risk factor for accidents and injuries in this workforce. The results indicate the need for further examination of shift and workload management among forestry workers, as well as a role for improving industry awareness about the causes and consequences of fatigue.

  18. A study of the effectiveness of ergonomically-based functional screening tests and their relationship to reducing worker compensation injuries.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Charles; Briggs, Jim

    2008-01-01

    This paper summarizes a series of studies of the effectiveness of ergonomically based functional screening tests for post offer pre-placement of applicants for physically demanding jobs, and their relationship to reducing worker compensation injuries. Three predictive validation studies and a meta-analysis of injury rates pre- and post-implementation of physical ability testing at 175 locations are included. The strength and energy expenditure demands of physically-strenuous warehouse jobs in three industries were documented through ergonomic analysis. A battery of strength and endurance tests were developed to assess applicants' abilities to meet the measured physical demands. Predictive validation studies were performed for the jobs in each of the three industries. In each study, new-hires were given the physical ability test battery and then placed on the job. Management was not informed of the results of the tests. Injury experience and work history were then monitored over a two year period in each study. Injury rates and retention were then compared for individuals who passed and individuals who failed the battery. As the battery was implemented in other locations, the injury rate for individuals starting employment in the year prior to implementation was compared to the injury rate for individuals starting employment in the year after implementation. A meta-analysis of the three predictive validation studies indicated that new-hires who passed the battery had a 47% lower worker compensation injury rate and 21% higher retention. A meta-analysis of the 175 pre/post-implementation studies indicated a 41% reduction in worker compensation injuries associated with implementation of ergonomically based physical ability tests.

  19. The impact of the accident at the Three Mile Island on the behavior and well-being of nuclear workers; Part I: perceptions and evaluations, behavioral responses, and work-related attitudes and feelings.

    PubMed Central

    Kasl, S V; Chisholm, R F; Eskenazi, B

    1981-01-01

    In order to assess the impact of the accident at the Three Mile Island (TMI), telephone interviews were conducted six months later with 324 nuclear workers assigned to TMI and 298 workers assigned to a comparison plant at Peach Bottom (PB). Examination of PB-TMI differences, stratified by supervisory status, revealed the following: Part I: TMI workers reported greater exposure to radiation at the time of the accident and felt that their health had been thereby endangered. TMI workers experienced more uncertainty and conflict at the time of the accident. Coping responses such as seeing a doctor, taking drugs, and increasing alcohol consumption were quite infrequent. Leaving the area was more common; however, over 40 per cent of TMI workers wished to leave but did not do so because of work obligations. TMI workers reported much lower job satisfaction and much greater uncertainty about their job future. PMID:7212135

  20. The impact of the accident at the Three Mile Island on the behavior and well-being of nuclear workers; Part I: perceptions and evaluations, behavioral responses, and work-related attitudes and feelings.

    PubMed

    Kasl, S V; Chisholm, R F; Eskenazi, B

    1981-05-01

    In order to assess the impact of the accident at the Three Mile Island (TMI), telephone interviews were conducted six months later with 324 nuclear workers assigned to TMI and 298 workers assigned to a comparison plant at Peach Bottom (PB). Examination of PB-TMI differences, stratified by supervisory status, revealed the following: Part I: TMI workers reported greater exposure to radiation at the time of the accident and felt that their health had been thereby endangered. TMI workers experienced more uncertainty and conflict at the time of the accident. Coping responses such as seeing a doctor, taking drugs, and increasing alcohol consumption were quite infrequent. Leaving the area was more common; however, over 40 per cent of TMI workers wished to leave but did not do so because of work obligations. TMI workers reported much lower job satisfaction and much greater uncertainty about their job future.

  1. [The cases of accident in the ceramic tile industry in relation to the age and job seniority of the workers].

    PubMed

    Candela, S; Duca, P; Bedogni, L

    1993-01-01

    A study was made of 3,368 workers in 36 ceramic plants in the Scandiano area (Reggio Emilia, Italy) during the year 1990; 403 had an accident during the observation period. The incidence and severity of the accident were correlated to age, job (low, intermediate, high accident risk), duration of employment as at 1.1.1990 (> 24, 12-24, > 24, 12-24, < 12 months, engaged during 1990). Logistic regression analysis, survival analysis and RIDIT analysis were performed using GLIM and EGRET statistical packages. Risk: ORs for intermediate and high-risk jobs vs low-risk jobs were 1.3 (1.0-1.7 95% confidence limits) and 1.7 (1.3-2.3), respectively, adjusted for duration of employment; ORs for the 12-24, < 12 months, engaged during 1990 categories vs the > 24 months category were 1.5 (1.1-2.0), 1.7 (1.3-2.2), 2.1 (1.6-2.8) respectively. Severity: the mean RIDIT of the > 44-year-old vs < 30-year-old workers was 0.6 (0.53-0.67).

  2. The Influence of Supportive and Ethical Work Environments on Work-Related Accidents, Injuries, and Serious Psychological Distress among Hospital Nurses.

    PubMed

    Tei-Tominaga, Maki; Nakanishi, Miharu

    2018-01-31

    The healthcare industry in Japan has experienced many cases of work-related injuries, accidents, and workers' compensation claims because of mental illness. This study examined the influence of supportive and ethical work environments on work-related accidents, injuries, and serious psychological distress among hospital nurses. Self-reported questionnaires were distributed to nurses ( n = 1114) from 11 hospitals. Valid responses ( n = 822, 93% women, mean age = 38.49 ± 10.09 years) were used for analyses. The questionnaire included items addressing basic attributes, work and organizational characteristics, social capital and ethical climate at the workplace, psychological distress, and experience of work-related accidents or injuries in the last half year. The final model of a multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that those who work less than 4 h of overtime per week (OR = 0.313), those who work on days off more than once per month (OR = 0.424), and an exclusive workplace climate (OR = 1.314) were significantly associated with work-related accidents or injuries. Additionally, an exclusive workplace climate (OR = 1.696) elevated the risk of serious psychological distress. To prevent work-related compensation cases, which are caused by these variables, strengthening hospitals' occupational health and safety is necessary.

  3. Analysis of new workers' compensation claims in the Department of Defense civilian workforce, 2000-2012.

    PubMed

    Nelson, Cameron J L; Bigley, Daniel P; Mallon, Timothy M

    2015-03-01

    This study of Department of Defense (DoD) civilian employees Workers' Compensation (WC) claims for chargeback year 2000 through 2012 aimed to analyze the frequency, rates, and costs of WC claims representing 5% of the DoD annual personnel budget. A multiyear cross-sectional study of WC claims data identified the top five most frequent causes, natures, and anatomical sites; changes in frequency, worker age, costs, and time were evaluated for trends. The annual frequency and rate of new DoD WC claims decreased over time, whereas costs per new claim have increased. New claim frequencies, rates, and costs aggregated in older age groups. The increasing trend in costs of each claim and the overall program costs presents a need for case management. Analysis of WC claims data is necessary to help target injury prevention efforts and reduce program costs.

  4. Workplace accidents and self-organized criticality

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mauro, John C.; Diehl, Brett; Marcellin, Richard F.; Vaughn, Daniel J.

    2018-09-01

    The occurrence of workplace accidents is described within the context of self-organized criticality, a theory from statistical physics that governs a wide range of phenomena across physics, biology, geosciences, economics, and the social sciences. Workplace accident data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal a power-law relationship between the number of accidents and their severity as measured by the number of days lost from work. This power-law scaling is indicative of workplace accidents being governed by self-organized criticality, suggesting that nearly all workplace accidents have a common underlying cause, independent of their severity. Such power-law scaling is found for all labor categories documented by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Our results provide scientific support for the Heinrich accident triangle, with the practical implication that suppressing the rate of severe accidents requires changing the attitude toward workplace safety in general. By creating a culture that values safety, empowers individuals, and strives to continuously improve, accident rates can be suppressed across the full range of severities.

  5. Risk factors of fatal occupational accidents in Iran.

    PubMed

    Asady, Hadi; Yaseri, Mehdi; Hosseini, Mostafa; Zarif-Yeganeh, Morvarid; Yousefifard, Mahmoud; Haghshenas, Mahin; Hajizadeh-Moghadam, Parisa

    2018-01-01

    Occupational accidents are of most important consequences of globalization in developing countries. Therefore, investigating the causes of occupational accidents for improving the job situation and making operational policy is necessary. So the aim of this study was to investigate factors affecting the fatal occupational accidents and also calculate the years of life lost for dead workers. This cross-sectional study was conducted on data related to the 6052 injured workers that was registered in the 2013 registry system of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education of Iran. Variables including sex, education, age, job tenure, injury cause, referred location of injured workers, occupation, shift work, season, accident day, damaged part of the body were chosen as independent variables. The Chi-squared and Fisher exact tests were used for univariate analysis and then exact multiple logistic regression was carried out to identify independent risk factors of fatal occupational accidents. Finally, for dead workers, years of life lost, according to the injury causes was calculated. Among the 6052 accidents reported, 33 deaths were recorded. Chi-square and Fisher exact tests showed that factors including: current job tenure ( p  = 0.01), damaged parts of the body ( p  < 0.001) and injury cause ( p  < 0.001) are associated with the fatal accidents. Also exact multiple logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between electric shocks as a cause of injury (OR = 7.04; 95% CI: 1.01-43.74; p  = 0.02) and current job tenure more than 1 year (OR = 0.21; 95% CI: 0.05-0.70; p  = 0.005) with the fatal accidents. The total amount of years of life lost based on causes of injuries was estimated 1289.12 years. In Iran, fatal accident odds in workers with job tenure more than 1 year was less in comparing to the workers with job tenure less and equal to 1 year. Also odd of death for electrical shock was more than other causes of injuries. So it seems

  6. Workers' compensation loss prevention representative contact and risk of lost-time injury in construction policyholders.

    PubMed

    Schofield, Katherine E; Alexander, Bruce H; Gerberich, Susan G; MacLehose, Richard F

    2017-09-01

    Insurance loss prevention (LP) representatives have access and contact with businesses and employees to provide targeted safety and health resources. Construction firms, especially those smaller in size, are a high-risk population. This research evaluated the association between LP rep contact and risk for lost-time injuries in construction policyholders. Workers' compensation data were utilized to track LP rep contact with policyholders and incidence of lost-time injury over time. Survival analysis with repeated events modeling calculated hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Compared no LP contact, one contact was associated with a 27% reduction of risk (HR=0.73, CI=0.65-0.82), two with a 41% (HR=0.59, CI=0.51-0.68), and three or more contacts with a 28% reduction of risk (HR=0.72, CI=0.65-0.81). LP reps appear to be a valuable partner in efforts to reduce injury burden. Their presence or contact with policyholders is consistent with reduction in overall incidence of lost-time injuries. Reduction in lost-time injuries, resulting in reduced workers' compensation costs for policyholders and insurance companies, builds a business-case for safety and injury prevention. LP reps are often a low or no-cost benefit for insurance policyholders and may be an important injury prevention resource for small firms and/or those with lack of safety resources and staff. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  7. Age-related injury and compensation claim rates in heavy industry.

    PubMed

    Guest, M; Boggess, M M; Viljoen, D A; Duke, J M; Culvern, C N

    2014-03-01

    Although ageing workers face specific health and safety concerns, conflicting evidence exists regarding the effects of age on workplace injury rates and workers' compensation claims. To examine injury and workers' compensation claim rates by age and injury type in an aluminium smelter over a 9-year period. Routinely collected data for workplace injuries and workers' compensation claims were retrieved for the period from 1997 to 2005. The study included a total of 709 workers who experienced 2281 at-work injuries and submitted 446 claims. In 1997, 16% of employees were aged 50 or over; by 2005 that proportion had more than doubled to 35%. Injury and claim rates in all age groups did not change significantly during this period. Workers younger than 30 years of age had the highest injury rates, with differences most significant for injuries other than sprains and strains. Claim rates were not significantly different across age groups. These findings do not provide evidence to support the notion that older workers sustain more injuries and are more likely to claim compensation for their injuries. Our findings demonstrate that in this workplace, older workers were able to maintain their ability to work safely. This contrasts with the finding that younger workers had the highest injury and claim rates. While adapting to the needs of an ageing workforce, employers should not lose sight of the need to nurture a strong culture of working safely among their youngest workers.

  8. Occupational health nursing interventions to reduce third-party liability in workplace injuries.

    PubMed

    Delk, Kayla L

    2012-03-01

    This article explores general principles of workers' compensation law and the ability to sue third parties for employee injuries by using case law and the treatise Larson's Workers' Compensation Law. This overview provides occupational health nurses with a background on workers' compensation law, who is liable for employee injuries, and how recovery from third parties is distributed between the employer or insurer and the employee. The author then explores interventions that occupational health nurses can implement to reduce employee injury and employer costs for providing workers' compensation. The goal of this article is to stimulate occupational health nurses' critical-thinking and problem-solving skills so they may identify risks and implement cost-effective solutions that will prevent injuries to employees. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

  9. Do compensation processes impair mental health? A meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Elbers, Nieke A; Hulst, Liesbeth; Cuijpers, Pim; Akkermans, Arno J; Bruinvels, David J

    2013-05-01

    Victims who are involved in a compensation processes generally have more health complaints compared to victims who are not involved in a compensation process. Previous research regarding the effect of compensation processes has concentrated on the effect on physical health. This meta-analysis focuses on the effect of compensation processes on mental health. Prospective cohort studies addressing compensation and mental health after traffic accidents, occupational accidents or medical errors were identified using PubMed, EMBASE, PsycInfo, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library. Relevant studies published between January 1966 and 10 June 2011 were selected for inclusion. Ten studies were included. The first finding was that the compensation group already had higher mental health complaints at baseline compared to the non-compensation group (standardised mean difference (SMD)=-0.38; 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.66 to -0.10; p=.01). The second finding was that mental health between baseline and post measurement improved less in the compensation group compared to the non-compensation group (SMD=-0.35; 95% CI -0.70 to -0.01; p=.05). However, the quality of evidence was limited, mainly because of low quality study design and heterogeneity. Being involved in a compensation process is associated with higher mental health complaints but three-quarters of the difference appeared to be already present at baseline. The findings of this study should be interpreted with caution because of the limited quality of evidence. The difference at baseline may be explained by a selection bias or more anger and blame about the accident in the compensation group. The difference between baseline and follow-up may be explained by secondary gain and secondary victimisation. Future research should involve assessment of exposure to compensation processes, should analyse and correct for baseline differences, and could examine the effect of time, compensation scheme design, and claim settlement on

  10. Impairment Rating Ambiguity in the United States: The Utah Impairment Guides for Calculating Workers' Compensation Impairments

    PubMed Central

    Hunter, Bradley; Bunkall, Larry D.; Holmes, Edward B.

    2009-01-01

    Since the implementation of workers' compensation, accurately and consistently rating impairment has been a concern for the employee and employer, as well as rating physicians. In an attempt to standardize and classify impairments, the American Medical Association (AMA) publishes the AMA Guides ("Guides"), and recently published its 6th edition of the AMA Guides. Common critiques of the AMA Guides 6th edition are that they are too complex, lacking in evidence-based methods, and rarely yield consistent ratings. Many states mandate use of some edition of the AMA Guides, but few states are adopting the current edition due to the increasing difficulty and frustration with their implementation. A clearer, simpler approach is needed. Some states have begun to develop their own supplemental guides to combat problems in complexity and validity. Likewise studies in Korea show that past methods for rating impairment are outdated and inconsistent, and call for measures to adapt current methods to Korea's specific needs. The Utah Supplemental Guides to the AMA Guides have been effective in increasing consistency in rating impairment. It is estimated that litigation of permanent impairment has fallen below 1% and Utah is now one of the least costly states for obtaining workers' compensation insurance, while maintaining a medical fee schedule above the national average. Utah's guides serve as a model for national or international impairment guides. PMID:19503678

  11. Workers' safety in the construction industry in the southern West Bank of Palestine.

    PubMed

    Al-Sari, M I; Al-Khatib, I A

    2012-10-01

    There are few data about safety in the construction industry in Palestine. The main aim of the study was to assess worker's experiences and perceptions of safety at construction sites in Hebron and Bethlehem governorates of the West Bank. A structured questionnaire was completed through direct interviews with 349 construction workers. Of the respondents, 34.6% had experienced work-related accidents, 13.0% and 65.6% indicated that their workplace did not have a first-aid kit or trained first-aid specialist respectively, 35.8% reported that their work sites did not have safety tools and 83.7% had not received safety training. Workers perceived that awareness and training were the most frequent factor affecting workers' safety, with the foreman position having the greatest impact on the workers' safety. Greater enforcement of the current Palestinian safety laws is needed.

  12. The marriage premium and compensating wage differentials.

    PubMed

    Reed, W R; Harford, K

    1989-12-01

    This paper proposes and tests an alternative explanation of the marriage premium that relies upon differences in workers' tastes and compensating wage differentials. A key assumption is that marital status proxies for the consumption of family goods, such as children, and that these are costly. Workers whose greater demands for family goods are taste- generated and shown to choose jobs that offer greater wage, and less non-pecuniary compensation. This creates an observed wage premium that has nothing to do with differences in workers' productivities. Supporting empirical evidence for this hypothesis is presented, including a reevaluation of previous studies.

  13. Occupational eye injury and risk reduction: Kentucky workers' compensation claim analysis 1994-2003.

    PubMed

    McCall, B P; Horwitz, I B; Taylor, O A

    2009-06-01

    Occupational eye injuries are a significant source of injury in the workplace. Little population-based research in the area has been conducted, and is necessary for developing and prioritizing effective interventions. Workers' compensation data from the state of Kentucky for the years 1994-2003 were analysed by demographics, injury nature and cause, cost, and occupational and industrial characteristics. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics' Current Population Survey was utilised to compute injury rates for demographic and occupational groups. There were 10,545 claims of ocular injury, representing 6.29 claims per 10,000 workers on average annually. A substantial drop in the claim rate was found after the state passed monetary penalties for injuries caused by employer negligence or OSHA violations. Claims by men were over three times more likely than those by women to have associated claim costs (OR 0.52; 95% CI 0.32 to 0.85; p = 0.009). The highest eye injury rates per 10,000 of 13.46 (95% CI 12.86 to 14.07) were found for the helpers/labourers occupation, and of 19.95 (95% CI 18.73 to 21.17) for the construction industry. The total cost of claim payments over the period was over $3,480,000, and average cost per claim approximated $331. Eye injuries remain a significant risk to worker health, especially among men in jobs requiring intensive manual labour. Evidence showed that increased legislative regulation led to a decline in eye injuries, which was consistent with other recent findings in the area. Additionally, targeting groups most at risk, increasing worker training, providing effective eye protection equipment, and developing workplace safety cultures may together reduce occupational eye injuries.

  14. Evaluating progress in reducing workplace violence: trends in Washington State workers' compensation claims rates, 1997-2007.

    PubMed

    Foley, Michael; Rauser, Edmund

    2012-01-01

    This study reports trends in the pattern of injuries related to workplace violence over the period 1997-2007. It tracks occupations and industries at elevated risk of workplace violence with a special focus on the persistently high claims rates among healthcare and social assistance workers. Industry and occupational incidence rates were calculated using workers' compensation and employment security data from Washington State. Violence-related claims rates among certain Healthcare and Social Assistance industries remained particularly high. Incidents where workers were injured by clients or patients predominated. By contrast, claims rates in retail trade have fallen substantially. Progress to reduce violence has been made in most of the highest hazard industries within the Healthcare and Social Assistance sector with the notable exception of psychiatric hospitals and facilities caring for the developmentally disabled. State legislation requiring healthcare workplaces to address hazards for workplace violence has had mixed results. Insufficient staffing, inadequate violence prevention training and sporadic management attention are seen as the key barriers to violence prevention in healthcare/social assistance workplaces.

  15. Health Insurance Costs and Employee Compensation: Evidence from the National Compensation Survey.

    PubMed

    Anand, Priyanka

    2017-12-01

    This paper examines the relationship between rising health insurance costs and employee compensation. I estimate the extent to which total compensation decreases with a rise in health insurance costs and decompose these changes in compensation into adjustments in wages, non-health fringe benefits, and employee contributions to health insurance premiums. I examine this relationship using the National Compensation Survey, a panel dataset on compensation and health insurance for a sample of establishments across the USA. I find that total hourly compensation reduces by $0.52 for each dollar increase in health insurance costs. This reduction in total compensation is primarily in the form of higher employee premium contributions, and there is no evidence of a change in wages and non-health fringe benefits. These findings show that workers are absorbing at least part of the increase in health insurance costs through lower compensation and highlight the importance of examining total compensation, and not just wages, when examining the relationship between health insurance costs and employee compensation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  16. Twenty questions surrounding unpaid medical leave: Navigating the Bermuda Triangle of employment law.

    PubMed

    McMahon, B T; Domer, T M

    1997-01-01

    No federal or state lawmaker could have foreseen the nuances involved in the mutual implementations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and state workers compensation statutes. These laws are compared and contrasted on a number of key issues. Readers are provided with a decision matrix to guide them and those they represent in the judicious invocation of the most beneficial statute for each issue.

  17. [Factors associated with work-related accidents in the informal commercial sector].

    PubMed

    Rios, Marcela Andrade; Nery, Adriana Alves; Rios, Polianna Alves Andrade; Casotti, Cezar Augusto; Cardoso, Jefferson Paixão

    2015-06-01

    This study aimed to estimate the incidence of non-fatal work-related accidents in the informal commercial sector and analyze associated socio-demographic, occupational, workplace, and health factors, in a cross-sectional survey of 434 workers in the business district of Jequié, Bahia State, Brazil, in 2013. Logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with accidents. Incidence of accidents in the previous 12 months was estimated at 32.3%, and multivariate analysis showed higher odds of accidents in male sex workers (OR = 1.61), young individuals (OR = 4.62), meat or poultry workers (OR = 9.55), and workers performing heavy physical work (OR = 1.71). The results show the need for public policies to prevent accidents in the informal commercial sector.

  18. Psychological Distress and Post-Traumatic Symptoms Following Occupational Accidents

    PubMed Central

    Ghisi, Marta; Novara, Caterina; Buodo, Giulia; Kimble, Matthew O.; Scozzari, Simona; Di Natale, Arianna; Sanavio, Ezio; Palomba, Daniela

    2013-01-01

    Depression and post-traumatic stress disorder frequently occur as a consequence of occupational accidents. To date, research has been primarily focused on high-risk workers, such as police officers or firefighters, and has rarely considered individuals whose occupational environment involves the risk of severe, but not necessarily life-threatening, injury. Therefore, the present study was aimed at assessing the psychological consequences of accidents occurring in several occupational settings (e.g., construction and industry). Thirty-eight victims of occupational accidents (injured workers) and 38 gender-, age-, and years of education-matched workers who never experienced a work accident (control group) were recruited. All participants underwent a semi-structured interview administered by a trained psychologist, and then were requested to fill in the questionnaires. Injured workers reported more severe anxious, post-traumatic and depressive symptoms, and poorer coping skills, as compared to controls. In the injured group low levels of resilience predicted post-traumatic symptomatology, whereas the degree of physical injury and the length of time since the accident did not play a predictive role. The results suggest that occupational accidents may result in a disabling psychopathological condition, and that a brief psychological evaluation should be included in the assessment of seriously injured workers. PMID:25379258

  19. The American compensation phenomenon.

    PubMed

    Bale, A

    1990-01-01

    In this article, the author defines the occupational safety and health domain, characterizes the distinct compensation phenomenon in the United States, and briefly reviews important developments in the last decade involving Karen Silkwood, intentional torts, and asbestos litigation. He examines the class conflict over the value and meaning of work-related injuries and illnesses involved in the practical activity of making claims and turning them into money through compensation inquiries. Juries, attributions of fault, and medicolegal discourse play key roles in the compensation phenomenon. This article demonstrates the extensive, probing inquiry through workers' bodies constituted by the American compensation phenomenon into the moral basis of elements of the system of production.

  20. Compensation for Asbestos-Related Diseases in Japan: Utilization of Standard Classifications of Industry and Occupations

    PubMed

    Sawanyawisuth, Kittisak; Furuya, Sugio; Park, Eun-Kee; Myong, Jun-Pyo; Ramos-Bonilla, Juan Pablo; Chimed Ochir, Odgerel; Takahashi, Ken

    2017-07-27

    Background: Asbestos-related diseases (ARD) are occupational hazards with high mortality rates. To identify asbestos exposure by previous occupation is the main issue for ARD compensation for workers. This study aimed to identify risk groups by applying standard classifications of industries and occupations to a national database of compensated ARD victims in Japan. Methods: We identified occupations that carry a risk of asbestos exposure according to the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC). ARD compensation data from Japan between 2006 and 2013 were retrieved. Each compensated worker was classified by job section and group according to the ISIC code. Risk ratios for compensation were calculated according to the percentage of workers compensated because of ARD in each ISIC category. Results: In total, there were 6,916 workers with ARD who received compensation in Japan between 2008 and 2013. ISIC classification section F (construction) had the highest compensated risk ratio of 6.3. Section C (manufacturing) and section F (construction) had the largest number of compensated workers (2,868 and 3,463, respectively). In the manufacturing section C, 9 out of 13 divisions had a risk ratio of more than 1. For ISIC divisions in the construction section, construction of buildings (division 41) had the highest number of workers registering claims (2,504). Conclusion: ISIC classification of occupations that are at risk of developing ARD can be used to identify the actual risk of workers’ compensation at the national level. Creative Commons Attribution License

  1. A New Method to Classify Injury Severity by Diagnosis: Validation using Workers' Compensation and Trauma Registry Data

    PubMed Central

    Sears, Jeanne M.; Bowman, Stephen M.; Rotert, Mary; Hogg-Johnson, Sheilah

    2015-01-01

    Purpose Acute work-related trauma is a leading cause of death and disability among U.S. workers. Existing methods to estimate injury severity have important limitations. This study assessed a severe injury indicator constructed from a list of severe traumatic injury diagnosis codes previously developed for surveillance purposes. Study objectives were to: (1) describe the degree to which the severe injury indicator predicts work disability and medical cost outcomes; (2) assess whether this indicator adequately substitutes for estimating Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS)-based injury severity from workers' compensation (WC) billing data; and (3) assess concordance between indicators constructed from Washington State Trauma Registry (WTR) and WC data. Methods WC claims for workers injured in Washington State from 1998-2008 were linked to WTR records. Competing risks survival analysis was used to model work disability outcomes. Adjusted total medical costs were modeled using linear regression. Information content of the severe injury indicator and AIS-based injury severity measures were compared using Akaike Information Criterion and R2. Results Of 208,522 eligible WC claims, 5% were classified as severe. Among WC claims linked to the WTR, there was substantial agreement between WC-based and WTR-based indicators (kappa=0.75). Information content of the severe injury indicator was similar to some AIS-based measures. The severe injury indicator was a significant predictor of WTR inclusion, early hospitalization, compensated time loss, total permanent disability, and total medical costs. Conclusions Severe traumatic injuries can be directly identified when diagnosis codes are available. This method provides a simple and transparent alternative to AIS-based injury severity estimation. PMID:25900409

  2. [Rotator cuff diseases in occupational medicine between occupational diseases and accidents: medical-legal considerations].

    PubMed

    Spigno, F; Galli, R; Casali, C; Lagattolla, N; De Lucchi, M

    2010-01-01

    The authors have gone through the complaints concerning all the cases of shoulder accidents at work filed by the Genoa office of the Italian Workers' National compensation Agency (INAIL) during the two years' period 2006-2007, reviewing in particular those somehow affecting rotator components. The aim of this paper is to assess the real role played by the occupational trauma in the rotator cuff tear. The data gathered so far have shown, on the one hand, a high prevalence of pre-existing inflammatory and degenerative diseases and, on the other, a rather modest influence of the trauma which, for this reason, has usually borne, as an immediate medico-legal consequence, the rejection of a cause-effect relationship between the accident and the rotator cuff lesion, without taking into any account whether the worker was likely to be affected by an occupational disease (ex table Ministerial Decree n. 81 April 9th 2008- item 78). In such cases a systematic and in-depth investigation of the occupational case history is suggested, in order to highlight the possible pre-existence of a former biomechanical overload of the upper limbs, so as to allow the physician to detect a pathology often misdiagnosed.

  3. The association between subjective socioeconomic status and health inequity in victims of occupational accidents in Korea

    PubMed Central

    Seok, Hongdeok; Yoon, Jin-Ha; Roh, Jaehoon; Kim, Jihyun; Kim, Yeong-Kwang; Lee, Wanhyung; Rhie, Jeongbae; Won, Jong-Uk

    2016-01-01

    Objectives: We aimed to investigate the health inequity of victims of occupational accidents through the association between socioeconomic status and unmet healthcare need. Methods: Data from the first and second Panel Study of Workers' Compensation Insurance were used, which included 1,803 participants. The odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals for the unmet healthcare needs of participants with a lower socioeconomic status and other socioeconomic statuses were investigated using multivariate regression analysis. Results: Among all participants, 103 had unmet healthcare needs, whereas 1,700 did not. After adjusting for sex, age, smoking, alcohol, chronic disease, recuperation duration, accident type, disability, and economic participation, the odds ratio of unmet healthcare needs in participants with a lower socioeconomic status was 2.04 (95% confidence interval 1.32-3.15) compared to participants with other socioeconomic statuses. Conclusions: The victims of occupational accidents who have a lower socioeconomic status are more likely to have unmet healthcare needs in comparison to those with other socioeconomic statuses. PMID:27885246

  4. The association between subjective socioeconomic status and health inequity in victims of occupational accidents in Korea.

    PubMed

    Seok, Hongdeok; Yoon, Jin-Ha; Roh, Jaehoon; Kim, Jihyun; Kim, Yeong-Kwang; Lee, Wanhyung; Rhie, Jeongbae; Won, Jong-Uk

    2017-01-24

    We aimed to investigate the health inequity of victims of occupational accidents through the association between socioeconomic status and unmet healthcare need. Data from the first and second Panel Study of Workers' Compensation Insurance were used, which included 1,803 participants. The odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals for the unmet healthcare needs of participants with a lower socioeconomic status and other socioeconomic statuses were investigated using multivariate regression analysis. Among all participants, 103 had unmet healthcare needs, whereas 1,700 did not. After adjusting for sex, age, smoking, alcohol, chronic disease, recuperation duration, accident type, disability, and economic participation, the odds ratio of unmet healthcare needs in participants with a lower socioeconomic status was 2.04 (95% confidence interval 1.32-3.15) compared to participants with other socioeconomic statuses. The victims of occupational accidents who have a lower socioeconomic status are more likely to have unmet healthcare needs in comparison to those with other socioeconomic statuses.

  5. [Accidents with exposure to biological material contaminated with HIV in workers at a third level hospital in Madrid].

    PubMed

    García de Codes Ilario, Aurelia; de Juanes Pardo, José Ramón; Arrazola Martínez, M del Pilar; Jaén Herreros, Felisa; Sanz Gallardo, M Inmaculada; Lago López, Emilia

    2004-01-01

    Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is an occupational hazard among healthcare professionals accidentally contaminated with HIV-positive blood. This study is aimed at describing the characteristics of the accidents involving blood of HIV-positive patients recorded over a sixteen-year period at a general hospital. Epidemiological study of the accidents reported in 2001 involving biological material from an HIV-positive source by the healthcare personnel of a general hospital throughout the 1986-2001 period entailing the presence of biological material from HIV-positive serology individuals. Individual, time and place-related variables, in addition to the initial serologies and those throughout the protocolized follow-up were studied for those individuals involved in these accidents. A total 550 accidents entailing an HIV-positive source were reported. The average number of accidents was 34.4/year. The accidental exposure rate for the period under study was 7.5/1000 workers/year. The professional group showing the highest accident rate was the nursing staff (54.4%). Percutaneous injuries were the most frequent (80.2%). The mean exposure rate was 2.6/100 beds/year. The anatomical areas involved to the greatest degree were the fingers (75.6%). A total 53.4% of those injured completed the serological follow-up without having shown any seroconversion. Throughout the sixteen-year period under study, the annual incidence of accidents involving an HIV-positive source increased from the 27 accidents reported in 1986 to the 60 accidents reported in 1990, there having been a downward trend as of that point in time, to the point of 12 accidents having been recorded in 2001.

  6. [Work-related accidents in minors in Lombardy].

    PubMed

    Pianosi, G; Zocchetti, C

    1995-01-01

    Work-related injuries in children and adolescents represent a negative indication of more general inequities of the society in which events occur. Their characteristics are not well described, particularly in Italy, and this paper is aimed at highlighting some fundamental aspects of these injuries. The case in point is represented by the injuries that received compensation and occurred in the Lombardy Region (Italy) between 1984 and 1989 and involved people under the age of eighteen. The injuries occurring in the same period and area in workers over eighteen were used for comparison. Work related injuries in minors were more frequent in crafts activities than in industry, but their gravity (in terms of deaths or permanent consequences) was lower than in the corresponding adult workers. Ninety percent of the events in young workers occurred in males, in each age category, and about 5% of the cases pertains to very young workers (less than 15 years). Cuts/lacerations are the most frequent type of lesion (49.9%) and the hands represent the site most frequently involved (55.5%). The great majority of the observed injuries pertains to a limited number of economic activity sectors: about 75% of the cases occurred in ten sectors. Metal manufacturing, construction and machine production scored first, with interesting correlations with the same sectors in adult workers. Ten specific occupations represent over fifty percent of the cases, with mechanics and bricklayers at the top. The description of the accident in terms of mode of occurrence and the agents involved was less informative and not specific.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  7. Psychological profile and work status of a predominantly Hispanic worker's compensation population with chronic limb pain.

    PubMed

    Monsivais, Jose J; Robinson, Kris

    2008-12-01

    The purposes of this study were to describe the psychosocial profile and to measure function (posttreatment work status) after surgical and non-surgical treatment in a predominantly Hispanic worker's compensation population with chronic limb pain. We conducted an archival review of records from 91 patients treated for neuropathic pain in a specialty clinic over a 10-year period who had extreme difficulty accepting or managing pain. Medical records from individuals with proven nerve dysfunction experiencing pain >3 months and whose record contained a full psychological evaluation were included. All patients received patient-centered care, a prescription to return to work, periodic pain assessment, and clinical evaluation of sensory and motor function plus pharmacologic pain management. Surgery was determined by the degree of sensory-motor abnormalities in the absence of untreated psychological distress regardless of pain level or worker's compensation status. The majority of patients returned to work after treatment of nerve injury. No differences were noted between surgical/non-surgical treatment groups on initial pain level (p = 0.2), litigation status (p > 0.5), and posttreatment work status (p > 0.05). However, individuals expecting surgery also expected total relief of pain with surgical intervention. Psychosocial assessment, support, and adequate pain treatment seem to mediate the ability of an individual with chronic limb pain to return to work regardless of surgical/non-surgical treatment. Patients' expectations of surgery may be unrealistic and are best addressed prior to treatment.

  8. Compensated for Life: Sex Work and Disease Risk

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arunachalam, Raj; Shah, Manisha

    2013-01-01

    Sex workers draw a premium for engaging in unprotected sex. We theoretically motivate a test of whether this premium represents a compensating differential for disease, thereby mitigating sex workers' propensity to use condoms. Using transaction-level data and biological STI markers from sex workers in Ecuador, we exploit within-worker variation…

  9. 5 CFR 894.701 - May I keep my dental and/or vision coverage when I retire or start receiving workers' compensation?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false May I keep my dental and/or vision... DENTAL AND VISION INSURANCE PROGRAM Annuitants and Compensationers § 894.701 May I keep my dental and/or vision coverage when I retire or start receiving workers' compensation? (a) Your FEDVIP coverage...

  10. 5 CFR 894.701 - May I keep my dental and/or vision coverage when I retire or start receiving workers' compensation?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false May I keep my dental and/or vision... DENTAL AND VISION INSURANCE PROGRAM Annuitants and Compensationers § 894.701 May I keep my dental and/or vision coverage when I retire or start receiving workers' compensation? (a) Your FEDVIP coverage...

  11. Association between exposure/non-exposure to the mandatory seat belt law with regards to compliance in vehicle accident victims--a hospital review.

    PubMed

    Williams, E W; Reid, M; Lindo, J L M; Williams-Johnson, J; French, S; Singh, P; McDonald, A H

    2007-06-01

    Injuries sustained in motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) are a major challenge to the Jamaican healthcare system. In November 1999, Jamaica enacted legislation to make seat belt usage in motor vehicles compulsory. The effect of this policy change on seat belt usage is unclear. This study therefore sought to determine the prevalence of seat belt usage and to determine the association between exposure/non-exposure to the mandatory seat belt law and seat belt use in subjects who presented to the Accident and Emergency Department (A&E) of the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) as a result of motor vehicle accidents. Subjects were recruited from June to November 2003, post-seat belt law (POBL) period, and May to October 1999, pre-seat belt law (PRBL) period. Data collected included demographic variables, seat belt use and position of the occupants in the vehicle. Of the 277 patients who were eligible for inclusion, data were complete in 258 subjects, 87 in the PRBL period and 171 in the POBL period. The prevalence of seat belt use was 47% (PRBL) and 63% (POBL) respectively. There was no significant gender difference at each period. The odds of wearing seat belt in the rear of a motor vehicle were significantly lower than that of a driver (Table 3, OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.07, 0.48). Adjusting for age, gender and position in vehicle exposure, there was about 100% increase in the odds of seat belt use during the post seat belt law era (OR = 2.09, 95% CI 1.21, 3.61). It is concluded from this hospital-based study that the mandatory seat belt law legislature was associated with increased seat belt use in motor vehicle accident victims. However, current data from the Road Traffic Agency indicate that there is still an alarming number of fatalities. This clearly suggests that additional public health measures are needed to address the epidemic of motor vehicle trauma in Jamaica.

  12. 16 CFR 16.16 - Compensation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Compensation. 16.16 Section 16.16 Commercial Practices FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION ORGANIZATION, PROCEDURES AND RULES OF PRACTICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MANAGEMENT § 16.16 Compensation. (a) Committee members. Unless otherwise provided by law, the Commission...

  13. Association between the decline in workers' compensation claims and workforce composition and job characteristics in Ontario, Canada.

    PubMed

    Breslin, F Curtis; Tompa, Emile; Mustard, Cameron; Zhao, Ryan; Smith, Peter; Hogg-Johnson, Sheilah

    2007-03-01

    We examined associations between workforce demographics and job characteristics, grouped by industrial sector, and declines in workers' compensation claim rates in Ontario, Canada, between 1990 and 2003. Gender, age, occupation, and job tenure were predictors for claim rates in 12 industrial sectors. The decline in claims was significantly associated with a decline in the proportion of employment in occupations with high physical demands. These findings should generate interest in economic incentives and regulatory policies designed to encourage investment in safer production processes.

  14. Epidemiology of occupational accidents in iran based on social security organization database.

    PubMed

    Mehrdad, Ramin; Seifmanesh, Shahdokht; Chavoshi, Farzaneh; Aminian, Omid; Izadi, Nazanin

    2014-01-01

    Today, occupational accidents are one of the most important problems in industrial world. Due to lack of appropriate system for registration and reporting, there is no accurate statistics of occupational accidents all over the world especially in developing countries. The aim of this study is epidemiological assessment of occupational accidents in Iran. Information of available occupational accidents in Social Security Organization was extracted from accident reporting and registration forms. In this cross-sectional study, gender, age, economic activity, type of accident and injured body part in 22158 registered accidents during 2008 were described. The occupational accidents rate was 253 in 100,000 workers in 2008. 98.2% of injured workers were men. The mean age of injured workers was 32.07 ± 9.12 years. The highest percentage belonged to age group of 25-34 years old. In our study, most of the accidents occurred in basic metals industry, electrical and non-electrical machines and construction industry. Falling down from height and crush injury were the most prevalent accidents. Upper and lower extremities were the most common injured body parts. Due to the high rate of accidents in metal and construction industries, engineering controls, the use of appropriate protective equipment and safety worker training seems necessary.

  15. 5 CFR 894.701 - May I keep my dental and/or vision coverage when I retire or start receiving workers' compensation?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false May I keep my dental and/or vision coverage when I retire or start receiving workers' compensation? 894.701 Section 894.701 Administrative... DENTAL AND VISION INSURANCE PROGRAM Annuitants and Compensationers § 894.701 May I keep my dental and/or...

  16. 5 CFR 894.701 - May I keep my dental and/or vision coverage when I retire or start receiving workers' compensation?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false May I keep my dental and/or vision coverage when I retire or start receiving workers' compensation? 894.701 Section 894.701 Administrative... DENTAL AND VISION INSURANCE PROGRAM Annuitants and Compensationers § 894.701 May I keep my dental and/or...

  17. 5 CFR 894.701 - May I keep my dental and/or vision coverage when I retire or start receiving workers' compensation?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false May I keep my dental and/or vision coverage when I retire or start receiving workers' compensation? 894.701 Section 894.701 Administrative... DENTAL AND VISION INSURANCE PROGRAM Annuitants and Compensationers § 894.701 May I keep my dental and/or...

  18. The legal liability of the occupational health professional.

    PubMed

    Billauer, B P

    1985-03-01

    Workers' compensation laws originally provided the exclusive remedy for an injured worker. Under the workers' compensation system, an injured worker received a limited monetary recovery, while the employer and the employees (i.e., the co-employees of the injured worker, including company physicians and nurses) received immunity from negligence actions, including those for medical malpractice. Recent trends in workers' compensation law indicate tha company physicians and nurses now may well be subject to malpractice suits. However, carefully-drawn company health care protocols, appropriate employment requirements, and attention to the handling of cases, may reduce the number of these claims.

  19. Assessment of accident severity in the construction industry using the Bayesian theorem.

    PubMed

    Alizadeh, Seyed Shamseddin; Mortazavi, Seyed Bagher; Mehdi Sepehri, Mohammad

    2015-01-01

    Construction is a major source of employment in many countries. In construction, workers perform a great diversity of activities, each one with a specific associated risk. The aim of this paper is to identify workers who are at risk of accidents with severe consequences and classify these workers to determine appropriate control measures. We defined 48 groups of workers and used the Bayesian theorem to estimate posterior probabilities about the severity of accidents at the level of individuals in construction sector. First, the posterior probabilities of injuries based on four variables were provided. Then the probabilities of injury for 48 groups of workers were determined. With regard to marginal frequency of injury, slight injury (0.856), fatal injury (0.086) and severe injury (0.058) had the highest probability of occurrence. It was observed that workers with <1 year's work experience (0.168) had the highest probability of injury occurrence. The first group of workers, who were extensively exposed to risk of severe and fatal accidents, involved workers ≥ 50 years old, married, with 1-5 years' work experience, who had no past accident experience. The findings provide a direction for more effective safety strategies and occupational accident prevention and emergency programmes.

  20. Safety Climate and Occupational Stress According to Occupational Accidents Experience and Employment Type in Shipbuilding Industry of Korea.

    PubMed

    Kim, Kyung Woo; Park, Sung Jin; Lim, Hae Sun; Cho, Hm Hak

    2017-09-01

    Safety climate and occupational stress are related with occupational accident. The present study tried to identify the differences in safety climate and occupational stress according to occupational accidents experience and employment type (e.g., direct workers and subcontract workers). In this study, we conducted a survey using safety climate scale and Korean Occupational Stress Scale and classified the participants into four groups: direct workers working for accident-free departments, direct workers working for accident departments, subcontract workers working for accident-free departments, and subcontract workers working for accident departments for 2 years within the same workplace in the shipbuilding industry. The direct workers and subcontract workers showed diverse results in subscales of safety climate and occupational stress. This result is supported by existing studies; however, further study is necessary for more supporting evidence and elaborative methodological approach. The necessity of management for safety climate and psychosocial factor such as occupational stress for both direct workers and subcontract workers as a whole is suggested by this study.

  1. [Occupational accidents in Barcelona (Spain), from 1992 to 1993].

    PubMed

    Sampaio, R F; Martin, M; Artazcoz, L; Moncada, S

    1998-08-01

    The statistics related to labor accidents as with any other notification system ought to be the basis for programs and policies with a view to the adoption of preventive measures. In order to establish preventive norms, however, the health system needs data from researchers focussing on the dynamics of and the pitfalls revealed by specific events. Within this context the main objective of this study is to proceed with an in-depth analysis of the labor accidents verified in Barcelona (Spain) using for this purpose a descriptive statistics model to test variables such as type of accident, economic sector, economic enterprise and type of labor contract. The data source utilized was the notification system for labor accidents with grave consequences such as death of the victim registered in Barcelona during the period 1992-1993. Labor accidents registered for male workers numbered 848. A log-linear model was applied to this data base. The results show a positive association between traumatic accidents with the construction, traffic and services sectors. A positive association was also found between traumatic accidents and the size of the company concerved the small ones being the worse type in terms of worker's injuries. Regarding the nontraumatic accidents, the study showed a positive correlation between large-sized enterprises and type of temporary worker and the civil construction sector as compared to workers with long term work contracts within industry and services. There was some evidence, also, of a positive association between small and medium sized companies and temporary work and the occurrence of work accidents.

  2. 76 FR 58566 - Proposed Information Collection (Report of Accidental Injury in Support of Claim for Compensation...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-09-21

    ... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS [OMB Control No. 2900-0104] Proposed Information Collection (Report of Accidental Injury in Support of Claim for Compensation or Pension/Statement of Witness to Accident... for Compensation or Pension/Statement of Witness to Accident, VA Form 21- 4176. OMB Control Number...

  3. Changes in hospitality workers' exposure to secondhand smoke following the implementation of New York's smoke-free law

    PubMed Central

    Farrelly, M; Nonnemaker, J; Chou, R; Hyland, A; Peterson, K; Bauer, U

    2005-01-01

    Objective: To assess the impact on hospitality workers' exposure to secondhand smoke of New York's smoke-free law that prohibits smoking in all places of employment, including restaurants, bars, and bowling facilities. Design: Pre-post longitudinal follow up design. Settings: Restaurants, bars, and bowling facilities in New York State. Subjects: At baseline, 104 non-smoking workers in restaurants, bars, and bowling facilities were recruited with newspaper ads, flyers, and radio announcements. Of these, 68 completed a telephone survey and provided at least one saliva cotinine specimen at baseline. At three, six, and 12 month follow up studies, 47, 38, and 32 workers from the baseline sample of 68 completed a telephone survey and provided at least one saliva cotinine specimen. Intervention: The smoke-free law went into effect 24 July 2003. Main outcome measures: Self reported sensory and respiratory symptoms and exposure to secondhand smoke; self administered saliva cotinine specimens. Analyses were limited to subjects in all four study periods who completed a telephone survey and provided at least one saliva cotinine specimen. Results: All analyses were limited to participants who completed both an interview and a saliva specimen for all waves of data collection (n = 30) and who had cotinine concentrations ⩽ 15 ng/ml (n = 24). Hours of exposure to secondhand smoke in hospitality jobs decreased from 12.1 hours (95% confidence interval (CI) 8.0 to 16.3 hours) to 0.2 hours (95% CI –0.1 to 0.5 hours) (p < 0.01) and saliva cotinine concentration decreased from 3.6 ng/ml (95% CI 2.6 to 4.7 ng/ml) to 0.8 ng/ml (95% CI 0.4 to 1.2 ng/ml) (p < 0.01) from baseline to the 12 month follow up. The prevalence of workers reporting sensory symptoms declined from 88% (95% CI 66% to 96%) to 38% (95% CI 20% to 59%) (p < 0.01); there was no change in the overall prevalence of upper respiratory symptoms (p < 0.16). Conclusion: New York's smoke-free law had its intended effect of

  4. Changes in hospitality workers' exposure to secondhand smoke following the implementation of New York's smoke-free law.

    PubMed

    Farrelly, M C; Nonnemaker, J M; Chou, R; Hyland, A; Peterson, K K; Bauer, U E

    2005-08-01

    To assess the impact on hospitality workers' exposure to secondhand smoke of New York's smoke-free law that prohibits smoking in all places of employment, including restaurants, bars, and bowling facilities. Pre-post longitudinal follow up design. Restaurants, bars, and bowling facilities in New York State. At baseline, 104 non-smoking workers in restaurants, bars, and bowling facilities were recruited with newspaper ads, flyers, and radio announcements. Of these, 68 completed a telephone survey and provided at least one saliva cotinine specimen at baseline. At three, six, and 12 month follow up studies, 47, 38, and 32 workers from the baseline sample of 68 completed a telephone survey and provided at least one saliva cotinine specimen. The smoke-free law went into effect 24 July 2003. Self reported sensory and respiratory symptoms and exposure to secondhand smoke; self administered saliva cotinine specimens. Analyses were limited to subjects in all four study periods who completed a telephone survey and provided at least one saliva cotinine specimen. All analyses were limited to participants who completed both an interview and a saliva specimen for all waves of data collection (n = 30) and who had cotinine concentrations < or = 15 ng/ml (n = 24). Hours of exposure to secondhand smoke in hospitality jobs decreased from 12.1 hours (95% confidence interval (CI) 8.0 to 16.3 hours) to 0.2 hours (95% CI -0.1 to 0.5 hours) (p < 0.01) and saliva cotinine concentration decreased from 3.6 ng/ml (95% CI 2.6 to 4.7 ng/ml) to 0.8 ng/ml (95% CI 0.4 to 1.2 ng/ml) (p < 0.01) from baseline to the 12 month follow up. The prevalence of workers reporting sensory symptoms declined from 88% (95% CI 66% to 96%) to 38% (95% CI 20% to 59%) (p < 0.01); there was no change in the overall prevalence of upper respiratory symptoms (p < 0.16). New York's smoke-free law had its intended effect of protecting hospitality workers from exposure to secondhand smoke within three months of

  5. Telomere length in Chernobyl accident recovery workers in the late period after the disaster

    PubMed Central

    Reste, Jelena; Zvigule, Gunda; Zvagule, Tija; Kurjane, Natalja; Eglite, Maija; Gabruseva, Natalija; Berzina, Dace; Plonis, Juris; Miklasevics, Edvins

    2014-01-01

    The outcome of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (CNPP) accident was that a huge number of people were exposed to ionizing radiation. Previous studies of CNPP clean-up workers from Latvia revealed a high occurrence of age-associated degenerative diseases and cancer in young adults, as well as a high mortality as a result of cardiovascular disorders at age 45–54 years. DNA tandem repeats that cap chromosome ends, known as telomeres, are sensitive to oxidative damage and exposure to ionizing radiation. Telomeres are important in aging processes and carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effect of protracted ionizing radiation exposure on telomere length in CNPP clean-up workers. Relative telomere length (RTL) was measured in peripheral blood leukocytes of 595 CNPP clean-up workers and 236 gender- and age-matched controls using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR). Close attention was paid to participation year and tasks performed during the worker's stay in Chernobyl, health status, and RTL differences between subgroups. Telomere shortening was not found in CNPP clean-up workers; on the contrary, their RTL was slightly greater than in controls (P = 0.001). Longer telomeres were found in people who worked during 1986, in those undertaking ‘dirty’ tasks (digging and deactivation), and in people with cancer. Shorter telomeres appeared frequently in those with cataract, osteoporosis, atherosclerosis, or coronary heart disease. We conclude that the longer telomeres revealed in people more heavily exposed to ionizing radiation probably indicate activation of telomerase as a chromosome healing mechanism following damage, and reflect defects in telomerase regulation that could potentiate carcinogenesis. PMID:25015931

  6. 26 CFR 1.85-1 - Unemployment compensation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    .... (a) Introduction. Section 85 prescribes rules relating to the inclusion in gross income of... than in cash or on some other basis. (ii) Disability and worker's compensation payments. Amounts in the nature of unemployment compensation also include cash disability payments made pursuant to a governmental...

  7. [Implementation of safety devices: biological accident prevention].

    PubMed

    Catalán Gómez, M Teresa; Sol Vidiella, Josep; Castellà Castellà, Manel; Castells Bo, Carolina; Losada Pla, Nuria; Espuny, Javier Lluís

    2010-04-01

    Accidental exposures to blood and biological material were the most frequent and potentially serious accidents in healthcare workers, reported in the Prevention of Occupational Risks Unit within 2002. Evaluate the biological percutaneous accidents decrease after a progressive introduction of safety devices. Biological accidents produced between 2.002 and 2.006 were analyzed and reported by the injured healthcare workers to the Level 2b Hospital Prevention of Occupational Risk Unit with 238 beds and 750 employees. The key of the study was the safety devices (peripheral i.v. catheter, needleless i.v. access device and capillary blood collection lancet). Within 2002, 54 percutaneous biological accidents were registered and 19 in 2006, that represents a 64.8% decreased. There has been no safety devices accident reported involving these material. Accidents registered during the implantation period occurred because safety devices were not used at that time. Safety devices have proven to be effective in reducing needle stick percutaneous accidents, so that they are a good choice in the primary prevention of biological accidents contact.

  8. 76 FR 73021 - Agency Information Collection (Report of Accidental Injury in Support of Claim for Compensation...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-11-28

    ... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS [OMB Control No. 2900-0104] Agency Information Collection (Report of Accidental Injury in Support of Claim for Compensation or Pension/Statement of Witness to Accident... of Claim for Compensation or Pension/Statement of Witness to Accident, VA Form 21- 4176. OMB Control...

  9. 20 CFR 722.2 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... States which have in effect a workers' compensation law which provides adequate coverage for death or...' Benefits EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, AS AMENDED CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING WHETHER STATE WORKERS' COMPENSATION LAWS PROVIDE...

  10. Risk-based Analysis of Construction Accidents in Iran During 2007-2011-Meta Analyze Study

    PubMed Central

    AMIRI, Mehran; ARDESHIR, Abdollah; FAZEL ZARANDI, Mohammad Hossein

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Background The present study aimed to investigate the characteristics of occupational accidents and frequency and severity of work related accidents in the construction industry among Iranian insured workers during the years 20072011. Methods The Iranian Social Security Organization (ISSO) accident database containing 21,864 cases between the years 2007-2011 was applied in this study. In the next step, Total Accident Rate (TRA), Total Severity Index (TSI), and Risk Factor (RF) were defined. The core of this work is devoted to analyzing the data from different perspectives such as age of workers, occupation and construction phase, day of the week, time of the day, seasonal analysis, regional considerations, type of accident, and body parts affected. Results Workers between 15-19 years old (TAR=13.4%) are almost six times more exposed to risk of accident than the average of all ages (TAR=2.51%). Laborers and structural workers (TAR=66.6%) and those working at heights (TAR=47.2%) experience more accidents than other groups of workers. Moreover, older workers over 65 years old (TSI=1.97%> average TSI=1.60%), work supervisors (TSI=12.20% >average TSI=9.09%), and night shift workers (TSI=1.89% >average TSI=1.47%) are more prone to severe accidents. Conclusion It is recommended that laborers, young workers, weekend and night shift workers be supervised more carefully in the workplace. Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) should be compulsory in working environments, and special attention should be undertaken to people working outdoors and at heights. It is also suggested that policymakers pay more attention to the improvement of safety conditions in deprived and cold western regions. PMID:26005662

  11. Risk-based Analysis of Construction Accidents in Iran During 2007-2011-Meta Analyze Study.

    PubMed

    Amiri, Mehran; Ardeshir, Abdollah; Fazel Zarandi, Mohammad Hossein

    2014-04-01

    The present study aimed to investigate the characteristics of occupational accidents and frequency and severity of work related accidents in the construction industry among Iranian insured workers during the years 20072011. The Iranian Social Security Organization (ISSO) accident database containing 21,864 cases between the years 2007-2011 was applied in this study. In the next step, Total Accident Rate (TRA), Total Severity Index (TSI), and Risk Factor (RF) were defined. The core of this work is devoted to analyzing the data from different perspectives such as age of workers, occupation and construction phase, day of the week, time of the day, seasonal analysis, regional considerations, type of accident, and body parts affected. Workers between 15-19 years old (TAR=13.4%) are almost six times more exposed to risk of accident than the average of all ages (TAR=2.51%). Laborers and structural workers (TAR=66.6%) and those working at heights (TAR=47.2%) experience more accidents than other groups of workers. Moreover, older workers over 65 years old (TSI=1.97%> average TSI=1.60%), work supervisors (TSI=12.20% >average TSI=9.09%), and night shift workers (TSI=1.89% >average TSI=1.47%) are more prone to severe accidents. It is recommended that laborers, young workers, weekend and night shift workers be supervised more carefully in the workplace. Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) should be compulsory in working environments, and special attention should be undertaken to people working outdoors and at heights. It is also suggested that policymakers pay more attention to the improvement of safety conditions in deprived and cold western regions.

  12. Epidemiology of Occupational Accidents in Iran Based on Social Security Organization Database

    PubMed Central

    Mehrdad, Ramin; Seifmanesh, Shahdokht; Chavoshi, Farzaneh; Aminian, Omid; Izadi, Nazanin

    2014-01-01

    Background: Background: Today, occupational accidents are one of the most important problems in industrial world. Due to lack of appropriate system for registration and reporting, there is no accurate statistics of occupational accidents all over the world especially in developing countries. Objectives: The aim of this study is epidemiological assessment of occupational accidents in Iran. Materials and Methods: Information of available occupational accidents in Social Security Organization was extracted from accident reporting and registration forms. In this cross-sectional study, gender, age, economic activity, type of accident and injured body part in 22158 registered accidents during 2008 were described. Results: The occupational accidents rate was 253 in 100,000 workers in 2008. 98.2% of injured workers were men. The mean age of injured workers was 32.07 ± 9.12 years. The highest percentage belonged to age group of 25-34 years old. In our study, most of the accidents occurred in basic metals industry, electrical and non-electrical machines and construction industry. Falling down from height and crush injury were the most prevalent accidents. Upper and lower extremities were the most common injured body parts. Conclusion: Due to the high rate of accidents in metal and construction industries, engineering controls, the use of appropriate protective equipment and safety worker training seems necessary. PMID:24719699

  13. Exposure to static magnetic fields and risk of accidents among a cohort of workers from a medical imaging device manufacturing facility.

    PubMed

    Bongers, Suzan; Slottje, Pauline; Portengen, Lützen; Kromhout, Hans

    2016-05-01

    To study the association between occupational MRI-related static magnetic fields (SMF) exposure and the occurrence of accidents. Recent and career SMF exposure was assessed by linking a retrospective job exposure matrix to payroll based job histories, for a cohort of (former) workers of an imaging device manufacturing facility in the Netherlands. Occurrence of accidents was collected through an online questionnaire. Self-reported injuries due to accidents in the past 12 months, and the first (near) traffic accident while commuting to work and from work were analyzed with logistic regression and discrete-time survival analyses, respectively. High recent SMF exposure was associated with an increased risk of accidents leading to injuries [odds ratio (OR) 4.16]. For high recent and career SMF exposure, an increased risk was observed for accidents resulting in physician-treated injuries (OR 5.78 and 2.79, respectively) and an increased lifetime risk of (near) accidents during commute to work (hazard ratios 2.49 and 2.45, respectively), but not from work. We found an association between MRI-related occupational SMF exposure and an increased risk of accidents leading to injury, and for commute-related (near) accidents during the commute from home to work. Further research into health effects of (long-term) SMF exposure is warranted to corroborate our findings. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Prior History of Back Pain in Patients with Compensable and Non-Compensable Injuries.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pellecchia, Geraldine L.

    1993-01-01

    Data were collected retrospectively from insurance information forms and histories of 111 patients (ages 14-84) referred to physical therapy for evaluation of back and/or neck pain. Analysis indicated that patients with compensable (work-related or motor vehicle accident) injuries infrequently acknowledged prior episodes of back or neck pain. (JDD)

  15. Emerging legal concerns with chronic diseases in the Australian workplace: pre-employment medicals, functional capacity evaluations, workers' compensation and disability discrimination.

    PubMed

    Guthrie, Robert; Westaway, Jennifer

    2009-05-01

    Although considerable attention is paid to injury and disease sustained or contracted through work causes, by far the most prolific cause of diminished health in the Australian workplace is chronic illness, which is not caused by work but which may have significant effects upon the work environment. Employers' concerns in relation to loss of productivity through poor health are reflected in a number of practices such as pre-employment screening, on-the-job drug testing and other health and safety requirements. In turn, workers' concerns regarding discrimination, workers' compensation and privacy are frequently raised in relation to discussions on workplace fitness for work. This article reflects on the issues of chronic illness and the legal issues which arise through the interaction of employers' obligations for safety and efficiency and workers' concerns with fairness and privacy.

  16. Current Issues in Workers' Compensation. Papers Presented at a Conference Sponsored by the Institute of Management and Labor Relations and the Bureau of Economic Research, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey; the New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University; and the Economics Department, University of Connecticut (New Brunswick, NJ, 1983).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chelius, James, Ed.

    This volume includes the following conference papers: "The Status and Direction of Workers' Compensation" (James R. Chelius); "The Minnesota Experience with Workers' Compensation Reform" (Steve Keefe); "The 1982 Changes in California" (Alan Tebb); "Two Rounds of Workers' Compensation Reform in Michigan" (H.…

  17. 32 CFR 634.28 - Traffic accident investigation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 4 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Traffic accident investigation. 634.28 Section... accident investigation. Installation law enforcement personnel must make detailed investigations of accidents described in this section: (a) Accidents involving Government vehicles or Government property on...

  18. Analysis of accidents in nine Iranian gas refineries: 2007-2011.

    PubMed

    Mehrdad, R; Bolouri, A; Shakibmanesh, A R

    2013-10-01

    Occupational accidents are one of the major health hazards in industries and associated with high mortality, morbidity, spiritual damage and economic losses in the world. To determine the incidence of occupational accidents in 9 Iranian gas refineries between March 2007 and February 2011. Data on all occupational accidents occurred between March 2007 and February 2011, as well as other possible associated variables including time of accident, whether the accident was due to a personal or systemic fault, type of accident and its outcomes, age and gender of the victim, the injured parts of the body, job experience, and type of employment, were extracted from HSE reports and notes of health care services. Based on these data, we calculated the incidence rate of accidents and assessed the associated factors. During the 5 studied years, 1129 accidents have been recorded. The incidence of fatal accidents was 1.64 per 100 000 and of nonfatal accidents was 1857 per 100 000 workers per year. 99.4% of injured workers were male. The mean±SD age of injured people was 29.6±7.3 years. Almost 70% of injured workers aged under 30 years. The mean±SD job experience was 5.3±5.3 years. Accidents occurred more commonly around 10:00. More than 60% of accidents happened between 8:00 and 15:00. July had the highest incidence rate. The most common type of accident was being struck by an object (48%). More than 94% of accidents are caused by personal rather than systemic faults. Hands and wrists were the most common injured parts and involved in more than one-third of accidents. 70% of injured workers needed medical treatment and returned to work after primary treatment. The pattern of occupational accidents in Iranian gas refineries is similar to other previous reports in many ways. The incidence did not change significantly over the study period. Establishment of an online network for precise registration, notification and meticulous data collection seems necessary.

  19. Interim evaluation of the effect of a new scrum law on neck and back injuries in rugby union.

    PubMed

    Gianotti, S; Hume, P A; Hopkins, W G; Harawira, J; Truman, R

    2008-06-01

    In January 2007 the International Rugby Board implemented a new law for scrum engagement aimed at improving player welfare by reducing impact force and scrum collapses. In New Zealand the new law was included in RugbySmart, an annual compulsory workshop for coaches and referees. To determine the effect of the new law on scrum-related moderate to serious neck and back injury claims in 2007. Claims filed with the Accident Compensation Corporation (the provider of no-fault injury compensation and rehabilitation in New Zealand) were combined with numbers of registered players to estimate moderate to serious scrum-related claims for players who take part in scrums (forwards). Poisson linear regression was used to compare the observed claims per 100 000 forwards for 2007 with the rate predicted from data for 2002-6. The observed and predicted claims per 100 000 forwards were 52 and 76, respectively (rate ratio 0.69; 90% CI 0.42 to 1.12). The likelihoods of substantial benefit (rate ratio <0.90) and harm (rate ratio >1.1) attributable to the scrum law were 82% and 5%, respectively. The decline in scrum-related injury claims is consistent with a beneficial effect of the new scrum law in the first year of its implementation. Another year of monitoring should provide more evidence for the efficacy of the new law.

  20. Impact of the Spanish Smoking Law on Exposure to Second-Hand Smoke and Respiratory Health in Hospitality Workers: A Cohort Study

    PubMed Central

    Fernández, Esteve; Fu, Marcela; Pascual, José A.; López, María J.; Pérez-Ríos, Mónica; Schiaffino, Anna; Martínez-Sánchez, Jose M.; Ariza, Carles; Saltó, Esteve; Nebot, Manel

    2009-01-01

    Background A smoke-free law came into effect in Spain on 1st January 2006, affecting all enclosed workplaces except hospitality venues, whose proprietors can choose among totally a smoke-free policy, a partial restriction with designated smoking areas, or no restriction on smoking on the premises. We aimed to evaluate the impact of the law among hospitality workers by assessing second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure and the frequency of respiratory symptoms before and one year after the ban. Methods and Finding We formed a baseline cohort of 431 hospitality workers in Spain and 45 workers in Portugal and Andorra. Of them, 318 (66.8%) were successfully followed up 12 months after the ban, and 137 nonsmokers were included in this analysis. We obtained self-reported exposure to SHS and the presence of respiratory symptoms, and collected saliva samples for cotinine measurement. Salivary cotinine decreased by 55.6% after the ban among nonsmoker workers in venues where smoking was totally prohibited (from median of 1.6 ng/ml before to 0.5 ng/ml, p<0.01). Cotinine concentration decreased by 27.6% (p = 0.068) among workers in venues with designated smoking areas, and by 10.7% (p = 0.475) among workers in venues where smoking was allowed. In Portugal and Andorra, no differences between cotinine concentration were found before (1.2 ng/ml) and after the ban (1.2 ng/ml). In Spain, reported respiratory symptom declined significantly (by 71.9%; p<0.05) among workers in venues that became smoke-free. After adjustment for potential confounders, salivary cotinine and respiratory symptoms decreased significantly among workers in Spanish hospitality venues where smoking was totally banned. Conclusions Among nonsmoker hospitality workers in bars and restaurants where smoking was allowed, exposure to SHS after the ban remained similar to pre-law levels. The partial restrictions on smoking in Spanish hospitality venues do not sufficiently protect hospitality workers against SHS or its

  1. Impact of the Spanish smoking law on exposure to second-hand smoke and respiratory health in hospitality workers: a cohort study.

    PubMed

    Fernández, Esteve; Fu, Marcela; Pascual, José A; López, María J; Pérez-Ríos, Mónica; Schiaffino, Anna; Martínez-Sánchez, Jose M; Ariza, Carles; Saltó, Esteve; Nebot, Manel

    2009-01-01

    A smoke-free law came into effect in Spain on 1st January 2006, affecting all enclosed workplaces except hospitality venues, whose proprietors can choose among totally a smoke-free policy, a partial restriction with designated smoking areas, or no restriction on smoking on the premises. We aimed to evaluate the impact of the law among hospitality workers by assessing second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure and the frequency of respiratory symptoms before and one year after the ban. We formed a baseline cohort of 431 hospitality workers in Spain and 45 workers in Portugal and Andorra. Of them, 318 (66.8%) were successfully followed up 12 months after the ban, and 137 nonsmokers were included in this analysis. We obtained self-reported exposure to SHS and the presence of respiratory symptoms, and collected saliva samples for cotinine measurement. Salivary cotinine decreased by 55.6% after the ban among nonsmoker workers in venues where smoking was totally prohibited (from median of 1.6 ng/ml before to 0.5 ng/ml, p<0.01). Cotinine concentration decreased by 27.6% (p = 0.068) among workers in venues with designated smoking areas, and by 10.7% (p = 0.475) among workers in venues where smoking was allowed. In Portugal and Andorra, no differences between cotinine concentration were found before (1.2 ng/ml) and after the ban (1.2 ng/ml). In Spain, reported respiratory symptom declined significantly (by 71.9%; p<0.05) among workers in venues that became smoke-free. After adjustment for potential confounders, salivary cotinine and respiratory symptoms decreased significantly among workers in Spanish hospitality venues where smoking was totally banned. Among nonsmoker hospitality workers in bars and restaurants where smoking was allowed, exposure to SHS after the ban remained similar to pre-law levels. The partial restrictions on smoking in Spanish hospitality venues do not sufficiently protect hospitality workers against SHS or its consequences for respiratory health.

  2. Review of health issues of workers engaged in operations related to the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

    PubMed

    Hiraoka, Koh; Tateishi, Seiichiro; Mori, Koji

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this review was to summarize the lessons learned from the experience in protecting the health of workers engaged in operations following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). We reviewed all types of scientific papers examining workers' health found in Medline and Web of Sciences as well as some official reports published by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan and other governmental institutes. The papers and reports were classified into those investigating workers at the Fukushima Daiichi and Daini NPPs, workers engaged in decontamination operations in designated areas, and other workers. Regarding workers at the NPPs, many efforts were made to establish an emergency-care and occupational health system. Risk management efforts were undertaken for radiation exposure, heat stress, psychological stress, outbreak of infectious diseases, and fitness for work. Only a few reports dealt with decontamination workers and others; however, the health management of these workers was clearly weaker than that for workers at the NPPs. Many lessons can be learned from what occurred. That knowledge can be applied to ongoing decommissioning work and to future disasters. In addition, it is necessary to study the long-term health effects of radiation exposure and to accumulate data about the health of workers engaged in decontamination work and other areas.

  3. Workability of Safety Education and Training for Workers' Strategy in Accident Reduction in Selected Manufacturing Industries in Lagos State

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ayodele, Rachael B.; Olubayo-Fatiregun, Martina A.

    2013-01-01

    This study determined the workability of Safety Education and Training for Workers' strategy in reducing accidents. A descriptive survey research design was used. A total of 20 Managerial staff with mean work experience of 13.5 years was selected from 10 manufacturing industries in Lagos State, using intact group method. They were 100% males. Data…

  4. Rationalizing vaccine injury compensation.

    PubMed

    Mello, Michelle M

    2008-01-01

    Legislation recently adopted by the United States Congress provides producers of pandemic vaccines with near-total immunity from civil lawsuits without making individuals injured by those vaccines eligible for compensation through the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. The unusual decision not to provide an alternative mechanism for compensation is indicative of a broader problem of inconsistency in the American approach to vaccine-injury compensation policy. Compensation policies have tended to reflect political pressures and economic considerations more than any cognizable set of principles. This article identifies a set of ethical principles bearing on the circumstances in which vaccine injuries should be compensated, both inside and outside public health emergencies. A series of possible bases for compensation rules, some grounded in utilitarianism and some nonconsequentialist, are discussed and evaluated. Principles of fairness and reasonableness are found to constitute the strongest bases. An ethically defensible compensation policy grounded in these principles would make a compensation fund available to all individuals with severe injuries and to individuals with less-severe injuries whenever the vaccination was required by law or professional duty.

  5. Age, sex, and the changing disability burden of compensated work-related musculoskeletal disorders in Canada and Australia.

    PubMed

    Macpherson, Robert A; Lane, Tyler J; Collie, Alex; McLeod, Christopher B

    2018-06-19

    The objectives of this study were (1) to identify age and sex trends in the disability burden of compensated work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in Canada and Australia; and (2) to demonstrate a means of comparing workers' compensation data internationally. All non-fatal, work-related MSD claims with at least one day of compensated time-loss were extracted for workers aged 15-80 during a 10-year period (2004-2013) using workers' compensation data from five Canadian and eight Australian jurisdictions. Disability burden was calculated for both countries by sex, age group, and injury classification, using cumulative compensated time-loss payments of up to two years post-injury. A total of 1.2 million MSD claims were compensated for time-loss in the Canadian and Australian jurisdictions during 2004-2013. This resulted in time-loss equivalent to 239,345 years in the Canadian jurisdictions and 321,488 years in the Australian jurisdictions. The number of time-loss years declined overall among male and female workers, but greater declines were observed for males and younger workers. The proportion of the disability burden grew among older workers (aged 55+), particularly males in the Canadian jurisdictions (Annual Percent Change [APC]: 7.2, 95% CI 6.7 to 7.7%) and females in the Australian jurisdictions (APC: 7.5, 95% CI 6.2 to 8.9%). The compensated disability burden of work-related MSDs is shifting towards older workers and particularly older females in Australia and older males in Canada. Employers and workers' compensation boards should consider the specific needs of older workers to reduce injuries and time off work. Comparative research made possible through research-stakeholder partnerships offers a unique opportunity to use existing administrative data to identify long-term trends in disability burden. Future research can apply similar approaches for estimating long-term trends in occupational health.

  6. Telomere length in Chernobyl accident recovery workers in the late period after the disaster.

    PubMed

    Reste, Jelena; Zvigule, Gunda; Zvagule, Tija; Kurjane, Natalja; Eglite, Maija; Gabruseva, Natalija; Berzina, Dace; Plonis, Juris; Miklasevics, Edvins

    2014-11-01

    The outcome of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (CNPP) accident was that a huge number of people were exposed to ionizing radiation. Previous studies of CNPP clean-up workers from Latvia revealed a high occurrence of age-associated degenerative diseases and cancer in young adults, as well as a high mortality as a result of cardiovascular disorders at age 45-54 years. DNA tandem repeats that cap chromosome ends, known as telomeres, are sensitive to oxidative damage and exposure to ionizing radiation. Telomeres are important in aging processes and carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effect of protracted ionizing radiation exposure on telomere length in CNPP clean-up workers. Relative telomere length (RTL) was measured in peripheral blood leukocytes of 595 CNPP clean-up workers and 236 gender- and age-matched controls using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR). Close attention was paid to participation year and tasks performed during the worker's stay in Chernobyl, health status, and RTL differences between subgroups. Telomere shortening was not found in CNPP clean-up workers; on the contrary, their RTL was slightly greater than in controls (P = 0.001). Longer telomeres were found in people who worked during 1986, in those undertaking 'dirty' tasks (digging and deactivation), and in people with cancer. Shorter telomeres appeared frequently in those with cataract, osteoporosis, atherosclerosis, or coronary heart disease. We conclude that the longer telomeres revealed in people more heavily exposed to ionizing radiation probably indicate activation of telomerase as a chromosome healing mechanism following damage, and reflect defects in telomerase regulation that could potentiate carcinogenesis. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japan Radiation Research Society and Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology.

  7. Analysis of Workplace Accidents in Automotive Repair Workshops in Spain.

    PubMed

    López-Arquillos, Antonio; Rubio-Romero, Juan Carlos

    2016-09-01

    To analyze the effects of the factors associated with different types of injury (superficial wounds, dislocations and sprains, bone fractures, concussion and internal injuries, burns scalding and freezing) caused by occupational accidents in automotive repair workshops. Study of a sample consisting of 89,954 industry accidents reported from 2003 to 2008. Odds ratios were calculated with a 95% confidence interval. Belonging to a small company is a risk factor for suffering three of the five types of injury studied. Women are less likely to suffer burns and superficial wounds, and more likely to suffer dislocations or sprains. Foreign workers are more likely to suffer concussion and internal injuries. Health and safety strategies and accident prevention measures should be individualized and adapted to the type of worker most likely to be injured in each type of accident. Occupational health and safety training courses designed according to worker profile, and improving the participation of the workers in small firms creating regional or roving safety representatives would improve working conditions.

  8. Compensating differentials, labor market segmentation, and wage inequality.

    PubMed

    Daw, Jonathan; Hardie, Jessica Halliday

    2012-09-01

    Two literatures on work and the labor market draw attention to the importance of non-pecuniary job amenities. Social psychological perspectives on work suggest that workers have preferences for a range of job amenities (e.g. Halaby, 2003). The compensating differentials hypothesis predicts that workers navigate tradeoffs among different job amenities such that wage inequality overstates inequality in utility (Smith, 1979). This paper joins these perspectives by constructing a new measure of labor market success that evaluates the degree to which workers' job amenity preferences and outcomes match. This measure of subjective success is used to predict workers' job satisfaction and to test the hypothesis that some degree of labor force inequality in wages is due to preference-based tradeoffs among all job amenities. Findings demonstrate that the new measure predicts workers' job satisfaction and provides evidence for the presence of compensating differentials in the primary and intermediate, but not secondary, labor markets. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Development of methods for using workers' compensation data for surveillance and prevention of occupational injuries among State-insured private employers in Ohio.

    PubMed

    Wurzelbacher, Steven J; Al-Tarawneh, Ibraheem S; Meyers, Alysha R; Bushnell, P Timothy; Lampl, Michael P; Robins, David C; Tseng, Chih-Yu; Wei, Chia; Bertke, Stephen J; Raudabaugh, Jill A; Haviland, Thomas M; Schnorr, Teresa M

    2016-12-01

    Workers' compensation (WC) claims data may be useful for identifying high-risk industries and developing prevention strategies. WC claims data from private-industry employers insured by the Ohio state-based workers' compensation carrier from 2001 to 2011 were linked with the state's unemployment insurance (UI) data on the employer's industry and number of employees. National Labor Productivity and Costs survey data were used to adjust UI data and estimate full-time equivalents (FTE). Rates of WC claims per 100 FTE were computed and Poisson regression was used to evaluate differences in rates. Most industries showed substantial claim count and rate reductions from 2001 to 2008, followed by a leveling or slight increase in claim count and rate from 2009 to 2011. Despite reductions, there were industry groups that had consistently higher rates. WC claims data linked to employment data could be used to prioritize industries for injury research and prevention activities among State-insured private employers. Am. J. Ind. Med. 59:1087-1104, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. 45 CFR 302.65 - Withholding of unemployment compensation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Withholding of unemployment compensation. 302.65... HUMAN SERVICES STATE PLAN REQUIREMENTS § 302.65 Withholding of unemployment compensation. The State plan... State agency charged with the administration of the State unemployment compensation laws in accordance...

  11. 45 CFR 302.65 - Withholding of unemployment compensation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Withholding of unemployment compensation. 302.65... HUMAN SERVICES STATE PLAN REQUIREMENTS § 302.65 Withholding of unemployment compensation. The State plan... State agency charged with the administration of the State unemployment compensation laws in accordance...

  12. 45 CFR 302.65 - Withholding of unemployment compensation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 2 2014-10-01 2012-10-01 true Withholding of unemployment compensation. 302.65... HUMAN SERVICES STATE PLAN REQUIREMENTS § 302.65 Withholding of unemployment compensation. The State plan... State agency charged with the administration of the State unemployment compensation laws in accordance...

  13. 45 CFR 302.65 - Withholding of unemployment compensation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Withholding of unemployment compensation. 302.65... HUMAN SERVICES STATE PLAN REQUIREMENTS § 302.65 Withholding of unemployment compensation. The State plan... State agency charged with the administration of the State unemployment compensation laws in accordance...

  14. 45 CFR 302.65 - Withholding of unemployment compensation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 2 2013-10-01 2012-10-01 true Withholding of unemployment compensation. 302.65... HUMAN SERVICES STATE PLAN REQUIREMENTS § 302.65 Withholding of unemployment compensation. The State plan... State agency charged with the administration of the State unemployment compensation laws in accordance...

  15. How perceptions of experience-based analysis influence explanations of work accidents.

    PubMed

    Mbaye, Safiétou; Kouabenan, Dongo Rémi

    2013-12-01

    This article looks into how perceptions of experience-based analysis (EBA) influence causal explanations of accidents given by managers and workers in the chemical industry (n=409) and in the nuclear industry (n=222). The approach is based on the model of naive explanations of accidents (Kouabenan, 1999, 2006, 2009), which recommends taking into account explanations of accidents spontaneously given by individuals, including laypersons, not only to better understand why accidents occur but also to design and implement the most appropriate prevention measures. The study reported here describes the impact of perceptions about EBA (perceived effectiveness, personal commitment, and the feeling of being involved in EBA practices) on managers' and workers' explanations of accidents likely to occur at the workplace. The results indicated that both managers and workers made more internal explanations than external ones when they perceived EBA positively. Moreover, the more the participants felt involved in EBA, were committed to it, and judged it effective, the more they explained accidents in terms of factors internal to the workers. Recommendations are proposed for reducing defensive reactions, increasing personal commitment to EBA, and improving EBA effectiveness. © 2013.

  16. Medical Care Provided Under California's Workers' Compensation Program: Effects of the Reforms and Additional Opportunities to Improve the Quality and Efficiency of Care.

    PubMed

    Wynn, Barbara O; Timbie, Justin W; Sorbero, Melony E

    2011-01-01

    Since 2004, significant changes have been made to the California workers' compensation (WC) system. The Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation (CHSWC) asked the RAND Corporation to examine the impact that these changes have on the medical care provided to injured workers. This study synthesizes findings from interviews and available information regarding the implementation of the changes affecting WC medical care and identifies areas in which additional changes might increase the quality and efficiency of care delivered under the WC system. To improve incentives for efficiently providing medically appropriate care, California should revise its fee schedule allowances for services provided by hospitals to inpatients, freestanding ambulatory surgery centers, and physicians, create nonmonetary incentives for providing medically appropriate care in the medical provider network (MPN) context through more-selective contracting with providers and reducing medical review requirements for high-performing physicians; reduce incentives for inappropriate prescribing practices by curtailing in-office physician dispensing; and implement pharmacy benefit network regulations. To increase accountability for performance, California should revise the MPN certification process to place accountability for meeting MPN standards on the entity contracting with the physician network; strengthen Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) authorities to provide intermediate sanctions for failure to comply with MPN requirements; and modify the Labor Code to remove payers and MPNs from the definition of individually identifiable data so that performance on key measures can be publicly available. To facilitate monitoring and oversight, California should provide DWC with more flexibility to add needed data elements to medical data reporting and provide penalties for a claim administrator failing to comply with the data-reporting requirements; require that medical cost

  17. Perceived Workplace Interpersonal Support Among Workers of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plants Following the 2011 Accident: The Fukushima Nuclear Energy Workers' Support (NEWS) Project Study.

    PubMed

    Takahashi, Sho; Shigemura, Jun; Takahashi, Yoshitomo; Nomura, Soichiro; Yoshino, Aihide; Tanigawa, Takeshi

    2017-10-10

    The 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident was the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. The Daiichi workers faced multiple stressors (workplace trauma, victim experiences, and public criticism deriving from their company's post-disaster management). Literatures suggest the importance of workplace interpersonal support (WIS) in enhancing psychological health among disaster workers. We sought to elucidate the role of their demographics, disaster-related experiences, and post-traumatic stress symptoms on perceived WIS. We analyzed self-report questionnaires of 885 workers 2-3 months post-disaster. We used sociodemographic and disaster exposure-related variables and post-traumatic stress symptoms (measured by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised) as independent variables. We asked whether WIS from colleagues, supervisors, or subordinates was perceived as helpful, and used yes or no responses as a dependent variable. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess correlates of WIS. Of the participants, one-third (34.7%) reported WIS. WIS was associated with younger age (20-28 years [vs 49-], adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 3.25, 95% CI: 1.99-5.32), supervisory work status (aOR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.35-3.92), and discrimination or slur experience (aOR: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.08-2.53). Educational programs focusing on WIS might be beneficial to promote psychological well-being among nuclear disaster workers, especially younger workers, supervisors, and workers with discrimination experiences. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017; page 1 of 4).

  18. The lived political economy of occupational overuse syndrome among New Zealand workers.

    PubMed

    Jaye, Chrystal; Fitzgerald, Ruth

    2010-11-01

    In New Zealand, as in other industrialised nations, rates of work-related gradual onset injuries increased during the 1980s and 1990s. The perspectives and experiences of workers suffering what became known as occupational overuse injuries in New Zealand offer insights into local lived political economies. Here, we explore the dominant metaphor, 'battling', in participants' narratives. On the face of it, battles were fought over diagnoses, over occupational health and safety in the workplace, and over entitlements to therapy and income compensation. However, participants were also battling to maintain their identities as hard workers, while resisting and challenging normalising technologies of self and morally charged negative identities offered them by employers, state-funded accident and injury insurance agencies, and the medical profession. Inherent in their narratives is a critique of the neo-liberal capitalist political economy that allows workers' bodies to be exploited (and sacrificed) for employers' profits. © 2010 The Authors. Sociology of Health & Illness © 2010 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  19. Reports of work related musculoskeletal injury among home care service workers compared with nursery school workers and the general population of employed women in Sweden.

    PubMed Central

    Ono, Y; Lagerström, M; Hagberg, M; Lindén, A; Malker, B

    1995-01-01

    OBJECTIVES--To describe the nationwide occurrence of work related musculoskeletal injuries among all home care service workers in Sweden, and to identify relative risks and risk factors of the injuries. METHODS--The study was based on work related injuries reported to the Swedish occupational injury information system in 1990-1. The work related musculoskeletal injuries were divided into overexertion accidents and musculoskeletal diseases. The incidence of the injuries in female home care service workers was compared with those in nursery school workers and all other employed women in Sweden. RESULTS--In home care service workers, the annual incidence of injury from overexertion accidents and musculoskeletal diseases were 19.2 and 15.1 per 1000 workers, respectively, which was higher than those in nursery school workers and all employed women in Sweden. For five injury locations including the back, all the age standardised relative risks (SRR) of overexertion accidents exceeded 4.0, and most of those for musculoskeletal diseases were 1.5 or more in home care service workers compared with all other employed women in Sweden. Total duration of sick leave due to overexertion accidents was 7.7 times, and musculoskeletal diseases 3.5 times, longer than in nursery school workers. National loss due to sick leave resulting from only musculoskeletal injuries in home care service workers was about 8.2% of the total work related sick leave in all employed women in Sweden, although the number of home care service workers represented only some 5% of this population. Lifting other people was most frequently reported as the main risk cause of overexertion accidents in both kinds of workers. CONCLUSIONS--The results support the hypothesis that home care service workers have higher annual injury incidence of musculoskeletal injuries than nursery school workers due to physically stressful tasks that are far less common in nursery school workers. PMID:7489060

  20. The Latest in Vaccine Policies: Selected Issues in School Vaccinations, Healthcare Worker Vaccinations, and Pharmacist Vaccination Authority Laws.

    PubMed

    Barraza, Leila; Schmit, Cason; Hoss, Aila

    2017-03-01

    This paper discusses recent changes to state legal frameworks for mandatory vaccination in the context of school and healthcare worker vaccination. It then discusses state laws that allow pharmacists the authority to vaccinate.

  1. Occupational hazards among the abattoir workers associated with noncompliance to the meat processing and waste disposal laws in Malaysia

    PubMed Central

    Abdullahi, Auwalu; Hassan, Azmi; Kadarman, Norizhar; Junaidu, Yakubu Muhammad; Adeyemo, Olanike Kudrat; Lua, Pei Lin

    2016-01-01

    Purpose This study aims to investigate the occupational hazards among the abattoir workers associated with noncompliance to the meat processing and waste disposal laws in Terengganu State, Malaysia. Occupational hazards are the major source of morbidity and mortality among the animal workers due to exposure to many hazardous situations in their daily practices. Occupational infections mostly contracted by abattoir workers could be caused by iatrogenic or transmissible agents, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites and the toxins produced by these organisms. Materials and methods The methodology was based on a cross-sectional survey using cluster sampling technique in the four districts of Terengganu State, Malaysia. One hundred and twenty-one abattoir workers from five abattoirs were assessed using a validated structured questionnaire and an observation checklist. Results The mean and standard deviation of occupational hazards scores of the workers were 2.32 (2.721). Physical, chemical, biological, psychosocial, musculoskeletal, and ergonomics hazards were the major findings of this study. However, the highest prevalence of occupational hazards identified among the workers was injury by sharp equipment such as a knife (20.0%), noise exposure (17.0%), and due to offensive odor within the abattoir premises (12.0%). Conclusion The major occupational hazards encountered by the workers in the study area were physical, chemical, biological, psychosocial, musculoskeletal, and ergonomics hazards. To ensure proper control of occupational health hazards among the abattoir workers, standard design and good environmental hygiene must be taken into consideration all the time. Exposure control plan, which includes risk identification, risk characterization, assessment of workers at risk, risk control, workers’ education/training, and implementation of safe work procedures, should be implemented by the government and all the existing laws governing the abattoir

  2. 20 CFR 10.404 - When and how is compensation for a schedule impairment paid?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... impairment paid? 10.404 Section 10.404 Employees' Benefits OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAMS...' COMPENSATION ACT, AS AMENDED Compensation and Related Benefits Compensation for Disability and Impairment § 10.404 When and how is compensation for a schedule impairment paid? Compensation is provided for...

  3. Assessment of work-related accidents associated with waste handling in Belo Horizonte (Brazil).

    PubMed

    Mol, Marcos Pg; Pereira, Amanda F; Greco, Dirceu B; Cairncross, Sandy; Heller, Leo

    2017-10-01

    As more urban solid waste is generated, managing it becomes ever more challenging and the potential impacts on the environment and human health also become greater. Handling waste - including collection, treatment and final disposal - entails risks of work accidents. This article assesses the perception of waste management workers regarding work-related accidents in domestic and health service contexts in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. These perceptions are compared with national data from the Ministry of Social Security on accidents involving workers in solid waste management. A high proportion of accidents involves cuts and puncture injuries; 53.9% among workers exposed to domestic waste and 75% among those exposed to health service waste. Muscular lesions and fractures accounted for 25.7% and 12.5% of accidents, respectively. Data from the Ministry of Social Security diverge from the local survey results, presumably owing to under-reporting, which is frequent in this sector. Greater commitment is needed from managers and supervisory entities to ensure that effective measures are taken to protect workers' health and quality of life. Moreover, workers should defend their right to demand an accurate registry of accidents to complement monitoring performed by health professionals trained in risk identification. This would contribute to the improved recovery of injured workers and would require managers in waste management to prepare effective preventive action.

  4. Association Between the Type of First Healthcare Provider and the Duration of Financial Compensation for Occupational Back Pain.

    PubMed

    Blanchette, Marc-André; Rivard, Michèle; Dionne, Clermont E; Hogg-Johnson, Sheilah; Steenstra, Ivan

    2017-09-01

    Objective To compare the duration of financial compensation and the occurrence of a second episode of compensation of workers with occupational back pain who first sought three types of healthcare providers. Methods We analyzed data from a cohort of 5511 workers who received compensation from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board for back pain in 2005. Multivariable Cox models controlling for relevant covariables were performed to compare the duration of financial compensation for the patients of each of the three types of first healthcare providers. Logistic regression was used to compare the occurrence of a second episode of compensation over the 2-year follow-up period. Results Compared with the workers who first saw a physician (reference), those who first saw a chiropractor experienced shorter first episodes of 100 % wage compensation (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 1.20 [1.10-1.31], P value < 0.001), and the workers who first saw a physiotherapist experienced a longer episode of 100 % compensation (adjusted HR = 0.84 [0.71-0.98], P value = 0.028) during the first 149 days of compensation. The odds of having a second episode of financial compensation were higher among the workers who first consulted a physiotherapist (OR = 1.49 [1.02-2.19], P value = 0.040) rather than a physician (reference). Conclusion The type of healthcare provider first visited for back pain is a determinant of the duration of financial compensation during the first 5 months. Chiropractic patients experience the shortest duration of compensation, and physiotherapy patients experience the longest. These differences raise concerns regarding the use of physiotherapists as gatekeepers for the worker's compensation system. Further investigation is required to understand the between-provider differences.

  5. 20 CFR 30.626 - How will OWCP coordinate compensation payable under Part E of EEOICPA with benefits from state...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false How will OWCP coordinate compensation payable... Benefits with State Workers' Compensation Benefits § 30.626 How will OWCP coordinate compensation payable under Part E of EEOICPA with benefits from state workers' compensation programs? (a) OWCP will reduce...

  6. Decree-Law No. 199/88, 31 May 1988.

    PubMed

    1988-01-01

    This Decree-Law establishes criteria for the determination of final compensation for expropriation or nationalization of land or agricultural capital. The lack of legal definition of criteria for the determination of such final compensation was a gap in recent Portuguese legislation on land reform. Although the holdings of many landlords and farmers had been nationalized or expropriated after 11 March 1975, the compensation obtained prior to the enactment of this Decree-Law was provisional and reflected outdated values. This Decree-Law closes this gap by establishing the criteria for the determination of final compensation with adjusted value. Under it, any farmer whose land or capital has been nationalized or expropriated since March 1975 may apply for final compensation, from which shall be deducted the value of any provisional compensation previously obtained and any property previously devolved as a "right of reserve" pursuant to pertinent legislation (see Law No. 109/88 of 26 September 1988 and Decree No. 44/88 of 14 December 1988). The final compensation shall be determined by administrative procedure in which the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food; the Ministry of Finance; and the applicant are represented. full text

  7. Worker compensation injuries among the Aboriginal population of British Columbia, Canada: incidence, annual trends, and ecological analysis of risk markers, 1987-2010.

    PubMed

    Jin, Andrew; George, M Anne; Brussoni, Mariana; Lalonde, Christopher E

    2014-07-10

    Aboriginal people in British Columbia (BC) have higher injury incidence than the general population, but information is scarce regarding variability among injury categories, time periods, and geographic, demographic and socio-economic groups. Our project helps fill these gaps. This report focuses on workplace injuries. We used BC's universal health care insurance plan as a population registry, linked to worker compensation and vital statistics databases. We identified Aboriginal people by insurance premium group and birth and death record notations. We identified residents of specific Aboriginal communities by postal code. We calculated crude incidence rate and Standardized Relative Risk (SRR) of worker compensation injury, adjusted for age, gender and Health Service Delivery Area (HSDA), relative to the total population of BC. We assessed annual trend by regressing SRR as a linear function of year. We tested hypothesized associations of geographic, socio-economic, and employment-related characteristics of Aboriginal communities with community SRR of injury by multivariable linear regression. During the period 1987-2010, the crude rate of worker compensation injury in BC was 146.6 per 10,000 person-years (95% confidence interval: 146.4 to 146.9 per 10,000). The Aboriginal rate was 115.6 per 10,000 (95% CI: 114.4 to 116.8 per 10,000) and SRR was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.87 to 0.89). Among those living on reserves SRR was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.78 to 0.80). HSDA SRRs were highly variable, within both total and Aboriginal populations. Aboriginal males under 35 and females under 40 years of age had lower SRRs, but older Aboriginal females had higher SRRs. SRRs are declining, but more slowly for the Aboriginal population. The Aboriginal population was initially at lower risk than the total population, but parity was reached in 2006. These community characteristics independently predicted injury risk: crowded housing, proportion of population who identified as Aboriginal, and

  8. Underutilization of worker's compensation insurance among professional orchestral musicians.

    PubMed

    Chimenti, Ruth L; Van Dillen, Linda R; Prather, Heidi; Hunt, Devyani; Chimenti, Peter C; Khoo-Summers, Lynnette

    2013-03-01

    Orchestral musicians commonly have playing-related symptoms (PRS) but few use worker's compensation (WC) insurance for assessment and treatment. The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency of, and factors related to, filing a WC claim among musicians. An online questionnaire was completed by 261 members of the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM). The responses were analyzed to describe the frequency and type of injuries, perceived cause of PRS, and severity of injury in musicians who did and did not file a WC claim. Of the musicians, 93% reported PRS in the 12 months prior to the study. Only 9 musicians filed WC claims during their careers, and all claims were for upper extremity injuries. The most frequent reason for not filing a WC claim was insufficient severity. Yet among musicians describing their PRS as not severe enough for a WC claim, 47% had symptoms for >15 minutes after playing and 16% had symptoms that interfered with daily activities. These data suggest there is frequent under-reporting of injuries to WC among professional orchestral musicians. Although most musicians reported PRS that persisted after playing, the most common reason for not filing a WC claim was insufficient severity of symptoms perceived by the musicians. Future research should focus on clearly defining severity for PRS-related injuries and determining when treatment for overuse syndromes should be paid for through the WC system.

  9. Organizational influence on the occurrence of work accidents involving exposure to biological material.

    PubMed

    Marziale, Maria Helena Palucci; Rocha, Fernanda Ludmilla Rossi; Robazzi, Maria Lúcia do Carmo Cruz; Cenzi, Camila Maria; dos Santos, Heloisa Ehmke Cardoso; Trovó, Marli Elisa Mendes

    2013-01-01

    to analyze work accidents involving exposure to biological materials which took place among personnel working in nursing and to evaluate the influence of the organizational culture on the occurrence of these accidents. a retrospective, analytical study, carried out in two stages in a hospital that was part of the Network for the Prevention of Work Accidents. The first stage involved the analysis of the characteristics of the work accidents involving exposure to biological materials as recorded over a seven-year period by the nursing staff in the hospital studied, and registered in the Network databank. The second stage involved the analysis of 122 nursing staff members' perception of the institutional culture, who were allocated to the control group (workers who had not had an accident) and the case group (workers who had had an accident). 386 accidents had been recorded: percutaneous lesions occurred in 79% of the cases, needles were the materials involved in 69.7% of the accidents, and in 81.9% of the accident there was contact with blood. Regarding the influence of the organizational culture on the occurrence of accidents, the results obtained through the analysis of the two groups did not demonstrate significant differences between the average scores attributed by the workers in each organizational value or practice category. It is concluded that accidents involving exposure to biological material need to be avoided, however, it was not possible to confirm the influence of organizational values or practices on workers' behavior concerning the occurrence of these accidents.

  10. Effects of premium discount on workers' compensation claims in agriculture in Finland.

    PubMed

    Rautiainen, Risto H; Ledolter, Johannes; Sprince, Nancy L; Donham, Kelley J; Burmeister, Leon F; Ohsfeldt, Robert; Reynolds, Stephen J; Phillips, Kirk; Zwerling, Craig

    2005-08-01

    The objective of this study was to measure changes in injury claim rates after a premium discount program was implemented in the Finnish farmers' workers' compensation insurance. We focused on measures that could indicate whether the changes occurred in the true underlying injury rate, or only in claims reporting. Monthly injury claim rates were constructed at seven disability duration levels from January 1990 to December 2003. We conducted interrupted time series analyses to measure changes in the injury claim rates after the premium discount was implemented on July 1, 1997. Three additional policy change indicators were included in the analyses. The overall injury claim rate decreased 10.2%. Decreases occurred at four severity levels (measured by compensated disability days): 0 days (16.3%), 1-6 days (14.1%), 7-13 days (19.5%), and 14-29 days (8.4%). No changes were observed at higher severity levels. Minor injuries had a seasonal pattern with higher rates in summer months while severe injuries did not have a seasonal pattern. The premium discount decreased the overall claim rate. Decreases were observed in all categories up to 29 disability days. This pattern suggests that under-reporting contributes to the decrease but may not be the only factor. The value of the premium discount is lower than the value of a lost-time claim, so there was no financial reason to under-report lost-time injuries. Under-reporting would be expected to be greatest in the 0 day category, but that was not the case. These observations suggest that in addition to under-reporting, the premium discount may also have some preventive effect. Copyright (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  11. The special severity of occupational accidents in the afternoon: "the lunch effect".

    PubMed

    Camino López, Miguel A; Fontaneda, Ignacio; González Alcántara, Oscar J; Ritzel, Dale O

    2011-05-01

    The severity of occupational accidents suffered by construction workers at different hours of the day is analyzed in this study. It may be seen that the interval of time between 13:00 and 17:00 has incomprehensibly high rates of severe and fatal accidents in comparison with any other. We associate this higher accident rate with what we have termed the "lunch effect". We studied 10,239,303 labor accidents in Spain over the period 1990-2002. The relationships between potential risk factors for occupational accidents around lunch in Spain, especially alcohol consumption are studied, using two methods: analysis of national archival data of 2,155,954 occupational accidents suffered by workers in the construction sector over the period 1990-2002 and a survey study. This study also seeks to contribute the opinions of the workers themselves regarding the causes that might explain this situation. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Fleet Readiness Center Mid-Atlantic Worker Cost Comparison

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-06-01

    benefits of tracking this data would need to be balanced against the costs of doing so. The retirement, life/ health insurance, and workers ...Retirement, Life/ Health Insurance (32% of 2080× $30.74) $20,460.54 13 WorkersCompensation (2% of 2080 × $30.74) $1,278.78 Total Other Annual Expenses...Overhead Analysis: Civilian Other Annual Expenses 23 Retirement, Life/ Health Insurance (32% of 2080 × $30.74) $20,460.54 24 WorkersCompensation (2

  13. Factors influencing the duration of work-related disability: a population-based study of Washington State workers' compensation.

    PubMed

    Cheadle, A; Franklin, G; Wolfhagen, C; Savarino, J; Liu, P Y; Salley, C; Weaver, M

    1994-02-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine factors predictive of duration of work-related disability. Multivariate survival analysis techniques were used to conduct a population-based, retrospective cohort study on a random sample of 28,473 workers' compensation claims from Washington State filed for injuries occurring in 1987 to 1989. The principal outcome measure was length of time for which compensation for lost wages was paid, used as a surrogate for duration of temporary total disability. The findings suggest that, even after adjusting for severity of injury, older age, female gender, and a diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome or back/neck sprain significantly predict longer duration of disability. Other predictors that were stable and significant, but involved lower magnitudes of effect included divorced marital status, firm size of fewer than 50 employees, higher country unemployment rates, and construction and agricultural work. Greater disability prevention efforts targeting these higher risk subgroups could have significant economic and public health effects. The greatest impact may be on claimants who remain disabled at 6 months after an injury that did not require hospitalization.

  14. The National Shipbuilding Research Program. Application of Industrial Engineering Techniques to Reduce Worker’s Compensation and Environmental Costs - Deliverable A

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1999-10-01

    N8-96-3 Application of Industrial Engineering Techniques to Reduce WorkersCompensation and Environmental Costs - Deliverable A U.S. DEPARTMENT OF...disclosed in the report. As used in the above, “Persons acting on behalf of the United States Navy” includes any employee , contractor, or subcontractor to...the contractor of the United States Navy to the extent that such employee , contractor, or subcontractor to the contractor prepares, handles, or

  15. [Assumption of medical risks and the problem of medical liability in ancient Roman law].

    PubMed

    Váradi, Agnes

    2008-11-02

    The claim of an individual to assure his health and life, to assume and compensate the damage from diseases and accidents, had already appeared in the system of the ancient Roman law in the form of many singular legal institutions. In lack of a unified archetype of regulation, we have to analyse the damages caused in the health or corporal integrity of different personal groups: we have to mention the legal interpretation of the diseases or injuries suffered by serves, people under manus or patria potestas and free Roman citizens. The fragments from the Digest od Justinian do not only demonstrate concrete legal problems, but they can serve as a starting point for further theoretical analyses. For example: if death is the consequence of a medical failure, does the doctor have any kind of liability? Was after-care part of the healing process according to the Roman law? Examining these questions, we should not forget to talk about the complex liability system of the Roman law, the compensation of the damages caused in a contractual or delictual context and about the lex Aquilia. Although these conclusions have no direct relation with the present legal regulation of risk assumption, we have to see that analysing the examples of the Roman law can be useful for developing our view of a certain theoretical problem, like that of the modern liability concept in medicine as well.

  16. Health and safety of the older worker.

    PubMed

    Farrow, A; Reynolds, F

    2012-01-01

    In the UK, increasing numbers of paid employees are over 60 years with further increases expected as the state pension age rises. Some concern surrounds possible increased work-related illness and accidents for people working beyond the age of 60. To identify the available evidence for health and safety risks of workers over age 60 years with respect to factors associated with injuries and accidents. Databases searched included PUBMED, OSHUpdate, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSHTIC-2), SafetyLit, the UK The Health and Safety Executive (HSELINE) and the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety until December 2009. Inclusion criteria were workers aged over 60 years. Findings were grouped into occupational accidents and injuries and individual and workplace factors that may have influenced risk of injury to the over-60s. Very little direct evidence was found concerning safety practices and health risks of workers over age 60. Some safety risks were associated with specific physical declines such as age-related hearing loss. Overall, these workers had fewer accidents and injuries but these were more likely to be serious or fatal when they occurred. There was no strong evidence that work patterns, including shift work or overtime, affected safety. Protective, compensatory strategies or experience may maintain safe working practices. Implications for health and safety risks cannot be assessed without longitudinal research on workforces with substantial numbers of workers over age 60 in order to address the healthy worker effect.

  17. Advantages of the rapid HIV-1 test in occupational accidents with potentially contaminated material among health workers.

    PubMed

    Machado, A A; Martinez, R; Haikal, A A; Rodrigues da Silva, M C

    2001-01-01

    In occupational accidents involving health professionals handling potentially contaminated material, the decision to start or to continue prophylactic medication against infection by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has been based on the ELISA test applied to a blood sample from the source patient. In order to rationalize the prophylactic use of antiretroviral agents, a rapid serologic diagnostic test of HIV infection was tested by the enzymatic immunoabsorption method (SUDS HIV 1+2, MUREX) and compared to conventional ELISA (Abbott HIV-1/ HIV-2 3rd Generation plus EIA). A total of 592 cases of occupational accidents were recorded at the University Hospital of Ribeirão Preto from July 1998 to April 1999. Of these, 109 were simultaneously evaluated by the rapid test and by ELISA HIV. The rapid test was positive in three cases and was confirmed by ELISA and in one the result was inconclusive and later found to be negative by ELISA. In the 106 accidents in which the rapid test was negative no prophylactic medication was instituted, with an estimated reduction in costs of US$ 2,889.35. In addition to this advantage, the good correlation of the rapid test with ELISA, the shorter duration of stress and the absence of exposure of the health worker to the adverse effects of antiretroviral agents suggest the adoption of this test in Programs of Attention to Accidents with Potentially Contaminated Material.

  18. Radiation-epidemiological Study of Cerebrovascular Diseases in the Cohort of Russian Recovery Operation Workers of the Chernobyl Accident.

    PubMed

    Kashcheev, V V; Chekin, S Yu; Maksioutov, M A; Tumanov, K A; Menyaylo, A N; Kochergina, E V; Kashcheeva, P V; Gorsky, A I; Shchukina, N V; Karpenko, S V; Ivanov, V K

    2016-08-01

    The paper presents an analysis of the incidence of cerebrovascular diseases (CeVD) in the cohort of Russian workers involved in recovery tasks after the Chernobyl accident. The studied cohort consists of 53,772 recovery operation workers (liquidators) who arrived in the zone of the Chernobyl accident within the first year after this accident (26 April 1986-26 April 1987). The mean external whole body dose in the cohort was 0.161 Gy, while individual doses varied from 0.0001 Gy to 1.42 Gy. During the follow-up period 1986-2012, a total of 23,264 cases of CeVD were diagnosed as a result of annual health examinations. A Poisson regression model was applied for estimation of radiation risks and for an assessment of other risk factors of CeVD. The following factors were considered as risk factors for CeVD: the dose, duration of the liquidators' work in the Chernobyl zone, and the concomitant diseases (hypertension, ischemic heart disease, atherosclerosis, and diabetes). The baseline incidence of CeVD is statistically significantly (p < 0.001) associated with all studied concomitant diseases. The incidence of CeVD has revealed a statistically significant dose response with the lack of a latent period and with the average ERR/Gy = 0.45, 95% CI: (0.28, 0.62), p < 0.001. Radiation risks of CeVD statistically significantly (p = 0.03) varied with the duration of liquidators' stay in the Chernobyl zone; for those who stayed in the Chernobyl zone less than 6 wk, ERR/Gy = 0.64, 95% CI = (0.38; 0.93), p < 0.001. Among studied concomitant diseases, diabetes mellitus statistically significantly (p = 0.002) increases the radiation risk of CeVD: for liquidators with diagnosed diabetes, ERR/Gy = 1.29.

  19. Reducing stigma in healthcare and law enforcement: a novel approach to service provision for street level sex workers.

    PubMed

    Bodkin, Kate; Delahunty-Pike, Alannah; O'Shea, Tim

    2015-04-09

    Providing services for street level sex workers requires a multidisciplinary approach, addressing both health and safety concerns typical of their age and gender and those that arise specific to their line of work. Despite being a diverse population, studies have identified some specific health needs for sex workers including addictions treatment, mental health. Additionally, studies have shown a higher risk of physical and sexual assault for this population. The Persons at Risk program (PAR) in London, Ontario, Canada was started in 2005 to address the specific needs of street level sex workers by using a harm-reduction model for policing and healthcare provision. This qualitative study evaluated this model of care in terms of improving access to healthcare and essential police services for street level sex workers. A total of 14 semi-structured interviews were conducted with current and former female street level sex workers enrolled in the PAR program. In addition, 3 semi-structured interviews were conducted with health and law enforcement professionals. The research team then analyzed and coded the transcripts using qualitative description to identify key themes in the data. Results indicated that participants represent a vulnerable population with increased safety concerns and healthcare needs relating to addictions, mental health and infectious disease. Despite this, participants reported avoiding healthcare workers and police officers in the past because of fear of stigma or repercussions. All participants identified the harm reduction approach of the PAR program as being essential to their continued engagement with the program. Other important aspects included flexible hours, the location of the clinic, streamlined access to mental health and addictions treatment and the female gender of the police and healthcare worker. The PAR program provides sex workers access to much needed primary healthcare that is flexible and without judgment. In addition, they are

  20. Migrant Workers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Social and Labour Bulletin, 1983

    1983-01-01

    Discusses a new German law to encourage foreign workers to return to their home countries, employment exchanges for young foreigners in Germany, and a training program for migrant workers in India. (SK)

  1. Fatal accident circumstances and epidemiology (FACE) report: confined-space incident kills two workers - company employee and rescuing fireman

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1985-01-06

    A fatal accident circumstance and epidemiology report on an incident occurring in a confined space and involving two fatalities is presented. Two employees of a petroleum company were determining whether an empty 10,000-gallon toluene tank needed cleaning. Due to limited visibility, one worker decided to enter the tank. As he descended through a 16 inch opening in the top of the tank, he apparently fell into the tank. The other worker called the city fire department. The responding unit decided to use a K 12 saw to cut an opening in the side of the tank. Although water sprays weremore » used to minimize spark generation, an explosion occurred and a fireman was killed by the concussion. Preliminary medical information indicates that the worker inside the tank was dead prior to the explosion. Recommendations include city fire departments establishing a registry of confined spaces and toxic or explosive substances in the area in which they serve and conducting research to determine the best methods to gain entry into enclosed spaces containing inflammable or explosive atmospheres.« less

  2. Worker compensation injuries among the Aboriginal population of British Columbia, Canada: incidence, annual trends, and ecological analysis of risk markers, 1987–2010

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Aboriginal people in British Columbia (BC) have higher injury incidence than the general population, but information is scarce regarding variability among injury categories, time periods, and geographic, demographic and socio-economic groups. Our project helps fill these gaps. This report focuses on workplace injuries. Methods We used BC’s universal health care insurance plan as a population registry, linked to worker compensation and vital statistics databases. We identified Aboriginal people by insurance premium group and birth and death record notations. We identified residents of specific Aboriginal communities by postal code. We calculated crude incidence rate and Standardized Relative Risk (SRR) of worker compensation injury, adjusted for age, gender and Health Service Delivery Area (HSDA), relative to the total population of BC. We assessed annual trend by regressing SRR as a linear function of year. We tested hypothesized associations of geographic, socio-economic, and employment-related characteristics of Aboriginal communities with community SRR of injury by multivariable linear regression. Results During the period 1987–2010, the crude rate of worker compensation injury in BC was 146.6 per 10,000 person-years (95% confidence interval: 146.4 to 146.9 per 10,000). The Aboriginal rate was 115.6 per 10,000 (95% CI: 114.4 to 116.8 per 10,000) and SRR was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.87 to 0.89). Among those living on reserves SRR was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.78 to 0.80). HSDA SRRs were highly variable, within both total and Aboriginal populations. Aboriginal males under 35 and females under 40 years of age had lower SRRs, but older Aboriginal females had higher SRRs. SRRs are declining, but more slowly for the Aboriginal population. The Aboriginal population was initially at lower risk than the total population, but parity was reached in 2006. These community characteristics independently predicted injury risk: crowded housing, proportion of population who

  3. [Accidents with biological material at West Paraná University Hospital].

    PubMed

    Murofuse, Neide Tiemi; Marziale, Maria Helena Palucci; Gemelli, Lorena Moraes Goetem

    2005-08-01

    It is a descriptive and retrospective study with the purpose of investigating labor accidents with biological material involving workers and trainees occurred in 2003 and 2004 in a University Hospital of Parana. For data collection, the electronic form of the Net of Occupational Accidents Prevention - REPAT has been utilized. Out of the 586 hospital workers, there was a register of 20 (3,4%) injured workers in 2003 and 23 (3,8%) in 2004, representing an increase of 15% in the notifications from one year to the other.

  4. Wage and Hour Farm Labor Laws.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hertel, Catherine

    This paper, by a teacher of migrants, summarizes various farm labor laws and child labor laws pertaining to migrant and seasonal workers. The Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act of 1983 provides workers with assurances about pay, hours, and working conditions, including safety and health. This legislation permits anyone…

  5. [Psychiatric assessment in civil law questions].

    PubMed

    Nedopil, N

    2009-05-01

    Psychiatric reports in German civil law cases are required if questions are raised of legal capacity, capacity to express a testamentary will, ability to sue or be sued, capacity to marry, ability of mentally disordered patients to consent to treatment, and when custody or hospital orders of these patients is considered or compensation is due for mental disorders resulting from accidents. Many reports must decide whether the ability to decide using sound reason or motives is or was impaired by a mental disorder. This capability is attributed to every adult person; only if incapability is claimed must it be proven by psychiatric assessment. As in most psychiatric court reports, such assessments must be structured in several steps. First a clinical diagnosis has to be established which must then be translated into legal terminology. After this has been accomplished, the psychiatrist must describe the functional impairments caused by the disorder and define the probability with which these impairments might affect the legal act in question. Most reports are prepared in the context of custody law, which centers on helping those patients who, due to a mental disorder, cannot manage their own legal matters.

  6. Workers' compensation claims for musculoskeletal disorders and injuries of the upper extremity and knee among union carpenters in Washington State, 1989-2008.

    PubMed

    Lipscomb, Hester J; Schoenfisch, Ashley L; Cameron, Wilfrid; Kucera, Kristen L; Adams, Darrin; Silverstein, Barbara A

    2015-04-01

    Numerous aspects of construction place workers at risk of musculoskeletal disorders and injuries (MSDIs). Work organization and the nature of MSDIs create surveillance challenges. By linking union records with workers' compensation claims, we examined 20-year patterns of MSDIs involving the upper extremity (UE) and the knee among a large carpenter cohort. MSDIs were common and accounted for a disproportionate share of paid lost work time (PLT) claims; UE MSDIs were three times more common than those of the knee. Rates declined markedly over time and were most pronounced for MSDIs of the knee with PLT. Patterns of risk varied by extremity, as well as by age, gender, union tenure, and predominant work. Carpenters in drywall installation accounted for the greatest public health burden. A combination of factors likely account for the patterns observed over time and across worker characteristics. Drywall installers are an intervention priority. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Evaluation of a smoke-free law on indoor air quality and on workers' health in Portuguese restaurants.

    PubMed

    Madureira, Joana; Mendes, Ana; Teixeira, João Paulo

    2014-01-01

    Workplace bans on smoking are interventions to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) to try to prevent harmful health effects. The Portuguese Government on January 1, 2008, introduced the first national law banning smoking in public workplaces, including restaurants. The main aim of this study was to examine the impact of this law on indoor air quality (IAQ) in restaurants and on the respiratory and sensory health of restaurant workers. Concentrations of respirable suspended particulate matter (RSP), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO2) in 10 restaurants were measured and compared before and after the ban. Benzene (C6H6) concentrations were also measured in all restaurants. Fifty-two and twenty-eight restaurant workers, respectively, answered questionnaires on exposure to SHS, and respiratory and sensory symptoms in the pre- and post-ban phases. There was a statistically significant decrease in RSP, CO, TVOC, and C6H6 concentrations after the ban. Additionally, in both phases the monitored CO2 concentrations greatly exceeded 1800 mg x m(-3), suggesting inefficient ventilation of the indoor spaces. Between pre- and post-ban phases a significant reduction in self-reported workplace SHS exposure was also observed after the enforcement of the law, as well as a significant marked reduction in dry, itching, irritated, or watery eyes, nasal problems, sore or dry throat, cough, wheeze, and headache. This study provides, in a single investigation, comparison of IAQ and respiratory health in Portugal before and after the introduction of the smoke-free law, the first data reported in the literature to our knowledge. Our findings suggest that a total workplace smoking ban results in a significant reduction in indoor air pollution and an improvement in the respiratory health of restaurant workers. These observations may have implications for policymakers and legislators currently considering the nature and extent of their

  8. Personal factors and working conditions as predictors of work injuries among industrial workers.

    PubMed

    Kamel, M I; Atta, H Y; Foda, N T; Mostafa, Y A; Youssef, R M

    1998-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the personal factors and working conditions that predict work injuries among industrial workers. To fulfill this aim, a case control study was conducted including 2003 industrial workers who sustained a work injury and an equal number of controls. All were subjected to an interview questionnaire to collect relevant information. Moreover, records were reviewed to obtain the medical history of enrolled workers. Data revealed that workers in the index and control groups are comparable in respect to their sociodemographic characteristics. The multivariate logistic regression analysis pointed out that safety training significantly reduces the risk of work accidents among industrial workers. On the other hand, work accidents are more likely to occur in the main working shift. Moreover, workers who suffer from chronic health problems calling for surgical treatment, as well as those who reported family problems, are more likely to experience work accidents. These workers should receive considerable attention to reduce the extent of work injuries. More importantly, safety-training programs are mandatory for accident prevention in industrial settings.

  9. Epidemiology of Accidents in Tile Factories of Mangalore City in Karnataka

    PubMed Central

    Kumar, S Ganesh; Rathnakar, UP; Harsha Kumar, HN

    2010-01-01

    Background: Occupational accidents are a major point of concern in industries. The academic community should take the first step to address the long-neglected concerns of occupational safety. Objective: To assess the prevalence and pattern of occupational accidents. Materials and Methods: A record-based, cross-sectional study was done in three tile factories of Mangalore city, in Karnataka. A total of 416 workers were analyzed for the year 2004, and data regarding age, sex, job duration, type and nature of injury, body parts involved, and time of injury were collected in a prestructured proforma. Statistical Analysis: Proportions, Chi-square test, Univariate and Multivariate analysis. Results: The overall prevalence rate of accidents was found to be 18.5%. It was found that almost around 86% of the accidents had affected the limbs (upper limb 24.7%, lower limb 61%), around half (52%) of the injuries were contributed by superficial injuries, 40% of accidents were due to stepping/striking against objects and while handling. Hand tools and machinery in motion contributed to around 20% of the accidents. Accidents were more common among the younger age group and less-experienced workers. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that the age group of 30-39 years had an independent significant association with accidents (OR = 0.21, P = 0.04). Conclusion: Accidents in tile industries are an important occupational health problem in this area of the country. There is a need for proper safety training of the workers. PMID:20606926

  10. Psychophysiological characteristics in the ChNPP accident clean-up workers, exclusion zone evacuees and anti-terrorist operation servicemen.

    PubMed

    Loganovsky, K M; Gresko, M V

    2017-12-01

    Evaluation of interdependencies between psychometric parameters and spontaneous cerebral electric activity in the ChNPP accident clean up workers, evacuees from exclusion zone, and anti terrorist operation service men. Psychometric and neurophysiological parameters were reviewed in the study subjects retro spectively and in comparison. Study population included the ChNPP accident clean up workers (ACUW), evacuees from the 30 kilometer exclusion zone, specifically in a sample from a cohort of the NRCRM Clinical Epidemiological Register (n=316), and anti terrorist operation servicemen (n=81) undergoing rehabilitation in the NRCRM Radiation psychoneurology department. A control group of persons (n=84) was also involved in the study. Diagnostic method ology for the characteristic personality features, namely the personality test of character accentuation by G. Shmishek and K. Leonhard, and Eysenck Personality Inventory (by H. J. Eysenck) were applied. Computer EEGs were registered and analyzed on the 16 channel electroencephalograph DX 4000 (Kharkiv, Ukraine). In the aftermath of the emergency period, a personality deformation occurs in the clean up workers and survivors of the ChNPP accident, which is characterized by aggravation of such personality traits as jam (fixedness), emotiveness, pedantry, anxiety, cyclothymia, excitability and disthymia, with diminished hyperthymia and ostenta tion (demonstrability). Increased incidence of fixedness, pedantry, cyclothymia, affectability and disthymia with decreased hyperthymia were revealed in the group of ATO participants. Cerebral bioelectrical activity in the ChNPP ACUW was characterized by an increased delta activity power with decreased beta and theta activity power and dom inant frequency in comparison with all groups of survivors and control group. The ATO group was different from groups of survivors and control group with a lower power of delta, theta and beta activity, and a higher dominant frequency. Introversion

  11. Lockout/tagout accident investigation.

    PubMed

    White, James R

    2014-08-01

    When I was in boot camp, our drill instructor told us that assume makes an ass out of u and me. It was true then, and it is true today. In this instance, assumptions came into play several times, both by the worker and by the companies involved. The good news is that it did not result in a fatality, but that does not relieve the pain and suffering that the employee had to endure. This same type of scenario is likely repeated at many job sites throughout the United States. Multiple contractors, dozens--maybe hundreds--of workers, power system equipment and devices; all of these have to be taken into consideration when performing maintenance activities. It can become a blur. People are people, and people make mistakes. That is why we have OSHA regulations, NFPA 70E, company procedures, policies, etc. Most if not all of us have either been involved in accidents or know people who have been. It's not like it's a secret that people make mistakes, but talk to some and they seem to think only others have that failing. Safety is not about just any one procedure or rule. It's about slowing down, making a plan, and executing that plan. There are plenty of tools available to help us: policies, procedures, codes, standards, federal regulations, and state and local laws. I am not about to say that the worker involved in this incident was not taking safety seriously, but he failed to follow some fundamental safety rules like test-before-touch. If he had taken just that one step, there would be nothing to write about.

  12. Costs for Department of the Navy Civilians Due to the Federal Employees Compensation Act: How Much Does a Case Cost?

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1994-08-01

    AD-A285 254 NAVAL HEALTH RESEARCH CENTER COSTS FOR DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY CIVILIANS DUE TO THE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ’ COMPENSATION ACT: HOW MUCH DOES A...Finance Accounting Service regarding continuation of pay. Under the Federal Employees ’ Compensation Act, OWCP does not begin compensating an injured worker ...Costs References 1. Nordlund WJ (1991). The Federal Employees ’ Compensation Act. Monthly Labor Review 114:3-14. 2. Office of WorkersCompensation

  13. Factors associated with the severity of fatal accidents in construction workers.

    PubMed

    Khodabandeh, Farideh; Kabir-Mokamelkhah, Elaheh; Kahani, Mahsa

    2016-01-01

    Background: Construction work (building houses, roads, workplaces, and repairing and maintaining infrastructures) is a dangerous land-based job. This includes many hazardous tasks and conditions such as working at the following conditions: Height, excavation, noise, dust, power tools and equipment. Construction work has been increased in developed and underdeveloped countries over the past few years. Occupational fatalities have increased with an increase in this type of work. Occupational fatalities refer to individuals who pass way while on the job or performing work related tasks. In the present study, to identify the factors, personal characteristics and work-related factors associated with fatal occupational mortality were assessed using data for Tehran, Iran, 2014-2016. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study, using 967 postmortem reports from fatal occupational injuries collected through postmortem investigations during 2014-2016. A sampling frame of 967 postmortem reports from fatal occupational injuries was used to draw a total sample of 714 fatal construction accidents for this cross-sectional study. Pearson χ2 test and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for statistical analysis. Results: Based on the results of this study, male gender (n=714; 100%), age range of 30-39 years (n=183; 25.6%), secondary educational level (n=273; 38.2%), being married (317; 44.4%), causal employee (n=389; 54.5%), unskilled performance (389; 54.5%), no insurance coverage (472; 66.1%), and daytime duty work (287; 40.2%) were identified as risk factors for fatality in the event of construction fatal injury. A significant relationship was found between the type of injury and sociodemographic and work related variables. Conclusion: Workers' characteristics such as age, gender, experience, and educational background, and work related variables such as skill training, safety measurement, and close monitoring could be used to discriminate among different severity levels of

  14. 1996 Washington state highway accident report

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1996-01-01

    The Motor Vehicle Laws of the state of Washington require that standard Traffic Accident Report forms be : submitted by the operator of any vehicle in an accident resulting in injury or death to any person, or damage to the : property of any person t...

  15. Data linkage of inpatient hospitalization and workers' claims data sets to characterize occupational falls.

    PubMed

    Bunn, Terry L; Slavova, Svetla; Bathke, Arne

    2007-07-01

    The identification of industry, occupation, and associated injury costs for worker falls in Kentucky have not been fully examined. The purpose of this study was to determine the associations between industry and occupation and 1) hospitalization length of stay; 2) hospitalization charges; and 3) workers' claims costs in workers suffering falls, using linked inpatient hospitalization discharge and workers' claims data sets. Hospitalization cases were selected with ICD-9-CM external cause of injury codes for falls and payer code of workers' claims for years 2000-2004. Selection criteria for workers'claims cases were International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions Electronic Data Interchange Nature (IAIABCEDIN) injuries coded as falls and/or slips. Common data variables between the two data sets such as date of birth, gender, date of injury, and hospital admission date were used to perform probabilistic data linkage using LinkSolv software. Statistical analysis was performed with non-parametric tests. Construction falls were the most prevalent for male workers and incurred the highest hospitalization and workers' compensation costs, whereas most female worker falls occurred in the services industry. The largest percentage of male worker falls was from one level to another, while the largest percentage of females experienced a fall, slip, or trip (not otherwise classified). When male construction worker falls were further analyzed, laborers and helpers had longer hospital stays as well as higher total charges when the worker fell from one level to another. Data linkage of hospitalization and workers' claims falls data provides additional information on industry, occupation, and costs that are not available when examining either data set alone.

  16. The impact of workplace factors on filing of workers’ compensation claims among nursing home workers

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Injuries reported to workers’ compensation (WC) system are often used to estimate incidence of health outcomes and evaluate interventions in musculoskeletal epidemiology studies. However, WC claims represent a relatively small subset of all musculoskeletal disorders among employed individuals, and perhaps not a representative subset. This study determined the influence of workplace and individual factors on filing of workers’ compensation claims by nursing home employees with back pain. Methods Surveys were conducted in 18 skilled nursing facilities in four U.S. states. Self-administered questionnaires obtained information on demographic characteristics, working environment, and health behaviors/status. Employees who reported low back pain at least once in four questionnaire surveys were included. WC claims from the same facilities were obtained from the employer’s workers compensation insurer and matched by employee name. The dichotomous dependent variable was filing of back-related worker’s compensation claim. Association with predictors of interest, including pain severity, physical job demand, job strain, social support, schedule control, and safety climate, was assessed using multivariate regression modeling. Individual characteristics were tested as potential confounders. Results Pain severity level was significantly associated with filing low-back related claims (odds ratio (OR) = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.18 – 1.87). Higher physical demands at work (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.01 – 1.14) also increased the likelihood of claim filing. Higher job strain (OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.73 – 0.94), social support at work (OR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.82 – 0.99), and education (OR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.71 – 0.89) decreased the likelihood of claim filing. Conclusions The results suggest that the WC system captured the most severe occupational injuries. Workplace factors had additional influence on workers’ decision to file

  17. A recommended epidemiological study design for examining the adverse health effects among emergency workers who experienced the TEPCO fukushima daiichi NPP accident in 2011.

    PubMed

    Yasui, Shojiro

    2016-01-01

    Results from medical examinations conducted in 2012 of workers who were engaged in radiation work in 2012 as a result of the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) accident showed that the prevalence of abnormal findings was 4.21%, 3.23 points higher than the 0.98% that was found prior to the accident in the jurisdiction area of the labor inspection office which holds jurisdiction over the NPP. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) concluded that the 2010 and 2012 data cannot be easily compared because 70% of the enterprises within the jurisdiction of the office that reported the 2012 results were different from those that did so in 2010. In addition, although the radiation workers' estimated average dose weighted by number of workers was 3.66 times higher than decontamination workers' dose, the prevalence among radiation workers was only 1.14 times higher than that among decontamination workers. Based on the results of the medical examinations, however, the MHLW decided to implement an epidemiological study on the health effects of radiation exposure on all emergency workers. This article explains key issues of the basic design of the study recommended by the expert meeting established in the MHLW and also identifies challenges that could not be resolved and thus required further consideration by the study researchers. The major issues included: (a) study methods and target group; (b) evaluation of cumulative doses; (c) health effects (end points); (d) control of confounding factors; and (e) study implementation framework. Identified key challenges that required further deliberation were: (a) preventing arbitrary partisan analysis; (b) ensuring a high participation rate; (c) inquiry about the medical radiation doses; and (d) the preparedness of new analytical technology. The study team formulated and implemented the pilot study in 2014 and started the full-scale study in April 2015 with funding from a research grant from the MHLW.

  18. Time savings--realized and potential--and fair compensation for community health workers in Kenyan health facilities: a mixed-methods approach.

    PubMed

    Sander, Laura D; Holtzman, David; Pauly, Mark; Cohn, Jennifer

    2015-01-30

    Sub-Saharan Africa faces a severe health worker shortage, which community health workers (CHWs) may fill. This study describes tasks shifted from clinicians to CHWs in Kenya, places monetary valuations on CHWs' efforts, and models effects of further task shifting on time demands of clinicians and CHWs. Mixed methods were used for this study. Interviews were conducted with 28 CHWs and 19 clinicians in 17 health facilities throughout Kenya focusing on task shifting involving CHWs, time savings for clinicians as a result of task shifting, barriers and enabling factors to CHWs' work, and appropriate CHW compensation. Twenty CHWs completed task diaries over a 14-day period to examine current CHW tasks and the amount of time spent performing them. A modeling exercise was conducted examining a current task-shifting example and another scenario in which additional task shifting to CHWs has occurred. CHWs worked an average of 5.3 hours per day and spent 36% of their time performing tasks shifted from clinicians. We estimated a monthly valuation of US$ 117 per CHW. The modeling exercise demonstrated that further task shifting would reduce the number of clinicians needed while maintaining clinic productivity by significantly increasing the number of CHWs. CHWs are an important component of healthcare delivery in Kenya. Our monetary estimates of current CHW contributions provide starting points for further discussion, research and planning regarding CHW compensation and programs. Additional task shifting to CHWs may further offload overworked clinicians while maintaining overall productivity.

  19. 20 CFR 725.535 - Reductions; receipt of State or Federal benefit.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... pneumoconiosis under State laws relating to workers' compensation (including compensation for occupational disease), unemployment compensation, or disability insurance. (b) Benefit payments to a beneficiary for...

  20. The Effects of Workplace Clean Indoor Air Law Coverage on Workers' Smoking-Related Outcomes.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Kai-Wen; Liu, Feng; Gonzalez, MariaElena; Glantz, Stanton

    2017-02-01

    This study investigated the effects of workplace clean indoor air law (CIAL) coverage on worksite compliance with CIALs, smoking participation among indoor workers, and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure among nonsmoker indoor workers. This study improved on previous research by using the probability of a resident in a county covered by workplace CIALs, taking into account the state, county, and city legislation. The county-level probability of being covered by a CIAL is merged into two large nationally representative US surveys on smoking behaviors: Tobacco Use Supplement of the Current Population Survey (2001-2010) and Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (2000-2006) based on the year of the survey and respondent's geographic location to identify respondents' CIAL coverage. This study estimated several model specifications of including and not including state or county fixed effects, and the effects of workplace CIALs are consistent across models. Increased coverage by workplace CIALs significantly increased likelihood of reporting a complete smoking restriction by 8% and 10% for the two different datasets, decreased smoking participation among indoor workers by 12%, and decreased SHS exposure among nonsmokers by 28%. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  1. Case studies of violations of workers' freedom of association: service sector workers.

    PubMed

    2001-01-01

    Workers' rights violations in the United States are widespread and growing. The bulk of the National Labor Relations Board's work now involves unfair labor practices, most related to employers' violations of workers' rights. Numerous research studies document these violations. As part of its report "Unfair Advantage: Workers' Freedom of Association in the United States under International Human Rights Standards," Human Rights Watch conducted a series of case studies in a dozen states, covering a variety of industries and employment sectors, analyzing the U.S. experience in the light of both national law and international human rights and labor rights norms. The article presented here includes a discussion of the general context of increased workers' rights violations under U.S. law and the first of the case studies: service sector workers.

  2. [The 20th century legal framework regarding risk at work and occupational health in Colombia].

    PubMed

    Arango-Soler, Juan M; Luna-García, Jairo E; Correa-Moreno, Yerson A; Campos, Adriana C

    2013-01-01

    Analyzing the 20th century Colombian legal framework from the point of view of labor law, social security and public health for identifying concepts regarding occupational health and professional risk and trying to establish convergence and differences between such foci and whether they fulfilled a complementary view. This work involved documentary research by means of thematic categorical analysis of the laws and statutes promulgated in 20th century Colombia, considering the main element or entity which should have regulated that related to professional risk or occupational health. The development of the 20th century Colombian legal framework regarding health at work was periodized, revealing the predominance of a view of social law focused on protecting dependent workers' work-related risks, as part of a tendency extending to the Colombian Sistema General de Riesgos Laborales. The proposed stages used for organizing the legal framework concerning social security regarding professional risk and occupational health facilitated some important elements being recognized concerning the social, legal and institutional context from which workers' health laws emerged. Tension was noted concerning statutes orientated towards redress and compensation regarding accidents at work and legislation emphasizing prevention.

  3. Delay compensation in integrated communication and control systems. I - Conceptual development and analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Luck, Rogelio; Ray, Asok

    1990-01-01

    A procedure for compensating for the effects of distributed network-induced delays in integrated communication and control systems (ICCS) is proposed. The problem of analyzing systems with time-varying and possibly stochastic delays could be circumvented by use of a deterministic observer which is designed to perform under certain restrictive but realistic assumptions. The proposed delay-compensation algorithm is based on a deterministic state estimator and a linear state-variable-feedback control law. The deterministic observer can be replaced by a stochastic observer without any structural modifications of the delay compensation algorithm. However, if a feedforward-feedback control law is chosen instead of the state-variable feedback control law, the observer must be modified as a conventional nondelayed system would be. Under these circumstances, the delay compensation algorithm would be accordingly changed. The separation principle of the classical Luenberger observer holds true for the proposed delay compensator. The algorithm is suitable for ICCS in advanced aircraft, spacecraft, manufacturing automation, and chemical process applications.

  4. Effects of human and organizational deficiencies on workers'safety behavior in a mining site in Iran.

    PubMed

    Mirzaei Aliabadi, Mostafa; Aghaei, Hamed; Kalatpour, Omid; Soltanian, Ali Reza; SeyedTabib, Maryam

    2018-05-18

    Mines are a dangerous workplace worldwide with a high accident rate. According to the Statistical Center of Iran, the number of occupational accidents in Iranian mines has increased in recent years. This study determined and explained human and organizational deficiencies influencing Iranian mining accidents. In this study, the data associated with 305 mining accidents were investigated. The data were analyzed based on a systems analysis approach to identify critical deficiencies in organizational influences, unsafe supervision, preconditions for unsafe acts, and workers' unsafe acts. Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling [PLS-SEM] was utilized for modeling the interactions between these deficiencies. It was demonstrated that organizational deficiencies had a direct positive effect on workers' violations (path coefficient=0.16) and workers' errors (path coefficient=0.23). The effect of unsafe supervision on workers' violations and workers' errors was also significant with the path coefficients of 0.14 and 0.20. Likewise, preconditions for unsafe acts also had a significant effect on both workers' violations (path coefficient=0.16) and workers' errors (path coefficient=0.21). Moreover, organizational deficiencies had an indirect positive effect on workers' unsafe acts mediated by unsafe supervision and preconditions for unsafe acts. Among the variables examined in the current study, organizational influences had the strongest impacts on workers' unsafe acts. Organizational deficiencies are the main causes of accidents in mining sectors that affects all other aspects of system safety. For preventing occupational accidents, organizational deficiencies should be modified first.

  5. Woodworking injuries: a comparative study of work-related and hobby-related accidents.

    PubMed

    Loisel, F; Bonin, S; Jeunet, L; Pauchot, J; Tropet, Y; Obert, L

    2014-10-01

    The primary objective of this study was to describe the injury characteristics and demographics of patients injured during woodworking activities, upon their arrival to the emergency department in a regional of France where this industry is prevalent. The secondary objective was to compare patient and injury characteristics for work-related and hobby-related accidents. A cohort of 87 patients who had suffered a woodworking accident over a two-year period was evaluated; 79 were available for follow-up. The context and circumstances of the accident, nature and location of the injuries and patient demographics were recorded. Hobby-related accidents accounted for two-thirds of the accidents (51/79). Most of the injured workers were either loggers (35%) or carpenters (46%). The hand was injured in 53 cases (67%). Work-related accidents resulted in significantly more serious consequences in terms of hospital stay, work stoppage, resumption of work or retraining than hobby-related accidents. For the workplace accidents, 86% occurred on new machines; more than 25% of the machines involved in accidents at home were over 15 years. Sixty-eight per cent of workers were wearing their safety gear, while only 31% of those injured during recreational woodworking wore the appropriate gear. Several elements of prevention should be improved: information about the need to maintain the equipment, protect the worker with suitable clothing, and learn which maneuvers are considered hazardous. Safety gear should be regularly inspected in the workplace. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier SAS.

  6. Nail gun injuries among construction workers.

    PubMed

    Dement, John M; Lipscomb, Hester; Li, Leiming; Epling, Carol; Desai, Tejas

    2003-05-01

    Pneumatic nail guns greatly increase worker productivity and are extensively used in wood frame building construction, with especially high use in residential construction. One surveillance report of nail gun injuries in Washington State has been published; however, other literature consists largely of case reports and case series in trauma journals. The major objective of the current study was to investigate the occurrence of nail gun-associated injuries among construction workers and to identify preventable work-related factors associated with these injuries. Nail gun-related injuries occurring among a cohort of 13,347 carpenters in Ohio who worked union hours during the time period January 1, 1994, until September 30, 1997, were identified by matching the cohort with workers' compensation claims made to the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation. We also analyzed workers' compensation claims for North Carolina Home Builders Association members for the period July 1996-November 1999 to identify nail gun-related injuries. Analyses included stratified analyses of claims by nature and body part injured, calculation of nail gun injury rates, and analyses of free text descriptions of injuries. Overall, nail gun injuries were responsible for 3.9 percent of workers' compensation claims with 8.3 percent to 25.5 percent of claims involving paid lost work time. The overall rate of nail gun injuries (cases per 200,000 work hours) was 0.33 in North Carolina and 0.26 in Ohio, reflecting the greater concentration of wood frame construction workers in the North Carolina population studied. Higher rates of injury were observed for carpenters in North Carolina and among residential carpenters in Ohio. The predominant body part injured was the hands/fingers, with 80 to 89 percent of injuries being nail punctures. Analyses of free text information for puncture injuries found approximately 70 percent of injuries to occur during the framing/sheathing stage of construction. Our data

  7. [Under registration of occupational accidents in São Paulo, Brazil, 1997].

    PubMed

    Binder, Maria Cecília Pereira; Cordeiro, Ricardo

    2003-08-01

    To estimate the number of occupational accidents that occurred in a certain municipality during a specific period of time as well as the extent of sub-registration. The study sample was comprised of 4.782 households within the municipality of Botucatu, São Paulo occupied by a total 17,219 inhabitants on the 1st of July, 1997. In each household, an adult inhabitant was interviewed in order to identify the occurrence of occupational accidents in the three months preceding the interview. When such occurrences were identified, the injured workers were interviewed. The Cochran formula was utilized to calculate the confidence interval. Seventy-six individuals confirmed that they had suffered occupational accidents during these three months. In 1997, there were approximately 1,810 occupational accidents in Botucatu, according to our estimates, and the incidence of work related injuries in the population was approximately 4.1% (CI 95% 3.0%-5.3%). Thirty-nine (51.3%, CI 95% 41.1%61.6%) of the above 76 workers were not covered by the Social Security System. Consequently, their injuries were not reported for there was no legally binding obligation to fill out and emit the official registration form - Comunicação de Acidente do Trabalho (CAT) [the work injury report]. Included among the latter are civil servants and informal sector workers, such as self-employed, casual workers and others. Although the remaining 37 workers (48.7%) were covered by the Social Security System and emission of the work injury report was obligatory, 20 of the cases (54.1% CI 95% 39.4%-68.7%) had not been registered. A greater proportion of cases of sub-registration were found among those workers employed in micro, small and medium sized businesses than among those working in large firms. Only 22.4% (CI 13.8%-30.9%) of the occupational accidents reported in this study were registered by the Social Security System. Research findings confirm that analyses based on the number of officially registered

  8. Frequency and quality of radiation monitoring of construction workers at two gaseous diffusion plants.

    PubMed

    Bingham, Eula; Ringen, Knut; Dement, John; Cameron, Wilfrid; McGowan, William; Welch, Laura; Quinn, Patricia

    2006-09-01

    Construction workers were and are considered temporary workers at many construction sites. Since World War II, large numbers of construction workers were employed at U.S. Department of Energy nuclear weapons sites for periods ranging from a few days to over 30 years. These workers performed tasks during new construction and maintenance, repair, renovation, and demolition of existing facilities. Such tasks may involve emergency situations, and may entail opportunities for significant radiation exposures. This paper provides data from interviews with more than 750 construction workers at two gaseous diffusion plants (GDPs) at Paducah, Kentucky, and Portsmouth, Ohio regarding radiation monitoring practices. The aim was to determine the extent to which workers believed they were monitored during tasks involving potential radiation exposures. The adequacy of monitoring practices is important for two reasons: (a) Protecting workers from exposures: Construction workers were employed by sub-contractors, and may frequently been excluded from safety and health programs provided to permanent employees; and (b) Supporting claims for compensation: The Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA) requires dose reconstruction of radiation exposures for most workers who file a claim regarding cancer. The use of monitoring data for radiation to qualify a worker means that there should be valid and complete monitoring during the work time at the various nuclear plants or workers may be unfairly denied compensation. The worker interviews from Paducah and Portsmouth were considered especially useful because these sites were designated as Special Exposure Cohorts (SECs) and the workers did not have to have a dose reconstruction to qualify for compensation for most cancers. Therefore, their responses were less likely to be affected by compensation concerns. Interview questions included asking for information regarding whether monitoring was performed, how

  9. [Impact of the Tobacco Law on the workplace: a follow up study of a cohort of workers in Spain 2005-2007].

    PubMed

    Bauzà-Amengual, M de Lluc; Blasco-González, Manuel; Sánchez-Vazquez, Elena; Pereiró-Berenguer, Inmaculada; Ruiz-Varea, Nidia; Pericás-Beltran, Jordi

    2010-06-01

    The aim of this study is to describe the changes caused by the Law on Tobacco and its consumption in workers who are active smokers. A post-intervention follow up study of a cohort of users. Health Centres in Valencia and Majorca. Users who attended health centres. The field work consisted of each patient filling in a case report form with the requested information. The variables collected were, sex, place of work, education level, number of workers in the company, number of cigarettes smoked. They were told that on the following day they had to count the cigarettes smoked throughout the day, noting whether they had been smoked during or outside working hours. If they smoked during working hours, they reported whether it was inside or outside the workplace. On the following day they were telephoned to let us know the number of cigarettes smoked. This telephone call was repeated at six months and eighteen months. Smoking prevalence and the number of cigarettes smoked in the workplace has been reduced by 9% per month. The variables associated with compliance with the law were education level, the sex of the worker, and the size of the company. The coming into force of the Tobacco Law has been effective. Copyright 2009 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

  10. National trends in occupational injuries before and after 1992 and predictors of workers' compensation costs.

    PubMed

    Bhushan, Abhinav; Leigh, J Paul

    2011-01-01

    Numbers and costs of occupational injuries and illnesses are significant in terms of morbidity and dollars, yet our understanding of time trends is minimal. We investigated trends and addressed some common hypotheses regarding causes of fluctuations. We pulled data on incidence rates (per 100 full-time employed workers) for injuries and illnesses from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and on costs and benefits from the National Academy of Social Insurance for 1973 through 2007. Rates reflected all injury and illness cases, lost work-time cases, and cases resulting in at least 31 days away from work. We adjusted dollar costs (premiums) and benefits for inflation and measured them per employed worker. We plotted data in time-trend charts and ran linear regressions. From 1973 to 1991, there was a weak to nonexistent downward trend for injury and illness rates, and rates were strongly and negatively correlated with the unemployment rate. From 1992 to 2007, there were strong, consistent downward trends, but no longer were there statistically significant correlations with unemployment. Significant predictors (and signs) of workers' compensation premiums for 1973-2007 included medical price inflation (positive), number of lost-time injuries (positive), the Dow Jones Industrial Average (negative), and inflation-adjusted interest rate on U.S. Treasury bonds (negative). Dollars of benefits were positively and significantly predicted by medical inflation and number of lost-time cases. For 1992-2007, the Dow Jones variable was the only robust predictor of premiums; the number of injuries was not a significant positive predictor. We had two major conclusions. First, the year 1992 marked a sharp contrast in trends and correlations between unemployment and incidence rates for occupational injuries and illnesses. Second, for the entire time period (1973-2007), insurance carriers' premiums were strongly associated with returns on investments.

  11. National Trends in Occupational Injuries Before and After 1992 and Predictors of Workers' Compensation Costs

    PubMed Central

    Bhushan, Abhinav; Leigh, J. Paul

    2011-01-01

    Objective Numbers and costs of occupational injuries and illnesses are significant in terms of morbidity and dollars, yet our understanding of time trends is minimal. We investigated trends and addressed some common hypotheses regarding causes of fluctuations. Methods We pulled data on incidence rates (per 100 full-time employed workers) for injuries and illnesses from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and on costs and benefits from the National Academy of Social Insurance for 1973 through 2007. Rates reflected all injury and illness cases, lost work-time cases, and cases resulting in at least 31 days away from work. We adjusted dollar costs (premiums) and benefits for inflation and measured them per employed worker. We plotted data in time-trend charts and ran linear regressions. Results From 1973 to 1991, there was a weak to nonexistent downward trend for injury and illness rates, and rates were strongly and negatively correlated with the unemployment rate. From 1992 to 2007, there were strong, consistent downward trends, but no longer were there statistically significant correlations with unemployment. Significant predictors (and signs) of workers' compensation premiums for 1973–2007 included medical price inflation (positive), number of lost-time injuries (positive), the Dow Jones Industrial Average (negative), and inflation-adjusted interest rate on U.S. Treasury bonds (negative). Dollars of benefits were positively and significantly predicted by medical inflation and number of lost-time cases. For 1992–2007, the Dow Jones variable was the only robust predictor of premiums; the number of injuries was not a significant positive predictor. Conclusion We had two major conclusions. First, the year 1992 marked a sharp contrast in trends and correlations between unemployment and incidence rates for occupational injuries and illnesses. Second, for the entire time period (1973–2007), insurance carriers' premiums were strongly associated with returns on

  12. Accident rates and types among self-employed private forest owners.

    PubMed

    Lindroos, Ola; Burström, Lage

    2010-11-01

    Half of all Swedish forests are owned by private individuals, and at least 215,000 people work in these privately owned forest holdings. However, only lethal accidents are systematically monitored among self-employed forest workers. Therefore, data from the registries of the Swedish Work Environment Authority, the Labor Insurance Organization and the regional University Hospital in Umeå were gathered to allow us to perform a more in-depth assessment of the rate and types of accidents that occurred among private forest owners. We found large differences between the registries in the type and number of accidents that were reported. We encountered difficulties in defining "self-employed forest worker" and also in determining whether the accidents that did occur happened during work or leisure time. Consequently, the estimates for the accident rate that we obtained varied from 32 to > or = 4300 injured persons per year in Sweden, depending on the registry that was consulted, the definition of the sample population that was used, and the accident severity definition that was employed. Nevertheless, the different registries gave a consistent picture of the types of accidents that occur while individuals are participating in self-employed forestry work. Severe accidents were relatively common, as self-employed forestry work fatalities constituted 7% of the total number of fatalities in the work authority registry. Falling trees were associated with many of these fatal accidents as well as with accidents that resulted in severe non-fatal injuries. Thus, unsafe work methods appeared more related to the occurrence of an accident than the equipment that was being used at the time of the accident (e.g., a chainsaw). Improvement of the workers' skills should therefore be considered to be an important prevention measure that should be undertaken in this field. The challenges in improving the safety in these smallest of companies, which fall somewhere between the purview of

  13. 32 CFR 634.28 - Traffic accident investigation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Traffic accident investigation. 634.28 Section... ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC SUPERVISION Traffic Supervision § 634.28 Traffic accident investigation. Installation law enforcement personnel must make detailed investigations of...

  14. [Proposal of a method for collective analysis of work-related accidents in the hospital setting].

    PubMed

    Osório, Claudia; Machado, Jorge Mesquita Huet; Minayo-Gomez, Carlos

    2005-01-01

    The article presents a method for the analysis of work-related accidents in hospitals, with the double aim of analyzing accidents in light of actual work activity and enhancing the vitality of the various professions that comprise hospital work. This process involves both research and intervention, combining knowledge output with training of health professionals, fostering expanded participation by workers in managing their daily work. The method consists of stimulating workers to recreate the situation in which a given accident occurred, shifting themselves to the position of observers of their own work. In the first stage of analysis, workers are asked to show the work analyst how the accident occurred; in the second stage, the work accident victim and analyst jointly record the described series of events in a diagram; in the third, the resulting record is re-discussed and further elaborated; in the fourth, the work accident victim and analyst evaluate and implement measures aimed to prevent the accident from recurring. The article concludes by discussing the method's possibilities and limitations in the hospital setting.

  15. 48 CFR 628.305 - Overseas workers' compensation and war-hazard insurance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ...' compensation and war-hazard insurance. 628.305 Section 628.305 Federal Acquisition Regulations System...' compensation and war-hazard insurance. (b)(1) Acquisitions for services, including construction but excluding... employees and their beneficiaries for war-hazard injury, death, capture, or detention as prescribed by the...

  16. [The role of "competent physician" for prevention of accidents at work].

    PubMed

    Ramistella, E; Bergamaschi, A; Mosconi, G; Rossi, O; Sallese, D

    2008-01-01

    Using at best the professional and legal tools at his/her disposal, the "competent physician" can have a relevant role in reducing accidents in the workplace. In assessing the worker's suitability to specific tasks, the competent physician checks the presence of pathologies or functional impairments of organs or apparatuses that can be an additional risk for the occurrence of accidents at work. The activity aimed to preventing accidents at work translates also in taking part in the planning and implementation of information activities and workers' training within the company. The various risk factors inherent in the workplace and so-called "human factors" can interact in a negative way to the point of becoming a cause of accidents. The human variables of accident risk at the industrial, occupational and even individual level, may be numerous. In this paper we shall review these important aspects and attempt to clarify the role that can be played by the competent physician in the prevention of accidents at work.

  17. Compensation for Combat Deaths: Policy Considerations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-01-01

    through the courts for deaths resulting from other parties’ negligence or criminal behavior; a key difference between the tort system and many other...funding facilities that function outside of the tort system— for example, workers’ compensation programs for workplace fatalities and the Victims...receive $100,000 if the 10-percent risk of a loss of $100,000 actually came to pass. Tort law generally uses an ex post approach to compensation and

  18. 48 CFR 28.305 - Overseas workers' compensation and war-hazard insurance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ...' compensation and war-hazard insurance. 28.305 Section 28.305 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL...' compensation and war-hazard insurance. (a) Public-work contract, as used in this subpart, means any contract... operations under service contracts and projects in connection with the national defense or with war...

  19. Knowledge and occupational exposure to blood and body fluids among health care workers and medical students.

    PubMed

    Denić, Ljiljana Marković; Ostrić, Irena; Pavlović, Andrija; Dimitra, Kalimanovska Ostrić

    2012-01-01

    Health workers and medical students are at occupational risk of blood-borne diseases during the accidents, that is, via percutaneous injury or entry of blood or body fluids through the mucosa or injured skin. to review and analyze the knowledge, attitudes and perception of risks of bloodborne diseases of the clinical course students and health workers as well as the frequency of accidents. Cross-sectional study was carried out among the students of the Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade, and health workers of the Clinical Center of Serbia. The subjects responded anonymously to questionnaire specially designed for the study. Both students and health workers were aware, in a high percentage, of the fact that the risk of hepatitis B spread was about 30%. Significantly more students gave affirmative reply that blood as biological material was a potential hazard of HIV infection spread (p = 0.001), and significantly more students knew that HIV would not be spread by sweat (p = 0.001). Hepatitis B vacci-nation was administered only to 24.1% of students and 71.4% of health workers. About 10% of students and 65.5% of health workers experienced some accident. There was no significant difference of accidents bet-ween nurses/technicians and physicians (p > 0.05), as well as of accidents and a total length of service (p > 0.05). The majority of accidents occurred during the use of needle/sharp object (in 27.3% of students and 33.1% of health workers). About 40% of students and slightly over a half of the workers reported the accidents to appropriate authorities. Additional education in this field is considered necessary by 73% of students. During the studies and via continuous medical education it is necessary to upgrade the level of knowledge on prevention of accidents, what would, at least partially, influence their reduction.

  20. [Medical inventions: developments and approaches in employer-employee [correction of worker-employee] relations].

    PubMed

    Teff, Zvi

    2012-11-01

    The past twenty years have witnessed a huge increase in research activity on the government health system in Israel. Consequently, a number of questions of enhanced importance arise: to whom the resultant IP (intellectual property) belongs?--to the researcher or the employer? and what compensation should the researcher receive for his inventive efforts? The government found many cases where the IP was registered in the name of the inventor/researcher, thus denying the government ownership of the IP. In 2009, the government sued Omryx over ownership of such an IP. Following these developments, the government issued new rules for management of IP in the government health system. They came into effect in November 2010. In many respects, the new rules are more stringent than the Israeli Patent Law in respect of the inventor. However, the stipulation of awards to the inventor in the new rules is generous. In order for the new rules to be enforceable, the following guidelines are recommended: The new rules should be more aligned with the Patent Law and with the meaning given to the Law by the judicial system, and There is need for the assent and awareness of health system workers to the conditions set out in the new rules, preferably in the form of new work contracts that clearly and concurrently delineate the worker's duties, particularly those pertaining to IP.

  1. Safety illusion and error trap in a collectively-operated machine accident.

    PubMed

    de Almeida, Ildeberto Muniz; Nobre, Hildeberto; do Amaral Dias, Maria Dionísia; Vilela, Rodolfo Andrade Gouveia

    2012-01-01

    Workplace accidents involving machines are relevant for their magnitude and their impacts on worker health. Despite consolidated critical statements, explanation centered on errors of operators remains predominant with industry professionals, hampering preventive measures and the improvement of production-system reliability. Several initiatives were adopted by enforcement agencies in partnership with universities to stimulate production and diffusion of analysis methodologies with a systemic approach. Starting from one accident case that occurred with a worker who operated a brake-clutch type mechanical press, the article explores cognitive aspects and the existence of traps in the operation of this machine. It deals with a large-sized press that, despite being endowed with a light curtain in areas of access to the pressing zone, did not meet legal requirements. The safety devices gave rise to an illusion of safety, permitting activation of the machine when a worker was still found within the operational zone. Preventive interventions must stimulate the tailoring of systems to the characteristics of workers, minimizing the creation of traps and encouraging safety policies and practices that replace judgments of behaviors that participate in accidents by analyses of reasons that lead workers to act in that manner.

  2. Clastogenic factors in the plasma of Chernobyl accident recovery workers: Anticlastogenic effect of Ginkgo biloba extract

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Emerit, I.; Levy, A.; Cernjavski, L.

    1995-11-01

    Clastogenic factors are found in the plasma of persons irradiated accidentally or therapeutically. They persisted in the plasma of A-bomb survivors over 30 years. Clastogenic factors were found in 33 or 47 Chernobyl accident recovery workers (often referred to as liquidators) in a previous study. In the present study, we show that there is a positive correlation between clastogenic activity and dose and that these biomarkers of oxidative stress can be influenced successfully by appropriate antioxidant treatment. With the authorization of the Armenian Ministry of Health, 30 workers were treated with antioxidants from Ginkgo biloba leaves. The extract EGb 761more » containing flavonoids and terpenoids was given at a daily dose of 3 x 40 mg (Tanakan, IPSEN, France) during 2 months. The clastogenic activity of the plasma was reduced to control levels on the first day after the end of the treatment. A 1-year follow-up showed that the benefit of the treatment persisted for at least 7 months. One-third of the workers again had clastogenic factors after 1 year, demonstrating that the process which produced clastogenic factors continued. However, the observation that antioxidants do not have to be given continuously is encouraging for intervention trials on a large-scale basis. These appear justified, since clastogenic factors are thought to be risk factors for the development of late effects of irradiation. 43 refs., 6 tabs.« less

  3. Circuit board accident--organizational dimension hidden by prescribed safety.

    PubMed

    de Almeida, Ildeberto Muniz; Buoso, Eduardo; do Amaral Dias, Maria Dionísia; Vilela, Rodolfo Andrade Gouveia

    2012-01-01

    This study analyzes an accident in which two maintenance workers suffered severe burns while replacing a circuit breaker panel in a steel mill, following model of analysis and prevention of accidents (MAPA) developed with the objective of enlarging the perimeter of interventions and contributing to deconstruction of blame attribution practices. The study was based on materials produced by a health service team in an in-depth analysis of the accident. The analysis shows that decisions related to system modernization were taken without considering their implications in maintenance scheduling and creating conflicts of priorities and of interests between production and safety; and also reveals that the lack of a systemic perspective in safety management was its principal failure. To explain the accident as merely non-fulfillment of idealized formal safety rules feeds practices of blame attribution supported by alibi norms and inhibits possible prevention. In contrast, accident analyses undertaken in worker health surveillance services show potential to reveal origins of these events incubated in the history of the system ignored in practices guided by the traditional paradigm.

  4. A century of miners' compensation in South Africa.

    PubMed

    Ehrlich, Rodney

    2012-06-01

    The year 2011 marked the centenary of compensation legislation for miners' lung disease in South Africa. This commentary aims to demonstrate that the current compensation system does not serve its intended beneficiaries, particularly the large population of former gold miners affected by high rates of silicosis and tuberculosis. The system has a complex legislative history, reflecting contending political, and economic forces, and characterized by racial discrimination. The financial basis of the system is currently in crisis owing to historical underfunding and failure to take into account the mounting burden of disease among black former miners. The real value of compensation awards fell sharply between 1973 and 1993, only partly recovering in recent years. Barriers to claiming benefits, particularly by black former miners who know little about the process, have been extensively documented. Integration of miners' compensation into general workers' compensation has been mooted since the 1980s but has stalled, owing to the high cost of closing the gap between the mostly inferior financial benefits under the mining legislation and those available under workers' compensation legislation. A recent constitutional court decision has opened the way for unprecedented civil litigation against the gold mining industry for silicosis, adding to the pressure for reform. A number of changes are called for: harmonization of financial benefits with retention of certain of the special arrangements for miner claims, a regional cross-border system of medical examination points for former miners, education of miners about the system, and some degree of privatization of claims processing. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Sleep apnea and occupational accidents: Are oral appliances the solution?

    PubMed

    Rabelo Guimarães, Maria De Lourdes; Hermont, Ana Paula

    2014-05-01

    Dental practitioners have a key role in the quality of life and prevention of occupational accidents of workers with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS). The aim of this study was to review the impact of OSAS, the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy, and the evidence regarding the use of oral appliances (OA) on the health and safety of workers. Searches were conducted in MEDLINE (PubMed), Lilacs and Sci ELO. Articles published from January 1980 to June 2014 were included. The research retrieved 2188 articles and 99 met the inclusion criteria. An increase in occupational accidents due to reduced vigilance and attention in snorers and patients with OSAS was observed. Such involvements were related to excessive daytime sleepiness and neurocognitive function impairments. The use of OA are less effective when compared with CPAP, but the results related to excessive sleepiness and cognitive performance showed improvements similar to CPAP. Treatments with OA showed greater patient compliance than the CPAP therapy. OSAS is a prevalent disorder among workers, leads to increased risk of occupational accidents, and has a significant impact on the economy. The CPAP therapy reduces the risk of occupational accidents. The OA can improve the work performance; but there is no scientific evidence associating its use with occupational accidents reduction. Future research should focus on determining the cost-effectiveness of OA as well as its influence and efficacy in preventing occupational accidents.

  6. Compensating for the harms of family violence: statutory barriers in Australian victims of crime compensation schemes.

    PubMed

    Forster, Christine

    2014-09-01

    This article considers the compensative capacity of the victims of crime statutory schemes that are present in all eight Australian jurisdictions for primary victims of family violence. It argues that the recommendations of the Final Report on Family Violence conducted jointly by the Australian Law Reform Commission and the New South Wales Law Reform Commission in 2010, although a positive step, are insufficient to facilitate meaningful compensation to victims of family violence. In addition to the primary limitations identified by the Commissions--a requirement to report the crime to the police within a reasonable time and a requirement for multiple acts of violence to be reduced to a single act if they are related--there are other statutory barriers that disproportionately disadvantage victims of family violence. These include time limitation provisions, a requirement to report the crime to police, the restriction of compensation to prescribed categories of loss which exclude many of the social, vocational, emotional and psychological harms suffered by victims of family violence, and significant cut-backs on the non-economic component of the schemes. This article further argues that the statutory barriers cumulatively contribute to the perception of a crime as an isolated event perpetrated by a deviant individual. The article recommends that specific provisions for family violence victims should be introduced into all schemes including three categories of compensation not tied to criminal offences but rather the different forms of family violence, with a generous compensation range, and no requirement for proof of injury.

  7. 75 FR 12271 - Division of Federal Employees' Compensation Proposed Collection; Comment Request

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-03-15

    ... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Office of Workers' Compensation Programs Division of Federal Employees' Compensation Proposed Collection; Comment Request ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of... proposed collection: Claim for Reimbursement of Benefit Payments and Claims Expense Under the War Hazards...

  8. Doctors and retribution: the hospitalisation of compensation claims in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea.

    PubMed

    van Amstel, Hans; van der Geest, Sjaak

    2004-11-01

    The cultures in the Papua New Guinea Highlands are characterised by a tradition of retribution. Compensation is part of an elaborate system of exchanging gifts, goods and services. Compensation is paid to those who have suffered some kind of loss for which others are held responsible. Such incidents include death or injury caused by fighting, a road accident or domestic violence, theft, rape, gossip, and property damage. Fear of revenge is an important motive for paying compensation. The hospital has become an increasingly important institution for retribution. It provides medical reports to support compensation claims of physical damage in cases involving violence or an accident. Case material, collected by one of the authors who conducted fieldwork in a hospital in the Southern Highlands, shows that the hospital has established itself as an authoritative actor in the local compensation culture. Doctors spend about one afternoon per week writing medical reports for compensation claims. These reports have become an attractive extra source of income for the hospital. The article describes and analyses a number of cases to illustrate the hospital's role in the production and legitimisation of retribution.

  9. Spinal cord stimulation for failed back surgery syndrome: outcomes in a workers' compensation setting.

    PubMed

    Turner, Judith A; Hollingworth, William; Comstock, Bryan A; Deyo, Richard A

    2010-01-01

    Questions remain concerning effectiveness and risks of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for chronic back and leg pain after spine surgery ("failed back surgery syndrome" [FBSS]). This prospective, population-based controlled cohort study evaluated outcomes of workers' compensation recipients with FBSS who received at least a trial of SCS (SCS group, n=51) versus those who (1) were evaluated at a multidisciplinary pain clinic and did not receive SCS (Pain Clinic, n=39) or (2) received neither SCS nor pain clinic evaluation (Usual Care, n=68). Patients completed measures of pain, function, medication use, and work status at baseline and 6, 12, and 24 months later. We also examined work time loss compensation over 24 months. Few (<10%) patients in any group achieved success at any follow-up on the composite primary outcome encompassing less than daily opioid use and improvement in leg pain and function. At 6 months, the SCS group showed modestly greater improvement in leg pain and function, but with higher rates of daily opioid use. These differences disappeared by 12 months. Patients who received a permanent spinal cord stimulator did not differ from patients who received some pain clinic treatment on the primary outcome at any follow-up (<10% successful in each group at each follow-up) and 19% had them removed within 18 months. Both trial and permanent SCS were associated with adverse events. In sum, we found no evidence for greater effectiveness of SCS versus alternative treatments in this patient population after 6 months. Copyright 2009 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Occupational cancer in Italy: evaluating the extent of compensated cases in the period 1994-2006.

    PubMed

    Scarselli, Alberto; Scano, Patrizia; Marinaccio, Alessandro; Iavicoli, Sergio

    2009-11-01

    The aim of this study is to analyze occupational cancer claims compensated in the industrial sector in Italy between 1994 and 2006. A descriptive analysis of compensated occupational cancers based on the Italian Workers' Compensation Authority (INAIL) data was performed. Summary statistics were compiled by sex and age of worker, cancer type, workplace agent and economic sector. The temporal trend in the period 1994-2006 was investigated for the most frequently compensated cancers (mesothelioma and lung cancer from asbestos; nasal cavities cancer from wood and leather dust). Between 1994 and 2006, 6,243 cancer claims were compensated by INAIL due to occupational exposure in the industrial sector. Most (5,288, or 85%) of these compensated claims occurred in the period 2000-2006, when the annual mean of the most compensated cancers increased approximately four times compared to the period 1994-1999. There is an increasing trend in compensation for work-related cancers in Italy in recent years, even if occupational cancers are still widely underreported. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  11. [Characterization of severe acute occupational poisoning accidents related to asphyxiating gases in China between 1989 and 2003].

    PubMed

    Zhang, Min; Li, Tao; Wang, Huan-Qiang; Wang, Hong-Fei; Chen, Shu-Yang; Du, Xie-Yi; Qin, Jian; Zhang, Shuang; Ji, Li-Ying

    2006-12-01

    To analyze severe acute occupational poisoning accidents related to asphyxiating gases reported in China between 1989 and 2003, and to study the characteristics of severe acute occupational poisoning accidents and provide scientific evidences for prevention and control strategies. The data from the national occupational poisoning case reporting system were analyzed with descriptive methods. (1) There were 273 severe acute occupational poisoning accidents related to asphyxiating gases for 15 years with 1638 workers poisoned and 600 workers died, which accounted for 53.95% in total accidents and 35.17% of workers poisoned and 78.64% of workers died of all severe acute occupational poisoning accidents. The average poisoning age was (33.8 +/- 9.7) years old and the average death age was (36.6 +/- 10.0) years old. (2) Most of the accidents were caused by hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide respectively, and mainly occurred in chemical industry, mining, water disposal industry, paper making industry and brewing industry. The risk was higher in some jobs than others, such as cleanout, machine maintenance and repair, production, mine and digging. The poisoning accidents occurred more frequently from April to September each year and occurred in the confined space, in the basement and the mine, and workers died of poisoning mostly were men. (1) The severe acute occupational poisoning accidents related to asphyxiating gases are more dangerous than others. (2) The control of poisoning accidents related to hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, which occurred easily in the confined space, should be paid more attention to, and good work practice should be developed on some posts, such as digging, cleanout, dredge, machine maintenance and repair and mine.

  12. Using Workers' Compensation Claims Data to Characterize Occupational Injuries in the Commercial Grain Elevator Industry.

    PubMed

    Ramaswamy, Sai K; Mosher, Gretchen A

    2017-07-31

    Workplace injuries in the grain handling industry are common, yet little research has characterized worker injuries in grain elevators across all hazard types. Learning from past injuries is essential for preventing future occurrences, but the lack of injury information for the grain handling industry hinders this effort. The present study addresses this knowledge gap by using data from over 7000 workers' compensation claims reported from 2008 to 2016 by commercial grain handling facilities in the U.S. to characterize injury costs and severity. The total amount paid for each claim was used as a measure of injury severity. The effects of employee age and tenure, cause of injury, and body part injured on the cost of work-related injuries were investigated. Contingency tables were used to classify the variable pairs. The chi-square test and chi-square residuals were employed to evaluate the relationship between the variable pairs and identify the at-risk groups. Results showed that the employee age and tenure, cause of injury, and body part injured have a significant influence on the cost paid for the claim. Several at-risk groups were identified as a result of the analyses. Findings from the study will assist commercial grain elevators in the development of targeted safety interventions and assist grain elevator safety managers in mitigating financial and social losses from occupational injuries. Copyright© by the American Society of Agricultural Engineers.

  13. Approximation of Optimal Infinite Dimensional Compensators for Flexible Structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gibson, J. S.; Mingori, D. L.; Adamian, A.; Jabbari, F.

    1985-01-01

    The infinite dimensional compensator for a large class of flexible structures, modeled as distributed systems are discussed, as well as an approximation scheme for designing finite dimensional compensators to approximate the infinite dimensional compensator. The approximation scheme is applied to develop a compensator for a space antenna model based on wrap-rib antennas being built currently. While the present model has been simplified, it retains the salient features of rigid body modes and several distributed components of different characteristics. The control and estimator gains are represented by functional gains, which provide graphical representations of the control and estimator laws. These functional gains also indicate the convergence of the finite dimensional compensators and show which modes the optimal compensator ignores.

  14. 32 CFR 634.30 - Use of traffic accident investigation report data.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Use of traffic accident investigation report data... § 634.30 Use of traffic accident investigation report data. (a) Data derived from traffic accident... accidents (collision diagram) will be examined. (b) Law enforcement personnel and others who prepare traffic...

  15. Return to Work and Multilevel Versus Single-Level Cervical Fusion for Radiculopathy in a Workers' Compensation Setting.

    PubMed

    Faour, Mhamad; Anderson, Joshua T; Haas, Arnold R; Percy, Rick; Woods, Stephen T; Ahn, Uri M; Ahn, Nicholas U

    2017-01-15

    Retrospective comparative cohort study. Examine the impact of multilevel fusion on return to work (RTW) status and compare RTW status after multi- versus single-level cervical fusion for patients with work-related injury. Patients with work-related injuries in the workers' compensation systems have less favorable surgical outcomes. Cervical fusion provides a greater than 90% likelihood of relieving radiculopathy and stabilizing or improving myelopathy. However, more levels fused at index surgery are reportedly associated with poorer surgical outcomes than single-level fusion. Data was collected from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) between 1993 and 2011. The study population included patients who underwent cervical fusion for radiculopathy. Two groups were constructed (multilevel fusion [MLF] vs. single-level fusion [SLF]). Outcomes measures evaluated were: RTW criteria, RTW <1year, reoperation, surgical complication, disability, and legal litigation after surgery. After accounting for a number of independent variables in the regression model, multilevel fusion was a negative predictor of successful RTW status within 3-year follow-up after surgery (OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.70-0.95, P <0.05).RTW criteria were met 62.9% of SLF group compared with 54.8% of MLF group. The odds of having a stable RTW for MLF patients were 0.71% compared with the SLF patients (95% CI: 0.61-0.83; P: 0.0001).At 1 year after surgery, RTW rate was 53.1% for the SLF group compared with 43.7% for the MLF group. The odds of RTW within 1 year after surgery for the MLF group were 0.69% compared with SLF patients (95% CI: 0.59-0.80; P: 0.0001).Higher rate of disability after surgery was observed in the MLF group compared with the SLF group (P: 0.0001) CONCLUSION.: Multilevel cervical fusion for radiculopathy was associated with poor return to work profile after surgery. Multilevel cervical fusion was associated with lower RTW rates, less likelihood of achieving stable return to

  16. Recruitment for Occupational Research: Using Injured Workers as the Point of Entry into Workplaces

    PubMed Central

    Koehoorn, Mieke; Trask, Catherine M.; Teschke, Kay

    2013-01-01

    Objective To investigate the feasibility, costs and sample representativeness of a recruitment method that used workers with back injuries as the point of entry into diverse working environments. Methods Workers' compensation claims were used to randomly sample workers from five heavy industries and to recruit their employers for ergonomic assessments of the injured worker and up to 2 co-workers. Results The final study sample included 54 workers from the workers’ compensation registry and 72 co-workers. This sample of 126 workers was based on an initial random sample of 822 workers with a compensation claim, or a ratio of 1 recruited worker to approximately 7 sampled workers. The average recruitment cost was CND$262/injured worker and CND$240/participating worksite including co-workers. The sample was representative of the heavy industry workforce, and was successful in recruiting the self-employed (8.2%), workers from small employers (<20 workers, 38.7%), and workers from diverse working environments (49 worksites, 29 worksite types, and 51 occupations). Conclusions The recruitment rate was low but the cost per participant reasonable and the sample representative of workers in small worksites. Small worksites represent a significant portion of the workforce but are typically underrepresented in occupational research despite having distinct working conditions, exposures and health risks worthy of investigation. PMID:23826387

  17. Association between compensation status and outcome after surgery: a meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Harris, Ian; Mulford, Jonathan; Solomon, Michael; van Gelder, James M; Young, Jane

    2005-04-06

    Compensation, whether through workers' compensation or through litigation, has been associated with poor outcome after surgery; however, this association has not been examined by meta-analysis. To investigate the association between compensation status and outcome after surgery. We searched MEDLINE (1966-2003), EMBASE (1980-2003), CINAHL, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and reference lists of retrieved articles and textbooks, and we contacted experts in the field. The review included any trial of surgical intervention in which compensation status was reported and results were compared according to that status. No restrictions were placed on study design, language, or publication date. Studies were selected by 2 unblinded independent reviewers. Two reviewers independently extracted data on study type, study quality, surgical procedure, outcome, country of origin, length and completeness of follow-up, and compensation type. Two hundred eleven studies satisfied the inclusion criteria. Of these, 175 stated that the presence of compensation (workers' compensation with or without litigation) was associated with a worse outcome, 35 found no difference or did not describe a difference, and 1 described a benefit associated with compensation. A meta-analysis of 129 studies with available data (n = 20,498 patients) revealed the summary odds ratio for an unsatisfactory outcome in compensated patients to be 3.79 (95% confidence interval, 3.28-4.37 by random-effects model). Grouping studies by country, procedure, length of follow-up, completeness of follow-up, study type, and type of compensation showed the association to be consistent for all subgroups. Compensation status is associated with poor outcome after surgery. This effect is significant, clinically important, and consistent. Because data were obtained from observational studies and were not homogeneous, the summary effect should be interpreted with caution. Compensation status should be considered a potential

  18. 78 FR 78802 - Medicare Program; Right of Appeal for Medicare Secondary Payer Determination Relating to...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-12-27

    ...This proposed rule would implement provisions of the Strengthening Medicare and Repaying Taxpayers Act of 2012 (SMART Act) which require us to provide a right of appeal and an appeal process for liability insurance (including self-insurance), no-fault insurance, and workers' compensation laws or plans when Medicare pursues a Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) recovery claim directly from the liability insurance (including self-insurance), no fault insurance, or workers' compensation law or plan.

  19. 20 CFR 10.411 - What are the maximum and minimum rates of compensation in death cases?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... maximum and minimum rates of compensation in death cases? (a) Compensation for death may not exceed the... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false What are the maximum and minimum rates of compensation in death cases? 10.411 Section 10.411 Employees' Benefits OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAMS...

  20. 20 CFR 10.411 - What are the maximum and minimum rates of compensation in death cases?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... maximum and minimum rates of compensation in death cases? (a) Compensation for death may not exceed the... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2013-04-01 2012-04-01 true What are the maximum and minimum rates of compensation in death cases? 10.411 Section 10.411 Employees' Benefits OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAMS...

  1. 20 CFR 10.411 - What are the maximum and minimum rates of compensation in death cases?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... maximum and minimum rates of compensation in death cases? (a) Compensation for death may not exceed the... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false What are the maximum and minimum rates of compensation in death cases? 10.411 Section 10.411 Employees' Benefits OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAMS...

  2. 20 CFR 10.411 - What are the maximum and minimum rates of compensation in death cases?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... maximum and minimum rates of compensation in death cases? (a) Compensation for death may not exceed the... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2014-04-01 2012-04-01 true What are the maximum and minimum rates of compensation in death cases? 10.411 Section 10.411 Employees' Benefits OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAMS...

  3. 20 CFR 10.411 - What are the maximum and minimum rates of compensation in death cases?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... maximum and minimum rates of compensation in death cases? (a) Compensation for death may not exceed the... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What are the maximum and minimum rates of compensation in death cases? 10.411 Section 10.411 Employees' Benefits OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAMS...

  4. Reforming Miners' Lung Disease Compensation in South Africa--Long Overdue but What Are the Options?

    PubMed

    Ehrlich, Rodney; Rees, David

    2016-02-01

    A number of countries have workers' compensation systems which reserve specific arrangements for workers in certain sectors, notably mining. This article describes the current impetus to reform of the century-old South African mining compensation system. It is intended as a case study of the implications of harmonization of two disparate compensation systems for occupational lung disease, specifically in relation to equity in financial benefits, equity in coverage, linkage of compensation to disease prevention, and efficient administration. After decades of neglect, it is clear that while inferior financial benefits for miners are no longer tenable, the costs of equalization are not supportable by the current actuarial status of the miners' Compensation Fund. There is also an argument for two miner-specific entitlements to be retained--free medical examinations for ex-miners and autopsy-based posthumous compensation. A new dispensation to support the casualties of a declining industry will require sustained political will. © The Author(s) 2016.

  5. "No-fault" compensation for victims of medical injuries. Ten years of implementing the French model.

    PubMed

    Barbot, Janine; Parizot, Isabelle; Winance, Myriam

    2014-02-01

    For decades and in many countries, the issue of compensation for victims of medical injuries has led to lively debates. In 2002, a law set up a new model for compensation in France - based on the creation of a "no fault" compensation scheme and of an out-of-court settlement mechanism. This is one of the most recent models to have been adopted in European countries. This article analyses the choices made by the law and discusses the key figures of its ten years of implementation. We conducted (1) a study of debates regarding compensation for victims of medical injuries in France; (2) a comparative analysis of the different models of compensation which had already been adopted in different countries; (3) a study of primary sources provided by the bodies in charge of the French new out-of-court settlement mechanism; and (4) a statistical analysis of the exhaustive list of 18,258 claims filed between 2003 and 2009. The article highlights the context which led to the adoption of the 2002 law on the quality of care and patients' rights. It analyses, from a comparative standpoint, the specificities of the new compensation model set up by the law. It shows how the opportunities for victims of medical injuries to be compensated had improved in France. Finally, we discuss the limits of the new model and what the next step might be to improve access to compensation for victims of medical injuries. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Assessment of the prevalence of occupational accidents and their influential actors in an electricity distribution company during a five-year period.

    PubMed

    Sadeghain, Marzieh; Farid, Ramin Ataei; Dormohammadi, Ali; Aghaei, Habib Allah; Rahmani, Abdolrasoul; Farhadi, Rozita; Eskandari, Rasoul; Karchani, Mohsen

    2013-01-01

    Occupational accidents have been considered as one of the most important crippling factors contributing to disabilities and life-threatening situations in many countries. This study was conducted to survey the prevalence of occupational accidents and the factors of that lead to injuries in an Electricity Distribution Company during a five-year period. In this descriptive study, the accident report form included items asking about the season of the year when the accident occurred, the ages and the average age of those injured, the type of employment, work experience, nature of the injuries that occurred, parts of the body affected, treatments that were applied, average number of days lost per accident, the levels of education of those involved, and their marital status. Data was analyzed using SPSS. A total of 66 Electricity Distribution Company workers were determined to be suffering from injuries due to accidents. The accidents mostly occurred in the summer (33%). Most of the injured workers (16.7%) belonged to the age groups of 25 to 29 and 40 to 44; there were no accidents reported for workers who were less than 20. About 48% of the accident victims had to be hospitalized. Furthermore, 35% of the accident victims were treated in outpatient clinics, and 7.4% of the accident victims died. We demonstrated that there were significant relationships between: 1) marital status and accidental injuries (P<0.001); 2) the average age of those injured among both permanent and temporary workers (P<0.001), 3) the level of education and the consequences of the accidents (P<0.001), and 4) the average of days lost per accident in both the permanent and temporary workers (P<0.001). In this study, no significant relationships were found between the accident occurrence and age (P>0.05) or work experience and the distribution of the accidents (P>0.05). This study indicated that most of the injuries in these accidents were related to the nature of employment, marital status, and

  7. Assessment of the prevalence of occupational accidents and their influential actors in an electricity distribution company during a five-year period

    PubMed Central

    Sadeghain, Marzieh; Farid, Ramin Ataei; Dormohammadi, Ali; Aghaei, Habib Allah; Rahmani, Abdolrasoul; Farhadi, Rozita; Eskandari, Rasoul; Karchani, Mohsen

    2013-01-01

    Background: Occupational accidents have been considered as one of the most important crippling factors contributing to disabilities and life-threatening situations in many countries. This study was conducted to survey the prevalence of occupational accidents and the factors of that lead to injuries in an Electricity Distribution Company during a five-year period. Methods: In this descriptive study, the accident report form included items asking about the season of the year when the accident occurred, the ages and the average age of those injured, the type of employment, work experience, nature of the injuries that occurred, parts of the body affected, treatments that were applied, average number of days lost per accident, the levels of education of those involved, and their marital status. Data was analyzed using SPSS. Results: A total of 66 Electricity Distribution Company workers were determined to be suffering from injuries due to accidents. The accidents mostly occurred in the summer (33%). Most of the injured workers (16.7%) belonged to the age groups of 25 to 29 and 40 to 44; there were no accidents reported for workers who were less than 20. About 48% of the accident victims had to be hospitalized. Furthermore, 35% of the accident victims were treated in outpatient clinics, and 7.4% of the accident victims died. We demonstrated that there were significant relationships between: 1) marital status and accidental injuries (P<0.001); 2) the average age of those injured among both permanent and temporary workers (P<0.001), 3) the level of education and the consequences of the accidents (P<0.001), and 4) the average of days lost per accident in both the permanent and temporary workers (P<0.001). In this study, no significant relationships were found between the accident occurrence and age (P>0.05) or work experience and the distribution of the accidents (P>0.05). Conclusion: This study indicated that most of the injuries in these accidents were related to the

  8. Contributing factors in construction accidents.

    PubMed

    Haslam, R A; Hide, S A; Gibb, A G F; Gyi, D E; Pavitt, T; Atkinson, S; Duff, A R

    2005-07-01

    This overview paper draws together findings from previous focus group research and studies of 100 individual construction accidents. Pursuing issues raised by the focus groups, the accident studies collected qualitative information on the circumstances of each incident and the causal influences involved. Site based data collection entailed interviews with accident-involved personnel and their supervisor or manager, inspection of the accident location, and review of appropriate documentation. Relevant issues from the site investigations were then followed up with off-site stakeholders, including designers, manufacturers and suppliers. Levels of involvement of key factors in the accidents were: problems arising from workers or the work team (70% of accidents), workplace issues (49%), shortcomings with equipment (including PPE) (56%), problems with suitability and condition of materials (27%), and deficiencies with risk management (84%). Employing an ergonomics systems approach, a model is proposed, indicating the manner in which originating managerial, design and cultural factors shape the circumstances found in the work place, giving rise to the acts and conditions which, in turn, lead to accidents. It is argued that attention to the originating influences will be necessary for sustained improvement in construction safety to be achieved.

  9. The health safety and health promotion needs of older workers.

    PubMed

    Crawford, J O; Graveling, R A; Cowie, H A; Dixon, K

    2010-05-01

    To evaluate current research on the health, safety and health promotion needs of older workers by identifying age-related change, whether older workers need support and evidence of successful intervention in the workplace. Using a systematic review methodology, databases were searched identifying 180 publications. Each publication was reviewed and data were extracted. Evidence was assessed for quality using the three-star system. The review identified that there are a number of age-related physical and psychological changes. However, these changes can be moderated by increased physical activity, intellectual activity and other lifestyle factors. Sensory abilities are also subject to change but some of these can be accommodated via equipment or workplace adjustments. In reviewing accident data, although older workers are at a reduced risk of accidents, they are more at risk of fatal accidents. Ill-health data identify that many chronic diseases can be controlled and adjustments put in place in the work environment. A number of intervention studies were identified but few were of high quality. The research suggests that occupational health intervention can reduce the risk of early retirement from the workplace; health promotion interventions are seen as positive by older workers but it is important to ensure equal access to all workers in such promotions. The review identified that there are still a large number of research gaps including the lack of longitudinal research; no further analysis on fatal accidents or understanding of the high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and stress and anxiety in older workers.

  10. Health and safety implications of recruitment payments in migrant construction workers

    PubMed Central

    Hassan, H. A.

    2014-01-01

    Background The Middle East construction sector is heavily reliant on a migrant workforce that predominantly originates from South Asia. It is common practice for migrant construction workers to pay a local labour recruiter the equivalent of one or more years’ prospective overseas salary to secure employment, work and travel permits and transportation. The occupational health and safety implications of these financial arrangements remain unexplored. Aims To examine associations between payment to a labour recruiter, perceived general health and worksite accidents among migrant construction workers in the Middle East. Methods A questionnaire was completed by a convenience sample of predominantly Indian migrant construction workers drawn from a large construction project. The relationship between payment and risk of poor health and workplace accidents was assessed using multivariate logistic regression models (crude and adjusted for socio-demographic and occupational factors). Results There were 651 participants. The majority (58%) of migrant construction workers had paid a labour recruiter and ~40% had experienced a worksite accident. Between 3% (labourers) and 9% (foremen) perceived their health to be poor. Labourers and skilled workers who had paid a labour recruiter were significantly more likely to have experienced a worksite accident in the previous 12 months. Skilled workers, but not labourers and foremen, who had paid a labour recruiter were at increased risk of poor health. Conclusions The mechanisms linking labour recruiter payments to adverse safety and health outcomes warrant investigation with a view to developing interventions to erode these links. PMID:24668316

  11. Immigrant dairy workers' perceptions of health and safety on the farm in America's Heartland.

    PubMed

    Liebman, Amy King; Juarez-Carrillo, Patricia Margarita; Reyes, Iris Anne Cruz; Keifer, Matthew Charles

    2016-03-01

    Dairy farming is dangerous. Yearly, farms grow fewer and larger by employing immigrant workers, who have limited industrial agriculture experience and safety and health training. We examined results of five focus groups with 37 Hispanic, immigrant dairy workers. Analysis followed a grounded theory approach and employed ATLAS.ti. Reported injury experience affirmed the hazardous nature of dairy. Some workers received appropriate worker compensation benefits, whereas others were instructed to deny work-relatedness. Some employers covered medical injury costs out-of-pocket, whereas others did not. Cows were a major injury source. Pressure to work and weather were noted as injury risk factors. Worker compensation was poorly understood, and immigration status and fear of deportation influenced injury and hazard reporting. Injury management practices range from benevolent to threatening. Workers compensation is poorly understood and undocumented status is an occupational hazard. We underscore the need for further research and immigration policy change. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. [Analisys of work-related accidents and incidents in an oil refinery in Rio de Janeiro].

    PubMed

    de Souza, Carlos Augusto Vaz; de Freitas, Carlos Machado

    2003-01-01

    Accidents in the chemical industry can have serious consequences for workers, communities, and the environment and are thus highly relevant to public health. This article is the result of an occupational surveillance project involving several public institutions. We analyze 800 work-related accidents that resulted in injuries, environmental damage, or loss of production in 1997 in an oil refinery located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The methodology was based on managerial and organizational approaches to accident investigation, with the European Union reporting system as the reference. The results highlight various limitations in the process of reporting and investigating accidents, as well as a certain hierarchy of accidents, with more attention given to accidents involving loss of production and less to those resulting in injuries, particularly among outsourced workers.

  13. Pattern extraction for high-risk accidents in the construction industry: a data-mining approach.

    PubMed

    Amiri, Mehran; Ardeshir, Abdollah; Fazel Zarandi, Mohammad Hossein; Soltanaghaei, Elahe

    2016-09-01

    Accidents involving falls and falling objects (group I) are highly frequent accidents in the construction industry. While being hit by a vehicle, electric shock, collapse in the excavation and fire or explosion accidents (group II) are much less frequent, they make up a considerable proportion of severe accidents. In this study, multiple-correspondence analysis, decision tree, ensembles of decision tree and association rules methods are employed to analyse a database of construction accidents throughout Iran between 2007 and 2011. The findings indicate that in group I, there is a significant correspondence among these variables: time of accident, place of accident, body part affected, final consequence of accident and lost workdays. Moreover, the frequency of accidents in the night shift is less than others, and the frequency of injury to the head, back, spine and limbs are more. In group II, the variables time of accident and body part affected are mostly related and the frequency of accidents among married and older workers is more than single and young workers. There was a higher frequency in the evening, night shifts and weekends. The results of this study are totally in line with the previous research.

  14. 49 CFR 382.303 - Post-accident testing.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... functions with respect to the vehicle, if the accident involved the loss of human life; or (2) Who receives a citation within 8 hours of the occurrence under State or local law for a moving traffic violation... performing safety-sensitive functions with respect to the vehicle, if the accident involved the loss of human...

  15. 49 CFR 382.303 - Post-accident testing.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... functions with respect to the vehicle, if the accident involved the loss of human life; or (2) Who receives... performing safety-sensitive functions with respect to the vehicle, if the accident involved the loss of human life; or (2) Who receives a citation within thirty-two hours of the occurrence under State or local law...

  16. Health risk factors as predictors of workers' compensation claim occurrence and cost

    PubMed Central

    Schwatka, Natalie V; Atherly, Adam; Dally, Miranda J; Fang, Hai; vS Brockbank, Claire; Tenney, Liliana; Goetzel, Ron Z; Jinnett, Kimberly; Witter, Roxana; Reynolds, Stephen; McMillen, James; Newman, Lee S

    2017-01-01

    Objective The objective of this study was to examine the predictive relationships between employee health risk factors (HRFs) and workers' compensation (WC) claim occurrence and costs. Methods Logistic regression and generalised linear models were used to estimate the predictive association between HRFs and claim occurrence and cost among a cohort of 16 926 employees from 314 large, medium and small businesses across multiple industries. First, unadjusted (HRFs only) models were estimated, and second, adjusted (HRFs plus demographic and work organisation variables) were estimated. Results Unadjusted models demonstrated that several HRFs were predictive of WC claim occurrence and cost. After adjusting for demographic and work organisation differences between employees, many of the relationships previously established did not achieve statistical significance. Stress was the only HRF to display a consistent relationship with claim occurrence, though the type of stress mattered. Stress at work was marginally predictive of a higher odds of incurring a WC claim (p<0.10). Stress at home and stress over finances were predictive of higher and lower costs of claims, respectively (p<0.05). Conclusions The unadjusted model results indicate that HRFs are predictive of future WC claims. However, the disparate findings between unadjusted and adjusted models indicate that future research is needed to examine the multilevel relationship between employee demographics, organisational factors, HRFs and WC claims. PMID:27530688

  17. Isostatic compensation of equatorial highlands on Venus

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kucinskas, Algis B.; Turcotte, Donald L.

    1994-01-01

    Spherical harmonic models for Venus' global topography and gravity incorporating Magellan data are used to test isostatic compensation models in five 30 deg x 30 deg regions representative of the main classes of equatorial highlands. The power spectral density for the harmonic models obeys a power-law scaling with spectral slope Beta approximately 2 (Brown noise) for the topography and Beta approximately 3 (Kaula's law) for the geoid, similar to what is observed for Earth. The Venus topography spectrum has lower amplitudes than Earth's which reflects the dominant lowland topography on Venus. Observed degree geoid to topography ratios (GTRs) on Venus are significantly smaller than degree GTRs for uncompensated topography, indicative of substantial compensation. Assuming a global Airy compensation, most of the topography is compensated at depths greater than 100 km, suggesting a thick lithosphere on Venus. For each region considered we obtain a regional degree of compensation C from a linear regression of Bouguer anomaly versus Bouguer gravity data. Geoid anomaly (N) versus topography variation (h) data for each sample were compared, in the least-squares sense, to theoretical correlations for Pratt, Airy, and thermal thinning isostasy models yielding regional GTR, zero-elevation crustal thickness (H), and zero elevation thermal lithosphere thickness (y(sub L(sub 0)), respectively. We find the regional compensation to be substantial (C approximately 52-80%), and the h, N data correlations in the chosen areas can be explained by isostasy models applicable on the Earth and involving variations in crustal thickness (Airy) and/or lithospheric (thermal thinning) thickness. However, a thick crust and lithosphere (y(sub L(sub 0)) approximately 300 km) must be assumed for Venus.

  18. 20 CFR 61.400 - Custody of records relating to claims under the War Hazards Compensation Act.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... the War Hazards Compensation Act. 61.400 Section 61.400 Employees' Benefits OFFICE OF WORKERS... EMPLOYEES OF CONTRACTORS WITH THE UNITED STATES CLAIMS FOR COMPENSATION UNDER THE WAR HAZARDS COMPENSATION ACT, AS AMENDED Miscellaneous Provisions § 61.400 Custody of records relating to claims under the War...

  19. Percentage compensation arrangements: suspect, but not illegal.

    PubMed

    Fedor, F P

    2001-01-01

    Percentage compensation arrangements, in which a service is outsourced to a contractor that is paid in accordance with the level of its performance, are widely used in many business sectors. The HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) has shown concern that these arrangements in the healthcare industry may offer incentives for the performance of unnecessary services or cause false claims to be made to Federal healthcare programs in violation of the antikickback statute and the False Claims Act. Percentage compensation arrangements can work and need not run afoul of the law as long as the healthcare organization carefully oversees the arrangement and sets specific safeguards in place. These safeguards include screening contractors, carefully evaluating their compliance programs, and obligating them contractually to perform within the limits of the law.

  20. 20 CFR 667.274 - What health and safety standards apply to the working conditions of participants in activities...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... employment. (2) If a State workers' compensation law applies to a participant in work experience, workers' compensation benefits must be available for injuries suffered by the participant in such work experience. If a... must be secured for injuries suffered by the participant in the course of such work experience. ...