Washington's job sites were safer in 2010, continuing a trend that began nearly a decade ago, according to survey results released recently by the Department of Labor & Industries.
The Occupational Injury and Illness Survey for Washington State noted that 5 out of every 100 full-time workers in Washington in both the private and public sector industries suffered a job-related injury or illness in 2010, down from the 5.3 rate in 2009. (WCxKit)
It is the lowest rate recorded since 2003, when the injury rate in Washington state was 6.9. That is when L&I began using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) which had been adopted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
For private industry alone, Washington's reported injury and illness rate remains higher than the national rate. For Washington, that rate was 4.8 per 100 full-time workers in 2010, while the national rate was 3.5.
Almost all major industry sectors in Washington reported improved numbers in 2010. In construction, for instance, the injury and illness rate dropped from 8.2 in 2009 to 7.2 in 2010. Nursing and Residential Care Facilities saw a decline of 11.4 injuries per 100 workers in 2009 to 9.4 injuries last year. (WCxKit)
Also declining in the latest survey was the rate of injuries serious enough that a worker had to miss work. In 2010, 2.5 of those 5 workers who were injured or became ill needed time off or modified work duties while they recovered. That rate is down from 2.6 in 2009.
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers Compensation costs, including airlines, healthcare, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. See www.LowerWC.com for more information. Contact: Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
Author Rebecca Shafer
, JD, President of Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. is a national expert in the field of workers compensation. She is a writer, speaker, and website publisher. Her expertise is working with employers to reduce workers compensation costs, and her clients include airlines, healthcare, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality, and manufacturing. She is the author of the #1 selling book on cost containment, Manage Your Workers Compensation: Reduce Costs 20-50% www.WCManual.com.
Contact: RShafer@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers comp issues.
©2011 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
United States Attorney Benjamin Wagner announced that Chief United States District Judge Anthony Ishii sentenced 44 year-old Karina S. Beard of Turlock, California to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for four counts of mail fraud and two counts of federal workers compensation fraud. Beard was also ordered to pay $81,694 in restitution.
According to court documents, Beard worked as a distribution and window clerk for the Postal Service in Groveland. For two plus years, Beard received federal workers comp benefits for an on-the-job injury. Because of her claimed injuries, restrictions were placed on Beard's physical activities: no reaching, no pushing, no pulling, no driving for more than 20 minutes, etc.
Yet, Beard performed various physical tasks, such as horseback riding, caring for horses, yard work, and driving all using the purportedly injured part of her body. Because of claims Beard made in routine Department of Labor questionnaires, she continued to receive workers comp benefits, all while not entitled to such benefits. (WCxKit)
At least once a year the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Workers Compensation Programs is required to ask every total disability benefit claimant whether the claimant has had any employment, earnings, or changes in their medical condition over the previous 15 months. In compliance with regulations, OWCP sends out a questionnaire to each claimant. Claimants reporting changes in employment, earnings, or their medical conditions on the questionnaire may experience a reduction or termination of benefits.
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers comp issues.
©2012 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact us at: Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
We're writing about yet another unguarded machine accident… there are too many of these around the world. Manufacturers of machinery and employers need to pay close attention to making sure all machines were guarded, employees/supervisors are trained and there were warnings for those few times the guards had to be removed.
Here are the facts we know about this accident.
British chocolate chain Thorntons has been fined after a worker broke her finger while operating a wrapping machine.
According to a report from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
, Ellen Yardley, 37, from Derbyshire was working at the company’s Somercotes plant on a foil wrapping machine, where chocolates were wrapped in foil and dispensed down a chute into a tray.
During a short break in production, while the machine was still running, Ms Yardley attempted to clean the inside of the output chute which had become covered in caramel. However, the cloth she was using became tangled in rotating parts which gripped the chocolates and her right hand was dragged into the machine. (WCxKit)
Yardley’s middle finger was fractured and cut, and she was off work for 10 weeks following the incident.An investigation by HSE found the machine had guarding installed but it was inadequate.
A subsequent audit of other machines in the factory found safety improvements were necessary to a range of machines, including preventing access to dangerous parts or repairs to existing safeguards.
Thorntons PLC, of Thornton Park, Somercotes, Derbyshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of
Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and Regulation 3(1) (a) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.(WCxKit)
Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court fined the company $30,000 (20,000 GBP) and ordered it to pay full costs of $12,000 (7,680 GBP).
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers comp issues.
©2012 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact us at: Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
Justice was served recently on a Glen Eden, New Zealand woman who evaded several previous Court appearances to face charges of defrauding the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).
According to a report from ACC, Emi Tuala, a 44-year-old solo mother, appeared in the Waitakere District Court and was convicted of nine charges under the Crimes Act, and two charges under the ACC Act. (WCxKit)
Tuala was sentenced to six months’ supervision, three months’ community detention and was ordered to pay reparation of $6,939.89. She must also complete a budgeting course, and observe a nightly curfew during the period of community detention.
The charges related to a seven-month period between 2003 and 2004, during which Tuala was paid weekly compensation on the basis that an injury prevented her from working. ACC investigations subsequently revealed that Tuala had worked full-time throughout this period.
During the same period, Tuala also claimed reimbursement for home help costs that she never incurred. (WCxKit)
Tuala was originally summoned to appear in Court in February 2005. After she failed to appear, a warrant for her arrest was issued. She failed to attend subsequent Court hearings and further arrest warrants were issued.
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers Compensation costs, including airlines, healthcare, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. See www.LowerWC.com for more information. Contact: Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers comp issues.
©2011 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact
An experienced technician at a plastic products factory in Cornwall, Great Britain was killed after he was crushed between the plates on a machine used to make plastic lids.
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Shaun O' Dwyer, 54, originally from North Yorkshire, but living in Redruth died in the incident on May 30, 2008 at Curver UK Ltd's factory on Cardew Industrial Estate.
HSE prosecuted Curver UK Ltd., (formerly Contico Europe Ltd.) for failing to provide adequate safety measures.
Truro Crown Court heard that in preparing the machinery O'Dwyer needed to access the plastic moldings machine's plates. This was normally done via a guard which, when opened, prevented the machine from operating. However in this case one of the conveyors on the machine had been removed and O'Dwyer was able to access the machine through an unguarded gap. Whilst he was inside the machine the press started to operate and the plates closed crushing him at a pressure of over 1,000 tons.
HSE Inspector Trevor Hay noted, "This tragic incident could have been avoided if the company had observed standard industry guidance from the British Plastics Federation and the British Standards Institution. Users of such machinery should ensure effective safeguards are in place to avoid further deaths or injuries to their workers."(WCxKit)
Curver UK Ltd of York Gate, London, pleaded guilty to committing a breach of Regulation 11 (1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations under Section 33(1) (c) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £160,000 ($245,000) and ordered to pay £32,000 ($49,000) costs.
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers comp issues.
©2012 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact us at: Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
A building firm and a contractor in North Yorkshire, Great Britain were recently fined after a worker was injured following a fall while working on the construction of a new farm building, according to a report from The Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
The 36-year-old worker, who asked not to be named, was employed by Stephen Ramsey, trading as Up & Cover, who had been subcontracted by Waddington Buildings Limited to carry out steel erection work and cladding on the building at Brierton North Farm, Billingham. Both Ramsey andWaddington Buildings Limited were prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). (WCxKit)
Teesside Magistrates’ Court was told the worker was standing on a pallet fitted to a fork attachment of a tractor, which was lifted to heights of around four and a half meters to allow the worker to measure and fit guttering to the building. The court heard the tractor was being operated by Stephen Ramsey when it unexpectedly moved with the pallet in a raised position causing the worker to lose his balance and fall to the ground.
He spent 15 days in a hospital after his left heel was smashed and his right ankle was fractured and treatment is still ongoing.
HSE’s investigation revealed Ramsey failed to carry out the work safely and Waddington Buildings Limited had failed to establish whether work carried out on their behalf would be done safely and whether Stephen Ramsey was competent to do the work.
Stephen Ramsey, pleaded guilty to breaching the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined £1,000 ($1,567) and ordered to pay £250 ($3920) costs. (WCxKit)
Waddington Buildings Limited, of Station Road, Brompton on Swale, pleaded guilty to one breach of Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £3,500 ($5,484) and ordered to pay costs of £900 ($1,410).
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers Compensation costs, including airlines, healthcare, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. See www.LowerWC.com for more information. Contact: Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers comp issues.
©2011 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com
A Corrections Officer from New York Mills is facing fraud charges after authorities say he wrongfully collected workers compensation benefits from the State, according to information from the New York State Police.
The police noted that Frank Caporale, 43, of New York Mills was charged with first-degree offering a false instrument for filing and fraudulent practices, both felonies.
Caporale, a New York State Corrections Officer at Midstate Correctional Facility, allegedly submitted written statements that contained materially false information to the New York State Insurance Fund as part of a claim for payment.
According to State Police, the statements indicated that Caporale was not employed, when he in fact was working a second job. As a result of these filings, the defendant did wrongfully collect $10,540 in workers comp benefits from the State Insurance Fund.
Caporale was subsequently given appearance tickets returnable in the Town of Marcy Justice Court.
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers Compensation costs, including airlines, healthcare, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. See www.LowerWC.com for more information. Contact: Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers comp issues.
©2011 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
Fishermen across South Shore and Southwest Nova Scotia are being reminded by the Workers Compensation Board of Nova Scotia (WCB) and the Department of Labor and Advanced Education to practice safe fishing and avoid injuries.
“Fishing is one of the most dangerous occupations in the province, particularly in the harsh winter months,” said Stuart MacLean, acting CEO of the WCB. “We want to remind everyone in the industry to wear proper life vests and check their safety equipment and work procedures to ensure no one gets hurt this season.”(WCxKit)
In 2010, nearly 400 people working in the fishing industry were injured on the job. Of those, 150 were serious injuries that resulted in time lost from work. In the last three years alone, 23 people have died while working in the fishing industry. That is more than a quarter of all workplace fatalities in Nova Scotia during that time.
While injuries related to weather, conditions at sea and overloaded boats are often serious and tragic, sprains and strains are common and financially costly. These injuries are caused by hazards associated with the way work is designed and carried out such as lifting heavy loads.
The seafood processing sector also had its share of injury, with more than 400 injuries in 2010, including nearly 100 injuries causing time lost from work.
“Fishing is a vital part of our culture in Nova Scotia,” said Marilyn More, Minister of Labor and Advanced Education. “That work has incredible value, contributing millions to our economy every year. It is critical that this work be done safely; to reduce the terrible human and financial toll workplace injury takes in this province.”
Seafood processors and any fishing vessel that is based in Nova Scotia must comply with the province’s Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Premiums paid by fishing industry employers for workplace injury insurance are among the highest in Nova Scotia. The 2012 rate is $7.85 per $100 of payroll, up from $7.50 in 2011. That’s well above Nova Scotia’s average assessment rate of $2.65 – a direct result of the number and severity of injuries in the fishing sector.
There are positive signs that the fishing industry is taking action to improve its safety performance. In 2010 the Fisheries Safety Association was established with a mandate of reducing workplace injuries, and over time, workers’ compensation rates.
The WCB partnered with the Fisheries Safety Association and Advanced Labour and Education to produce an advertising campaign featuring hard-hitting safety messages such as “What’s harder? Telling your crew to put on lifejackets or telling their families they aren’t coming home?”(WCxKit)
“We are making progress establishing a safety culture in Nova Scotia, and by working together we can extend that progress to the fishing sector,” said MacLean. “The fishing industry needs a clear focus on safety. Fishermen have faced dangerous conditions for too long.”
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers comp issues.
©2011 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contactInfo@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
In 2011, close to 250 New Zealand businesses and organizations made a strong commitment to improve health and safety in their area of work with more expected this year, according to the Department of Labor
The Department of Labor’s Partners in Action pledge was launched in 2011 as part of the Government’s National Action Agenda to reduce harm at work. It asks signatories to work towards achieving zero harm in New Zealand workplaces. (WCxKit)
Since its launch, 237 New Zealand employers, employees, industry groups and government organizations have signed the pledge.
“In New Zealand too many people die or suffer serious harm at work – through accidents or through occupational diseases. We are pleased to see so many companies committed to making workplaces safer and healthier for all who work in them,” says the Department’s Deputy Chief Executive Health and Safety, Lesley Haines.
“There are some excellent examples of businesses leading the way in keeping their people safe and healthy,” Haines added.
Signatories include Higgins Construction Limited, which has implemented its ‘Our Way’ program to build safety into every task it completes, and Mainzeal Property and Construction which has an impressive plan to deal with the hazards its workers face at the Benmore Dam.
“These are great examples of how businesses can put health and safety at the forefront of their business planning – we want to see more of this,” Haines continued. “Reducing the work toll makes good business sense and is in everyone’s interest and it’s something we all must be responsible for – government, employees, employers and industry organizations. (WCxKit)
“I encourage all organizations into 2012 to consider signing up to the Pledge and to make health and safety a priority. Good health and safety is good business.”
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers comp issues.
©2012 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact us at: Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
The independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission has upheld willful and serious citations and $137,200 in fines issued by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Commission to Sand Cut Properties LLC, a Danbury, Conn., contractor.
According to information from OSHA, the agency cited Sand Cut Properties in November 2008 after inspectors at a Brookfield, Conn., work site found an employee working in a collapsing 6- to 9-foot-deep excavation that lacked cave-in protection and had piles of excavated materials overhanging its edge as well as water seeping into its bottom. The employee was exposed to an additional crushing hazard when he exited the excavation by riding in the bucket of an excavator. The citations and fines reflected the seriousness of the violations and the employer's knowledge of and failure to prevent the cave-in hazards. (WCxKit)
The company contested the willful violations cited and accompanying fines to the review commission in December 2008. A hearing was held before Administrative Law Judge Dennis Phillips on June 28, 2011. On Sept. 22, Judge Phillips issued a decision affirming the citations and ordering Sand Cut Properties to pay $137,200 in fines. The decision will become a final order on Nov. 10 if Sand Cut does not appeal to the commission.
"This was an imminent danger situation that could have resulted in a fatality and should not have existed in the first place," said Marthe Kent, OSHA's New England regional administrator. "This decision should remind employers in Connecticut and elsewhere that failing to supply basic, common sense and legally required safeguards will result in financial and legal consequences, just as employees face the consequences of death or disabling injuries when such safeguards are absent from their workplaces." (WCxKit)
"The U.S. Department of Labor will actively pursue the appropriate legal measures to protect the lives and well-being of America's workers when their employers fail to do so," added Michael Felsen, the Labor Department's regional solicitor for New England.
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers Compensation costs, including airlines, healthcare, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. See www.LowerWC.com for more information. Contact: Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers comp issues.
©2011 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
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