A Welshpool, Australia manufacturing company has been fined $20,000 over an incident in which an employee sustained injuries to his left arm when part of a rope press shattered and struck him.
According to the Western Australian Department of Commerce, Jeminex Brands & Operations Pty Ltd (formerly Beaver Brands) pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe workplace and was fined in the Perth Magistrates Court recently. (WCxKit)
Jeminex Brands is a manufacturer of wire rope slings and chain slings. Using a rope press, wire rope of a required length is fed through an aluminum collar known as a “ferrule” and the ferrule is then compressed between two dies until they touch to hold the rope together.
The pressure applied by the dies is able to be varied according to the diameter of the rope, with maximum pressures stipulated in a chart of pressures in megapascals of pressure. The process is known as “swaging”.
A Jeminex employee was engaged in swaging rope. He had already completed two ropes by visually determining when the dies touched. When he swaged the third rope, the dies came together and shattered, causing lacerations to his left arm. The amount of pressure on the dies can be pre-set, and once that maximum pressure is reached, the limit switch is activated and no further pressure can be applied. The maximum pressure stipulated for the diameter of rope being used by the employee was five megapascals. The wire rope press was set at a maximum pressure of 34 megapascals.
The court heard that the employee was not instructed to check or change the maximum pressure of the wire rope press before he began the task.
It was practicable for the employer to have trained its employee to either set the press to the maximum recommended pressure or to set the pressure at a low level and increase it in small increments until the dies touched.
WorkSafe WA Commissioner Lex McCulloch said the case should serve as a reminder of the importance of training and instruction in the workplace.
“
Training of new and young workers is one of WorkSafe’s operational priority areas, and a large amount of time and resources are invested in ensuring that employers provide workers with suitable and adequate induction and training,” McCulloch said.
“
This worker had been with the employer for four months, and this incident made it apparent that he had not been provided with sufficient training and instruction to operate the machinery in a safe manner. (WCxKit)
“
Every employer has the responsibility to provide a safe and healthy workplace; to share information and to provide training and supervision – that is part of the employer’s basic duty of care.
Australian Tire Center, Director Fined After Worker Suffers Injuries
A Yamba tire center (New South Wales, Australia) and its director have been fined a total of $170,000 and ordered to pay WorkCover’s legal costs after an employee received serious injuries while fitting new tires to an earthmover, according to a report from the WorkCover Authority of NSW.
The Lower River Tyre Centre Pty Ltd (Lower River) sells tires, wheels and batteries as well as providing tire-fitting services for a range of private, commercial and industrial vehicles. (WCxKit)
A 47-year-old Lower River tire fitter was changing six spilt rim grader tires on an earth-moving grader when one of the six tires exploded while it was being inflated.
The tires on this large commercial earthmover were around 1.4m in diameter and approximately 40cm thick.
The employee sustained serious injuries to his face and upper-body, as well as complications during surgery which required months of rehabilitation.
A WorkCover investigation found that Lower River had no adequate safety protocols in place at the time of the accident.
There was no safety cage large enough to protect the worker, nor any devices in place limiting tire pressure on larger commercial tires, which both would have reduced the risk of injuries.
The company also did not have documented OHS systems in place; failed to carry out a proper risk assessment; did not conduct formal risk assessments; and did not provide adequate or documented
training.
Lower River and its director Anthony Paul Hardacre were charged with breaches of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000. Both pleaded guilty to the charges. (WCxKit)
Lower River was convicted and fined $160,000. Anthony Hardacre was convicted and fined $10,000.
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. He is an editor and contributor to Workers Compensation Management Program: Reduce Costs 20% to 50%. 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.
©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.
Workers’ Compensation Costs Can Be Reduced by Implementing Operational Best Practices: Learn How With This New Guidebook.
A company that wants to implement a new workers compensation program or revamp an existing system will find this book helpful. Maybe your company has recently expanded and you realize the need to train a workers compensation manager or regional coordinators how to hold down compensation costs. Whatever your need, here is the answer:
Workers Compensation Management Program: Reduce Workers’ Comp Costs 20%-50%.
Used by more than 150 firms across the country, this is THE book to help every employer develop a more effective workers compensation program to reduce workers compensation costs. It is based on field research and decades of experience in workers compensation from all aspects of the business. Best practices are described in detail for each person in the injury process.
This easy-to-read manual has been updated for 2012. It now includes:
An index for quick topic look-up so you can view a term or a procedure and see all relevant references.
NEW – Workers Compensation Basics
Purpose of Workers Compensation
Who Pays for Workers Compensation?
Parties Involved in Workers Compensation
Benefits for the Employer
Independent Contractors
Benefits for the Employee
Injuries Covered
Types of Workers Compensation
How Losses are Categorized
How Losses are Reported
Calculating Your Premium
How Mod Effects Your Premium
Good/Bad Mod Example
Five Ways to Reduce Your Mod
NEW – Fundamentals of Cost Containment
Reasons Workers Compensation Costs are High
Who is in Charge?
Work Ability Form Properties
Who is Responsible for Managing Workers Compensation Claims?
Who is Responsible for Managing Workers Compensation Process?
Hidden (Indirect) Costs of Workers Compensation
Additional Costs
Calculating WC Costs
External Obstacles to Cost Control
Internal Obstacles to Cost Control
NEW – Working with Your Adjusters or TPA
Account Handling Instructions
MD Participation
NEW- Reporting a Claim
Critical Issues
Essential Intake Considerations
Nurse Triage
NEW- Directing Medical Care
Occupational Health Clinics
Remote Health Services
Directing Medical Care in California
NEW- Return to Work
What to Include in a Transitional Duty Policy
Non-Profit, Volunteer or Charitable Positions
Employees Who Never Return to Work
Coordinating WC with Federal and State Leave Statutes
NEW – Other Indemnity Cost Containment Services
Telephonic Disability Intervention
NEW – Medical Cost Containment
URAC Certification
Mental Health RNs
Chronic Pain Programs
An Aging Workforce
At Home Recovery Services
Medical Fee Schedules
Fee Schedule Coding
ICD-9 and CPT Codes
NEW- Physical Therapy and Physical Rehabilitation
Differences between Physical Rehabilitation Programs
Pharmacy Benefits Management Program
Authorized Drug Formulary
Toxicology Screening
NEW – Fighting Fraud and Abuse
Medical Terminology Used to Identify Malingering
Reviewing Investigation Reports and Videos
Avoid good Day/Bad Day Syndrome
NEW – Claims Resolution and Settlements
Conditional Payment and Final Demand
Pharmacy Component of MSA
California Settlement Process
A 183-page guide covering how to assess your workers compensation program, design program materials, roll out a program to the organization, and monitor and manage the program once implemented.
Written by a national expert on workers compensation cost containment with over 25 years experience helping companies reduce their losses 20% to 50%.
T. Ronca, a workers’ compensation defense attorney from Long Island, NY, said the
book is an invaluable desk reference. “It is one of the tools that should never be out of reach for a risk manager. Direct employer involvement with claims in the first weeks is the difference between success and failure. This manual will guide the conscientious employer through the pitfalls,” Ronca said.
What’s more, the book can be delivered with your company logo on the cover and a full-color ad for your company on the back cover.
Take it out to the field. Text tabs are available to put on each chapter and it is ready to go as your company training manual. All you will have to do is customize the Training Agenda that is in Part I of the book.
Included in the manual are topics such as: Return to work and transitional duty, claim reporting, employee communications, controlling fraud and abuse, directing medical care, medical cost containment solutions, post injury response procedures, reporting procedures, working with your carrier and third party administrator. There is information about physical therapy, pharmacy benefits management programs, training supervisors and gaining management commitment. It also contains concepts of claim settlement and resolution as well as safety and loss control. New areas are identified above.
There are 5 sample worksheets in the manual to help organize an efficient workers’ compensation program. These include: timetable for implementation, the injury coordinator job description, and several sample roll-out letters. We recently received a terrific phone call from a third-party administration firm saying how the manual provided an organized way to train clients at loss prevention and has helped their clients put "layers of better WC management" in place. Everyone benefited.
One large distribution firm wrote to us to say the chapter on safety and loss control led to a company-wide safety change that only cost a few hundred dollars but prevented a specific type of injury that had been draining its budget, says Rebecca Shafer, Esq., President of Amaxx Risk Solution, Inc. who authors the book. Shafer is a national expert on workers’ compensation cost containment with more than 25 years of industry experience helping many companies reduce their losses 20-50%.
When you order your copy of Manage your Workers’ Compensation Program from Advisen at
http://corner.advisen.com/wcbooks, the 183-page guidebook shows how to assess your program, design program materials, roll-out a program to the organization, and monitor and manage the program once implemented.
The workbook is also available with a customized front and back cover for bulk purchases. Discounted rates apply to bulk orders.
One company said, "After reading the manual, we took a look at past workers comp practices and saw that every department did things differently. Manage Your Workers’' Compensation Program 2012 gave us the guidance we needed to standardize our workers’ compensation programs across the country. It was like a pre-prepared lesson plan," according to the risk manager.
A regional hospital in North Dakota wrote that, "Our small company expanded rapidly and we actually didn’t have any official workers’ compensation program in place. This manual gave us step-by-step procedures from the first meetings with management to monitoring the final program. Buying and reading the book was almost like hiring another employee – one who was an expert in workers’ compensation."
Who Uses the Workers’ Compensation Book?
Risk Managers and Workers’ Comp Managers find it useful learning about the cost containment niche and use it for themselves and to bringing new team members up to speed very quickly. The book becomes a “lesson plan” tool.
Safety Directors use the book to train supervisors in workers’ compensation claims management. They learn more about their area of responsibility — post loss cost containment — adding to their overall knowledge. They also learn what to do after an injury and what steps are supposed to take place during the first 24 hours.
Brokers use it for prospects, as well as, to learn about specific aspects of cost containment, passing their knowledge on to their clients. For example, when discussing how to develop a return-to-work program and a client asks about, “off-site return-to-work programs,” the broker quickly finds the relevant section in the book, reviews it and passes the answer on to the client, along with a copy of the cost containment book with the broker’s logo.
Adjusters use the book to gain a better understanding of the employer’s perspective. Adjusters also want to learn more about cost containment to add to their overall workers’ compensation knowledge in order to grow their careers and stay abreast of new services.
Account Producers give the book to prospects during formal presentations to illustrate their company is on top of the workers’ compensation industry. The book makes an excellent client gift.
Vendors such as doctors, physical therapy networks, occupational clinics and medical management firms learn how their service might fit into the workers’ compensation marketplace, what is important to employers, and what they look for in medical services to enable the vendors to enter the workers’ compensation marketplace.
The manual is a cost-cutting tool to learn more about systematic and operational techniques for reducing workers compensation costs.
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 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, Workers Compensation Management Program: Reduce Costs 20% to 50%. 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.
©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.
Posted in
Claim Audits & File Review,
Communication with Employees,
Coordinating Medical Care,
Federal Workers Compensation,
Fraud and Abuse,
Insurance Issues, Rates, Premiums,
Lowering Premiums & Experience Mod,
Management Commitment,
Medical Cost Containment & Managed Care,
Medicare Set Asides (MSAs),
Professional Development Issues,
Return to Work and Transitional Duty,
Risk Management,
Safety and Loss Control,
Settling WC Claims,
TPA and Claims Administration,
WC 101,
WC in Other Countries (International) |
A modular building company in Great Britain has been fined after a worker was left with permanent injuries when a lifting operation went wrong, according to a report from the Health and Safety Executive.
Banksman John Hughes, of Newark, was working in an outdoor yard of Caledonian Building Systems Ltd at Carlton-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, on Feb. 20, 2009. (WCxKit)
He was helping a fork lift truck driver to raise an 11-tonne modular building unit off some blocks and a wheeled axle, on to a lorry, but the unstable load started to rock. Hughes put his right hand on to the wooden block, to move it out of the way, but one end of the unit came down on his fingers.
His index finger was crushed and had to be amputated at the knuckle, however 18 months later after continuing problems it was completely removed. His middle finger was also damaged. Hughes was off work for 12 weeks in total before returning to work.
A Health and Safety Executive investigation found the lifting operation was disorganized and the employees involved were not provided with clear information or instructions. It was unclear who was supposed to participate in the operation, what their role was, which equipment would be used and whether the unit would be moved elsewhere or simply vertically lifted. (WCxKit)
Caledonian Building Systems Ltd., of Glendale Gryfe Road, Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 8(1)(c) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 and Regulation 3(1)(a) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Lastly, Nottingham Magistrates fined the firm $23,000 (£15,000) and ordered it to pay costs of ($11,500) £7,328.
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.
It is never too late to start thinking about how to be more proactive when it comes to handling your insurance losses. You can implement a program or plan any time, provided you roll it out to the right people and your employees or workers understand the initiatives and reasons behind it.
Sometimes workers don’t understand how insurance works. Commercial insurance is a monster to address. It is hard to explain how an underwriter comes up with the numbers they do in order to assign a premium to your workplace. But the bottom line that should be communicated is that every dollar that goes out from the insurance company/TPA could affect the insurance cost. If you have higher costs, maybe you cannot give out higher bonuses. Or maybe increased costs result in certain workers not getting a pay raise. All workers will understand when you put it into a sense of how if affects them directly. So let’s go over some simple loss reduction techniques to refresh your mind for 2012:
1. Make a commitment to promoting safety
If you are going to do this, go all out. You need to establish the rules and procedures, and then you need to come up with a way to drill it into everyone’s mind. The perfect way is by having rules enforced, and violators punished. Not harsh, severe punishments, but more than a slap on the wrist. Make them park in the back of the lot. Make them wear a different color safety hat than everyone else, or a vest that claims they broke the safety rules. Have the punishment be something that is part tongue-in-cheek, but it gets the point across and leads to some good natured ribbing from other coworkers.
On the other side, reward safety achievements. Use gas cards or coupons for free food as gifts. Do raffles and hand out a few prizes to the person that was the most safety-oriented. Whatever you do, make the reward something more tangible than a pat on the back.
Also you can post safety rules and violations on signs and place them all over your work floor, in the bathrooms, in the break areas, etc. Make sure they are at eye-level where people can see them, and color them accordingly so they are hard to miss. Use diagrams and stick people to represent the injury that could occur if you stuck your hand into the saw blade with the machine on. If may seem elementary, but your workers will see those drawings everyday and probably laugh at them, but the more they look at them, the more they remember, and the safer they just might be.
2. Make safety paramount
When you have a safe work environment, you have more productive employees. This is due to the fact that your safe machines are running like they should. Nobody is worried about something breaking or someone getting injured by doing certain jobs. Safe workplaces have fewer workers comp claims.
Obviously there is a direct link between safety and work comp. The less safe you are, the more work comp injuries you will have. And that leads into higher premium exposure. If your claims skyrocket, the costs increase, and that could increase the cost of your premium for your work comp policy. So it all begins with safety. Safety is the key to keeping comp costs down. Which, in-turn, controls premium costs.
3. Have well-defined safety policies and the need to implement them
If workers are not following the safety rules, that is a problem. A rare violator that has to wear the vest of shame is one thing. But if you have a guy breaking the safety rules everyday, you have an issue. You have to investigate why the worker is not following the rules. Document your findings, and then follow through with safety training or re-education on the proper safety function for the particular machine or device they may be using. Maybe they were taught by another employee to use the machine incorrectly. Whatever the reason, investigate it, document it, then retrain and follow through until the person understands and is capable of safely operating the device or doing the work task within your defined safety rules and procedures.
4. Can the employer fire a worker that disobeyed a direct, known safety protocol?
Wow, is this a Pandora ’s Box of a question!!!!! There are numerous case law decisions within any jurisdiction that comment on this matter. I hear this question ALL THE TIME! The answer is "Yes, sometimes" and "No, at other times."
My advice is to always consult your counsel and adjuster before you do anything. Improper termination may open yourself to a world of fines and legal issues, and even though you think you may be doing the right thing that is not for you to decide. Consult your attorney before ever making such a decision. The choice will vary by accident, and no two will be the same.
5. Safety violations cost employers money!
If people are hurt, they cannot do their job, which decreases production, which in turn decreases profit. Jobs get completed late, others have to make up for the gap in work, etc. As mentioned earlier, safety violations in any form will always cost you money. The safer you are, the more productive, the more profitable.
Think Zero Accidents as your goal! People say, "Oh, that's impossible." But it's only impossible if you don't try.
6. High employee morale helps to reduce losses
Several studies show the link between morale and workers comp losses. Happy workers are happy because they have jobs they like; they have manageable workloads, safe working environments, etc. Disgruntled employees are overworked, underpaid, and under stress. They typically are working with potentially unsafe materials, in an unsafe shop, where there is a lot of risk for injury. Sooner or later they will stumble upon that risk, and injure themselves.
Actually the studies linking morale to work comp show they are linked up mostly in subjective injuries: back pain, muscle pain, headaches, etc. The more unhappy the workforce, the more subjective claims seem to surface.
7. Timely claim reporting saves money
And as always, and we say it time and time again, the sooner you get that work comp claim to your carrier to be assigned to an adjuster, the quicker they are on the case, the better the result will be. The more you delay in calling it in, the more it will cost you down the road. WCxKit
So, remember, it’s never too late to start thinking about safety, and how it impacts your bottom line. Think carefully about each job task and what risks your workers face. Solicit feedback from your employees. Involve them in this process, and hear what they have to say. The more they are involved, the more they will participate, and the more successful your program will be. Be safe!
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.
The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration recently announced that federal inspectors issued 374 citations, orders and safeguards during special impact inspections conducted at 18 coal mines and two metal/nonmetal mines last month.
According to the agency’s report, the coal mines were issued 292 citations, 28 orders and one safeguard, while the metal/nonmetal operations were issued 52 citations and one order.(WCxKit)
Special impact inspections, which began in force in 2010 following the explosion at Upper Big Branch Mine, involve mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement due to their poor compliance history or particular compliance concerns, including high numbers of violations or closure orders; indications of operator tactics, such as advance notification of inspections that prevent inspectors from observing violations; frequent hazard complaints or hotline calls; plan compliance issues; inadequate workplace examinations; a high number of accidents, injuries or illnesses; fatalities; and adverse conditions, such as increased methane liberation, faulty roof conditions and inadequate ventilation.
As an example from recent inspections, an impact inspection was conducted during the second shift at D & C Mining Corp.'s underground coal mine in Harlan County, Ky. Inspectors arrived at the mine and immediately captured and monitored the mine phone to prevent advance notification of their presence. The inspection resulted in seven 104(d)(2) withdrawal orders, one 107(a) imminent danger order and 11 104(a) citations, of which 16 were designated significant and substantial.
The imminent danger order was issued when the inspection team found a cigarette lighter near the continuous mining machine, marking the second time this year that smoking articles were found underground at this mine. This condition provided an ignition source in the presence of combustible materials, loose coal and coal dust accumulations in an area with inadequate rock dust to prevent an explosion. The impact inspection was the sixth conducted at the mine since April 2010.
Inspectors wrote two of the withdrawal orders for inadequate roof and rib supports at the face area of the mine where miners normally work and travel during their shift. Violations included loose, unsupported draw rock, as well as wide roof and rib bolt spacing, all of which created the potential for roof and rib collapses.
Additionally, inspectors found inadequate rock dusting, use of a non-permissible cap lamp, accumulations of combustible material, an inadequate smoke search program, inadequate pre-shift examinations, improperly working parking brakes on mobile equipment, nonworking self-contained self-rescuer units, a poorly maintained roof drill dust collection system and inadequate illumination on the mine surface areas.
"The closure order is still one of the most effective tools inspectors have to bring about compliance, even during impact inspections," said Joseph Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. "We will not hesitate to use this and other enforcement tools to protect the nation's miners."
As a second example, MSHA conducted an impact inspection Sept. 12 to 16 at Robinson Nevada Mining Co.'s Robinson Operation, a large surface copper mine located in White Pine County, Nev. MSHA issued 34 citations during the inspection, including 25 citations to the mine operator and nine to independent contractors working on mine property.
Among the hazards inspectors cited were inadequate testing of electrical grounding systems, and unattended pieces of mobile equipment that were left with engines running and parked on a grade without properly blocking the wheels. In addition, approximately 30 compressed gas cylinders were stored without caps to prevent injury to the valves which, if damaged, could pose an explosion risk. Inspectors also found an open excavation hole that was not supported to prevent material from falling onto workers.(WCxKit)
Since April 2010, MSHA has conducted 347 impact inspections, which have resulted in 6,187 citations, 584 orders and 22 safeguards.
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
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports it cited American Railcar Industries. Inc., headquartered in Saint Charles, Mo., for 10 serious safety violations after an employee was electrocuted while performing repair work on a tanker-style railcar July 25 at the company's work site near Marmaduke, Ark.
"Exposing workers to electrocution hazards without proper safeguards and training is inexcusable," said Carlos Reynolds, the agency's area director in Little Rock. "It is the employer's responsibility to create a safe and healthful workplace where preventable hazards don't cost workers their lives."(WcxKitz)
Upon receiving a fatality report from the employer, OSHA's Little Rock Area Office initiated an investigation July 26 at the company's facility on Highway 34 East and found that workers were being exposed to electrical shocks from welding equipment.
The violations include failing to provide personal protection for employees conducting cutting and welding operations; properly mark the power supply and control boxes for voltage, current and wattage; use fixed wiring instead of flexible cords and protect the wiring from possible damage; remove defective electrical equipment from service; and inspect and mark web slings. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known. Proposed penalties total $61,400
American Railcar Industries, which employs about 260 workers at the Marmaduke facility and about 1,500 workers nationwide, designs and manufactures railcars.(WcxKitz)
The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director in Little Rock or contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Pennsylvania Employer Fined for Exposing Workers to Hazards
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently cited QG LLC for eight serious violations of the process safety management standards at its Atglen facility in response to an employee complaint. Proposed penalties total $54,000.
"Process safety management prevents the unexpected release of toxic, reactive or flammable liquids and gases in processes involving highly hazardous chemicals," said Albert D'Imperio, OSHA's area director in Philadelphia. "It's vital that QG ensure safeguards are in place to protect the safety of workers at this facility." (WCxKit)
The serious citations issued for the process safety management standard violations include failing to provide information pertaining to the equipment being used, establish written operating procedures and safe work practices, conduct employee training, conduct a pre-start up safety review, implement written procedures for ongoing integrity, develop procedures for management of change, certify that compliance was evaluated at least every three years, and ensure that installations of equipment in hazardous locations were intrinsically safe or approved for the hazardous location.
A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
Headquartered in North Haven, Conn., QG LLC is a web offset printing company with approximately 240 employees at its Atglen site. (WCxKit)
The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, ask for an informal conference with OSHA's area director or contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
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.
New Zealand Employer Fined after Serious Injuries to Workers
Two companies from Taranaki, New Zealand have been fined a total of $71,500 after an employee suffered serious injuries when the hired machine he was operating rolled down a slope, pinning him underneath.
According to details from the Department of Labor, Taranaki Civil Construction Limited was fined $38,500 and ordered to pay $12,000 in reparation to its employee who suffered a compound fracture to his right arm and lacerations to his scalp and neck. (WCxKit) Graham Harris (2000) Limited, the company that hired out the roller, was fined $33,000 and ordered to pay $4,000 in reparation for failing to ensure the roller was safe to use.[WCx]
The New Plymouth District Court heard that the company was working on a project in New Plymouth to improve flood defenses in February this year. The employee was using a roller to compact clay at the top of the stop bank.
“The roller that the company hired was not fit for the operation as it did not have a roll over protective structure or a seat belt,” says the Department of Labour’s Taranaki Service Manager Jo Pugh. “This type of machinery is not appropriate to use on top of a narrow stop bank of clay and it put this employee at serious risk of harm,” says Pugh.
“This accident could have been prevented had some basic safety steps been followed, saving this employee from a number of operations that were required due to his injuries.”A Kewdale, Australia, company engaged in designing and manufacturing semi-trailers has been fined $20,000 over an incident in which a worker was injured by a tanker that rolled off a stand, according to the Western Australia Department of Commerce.
Australian Employer Fined after Worker Injury
General Transport Equipment Pty., Ltd., pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the safety or health of a person not being an employee and was fined in the Perth Magistrates Court this winter. (WCxKit)
In July 2009, General Transport was holding a tri-axle tanker trailer in its workshop that had undergone welding repairs. During the time it was being held, the tanker was empty and remained supported by a semi-trailer jack stand fabricated by General Transport.
On July 7, a worker was directed to perform a hydrostatic test on the tanker, a process where each separate compartment of the tanker is filled with water in turn, then pressurized to test for leaks.
During the filling of the front compartment there was a component failure that caused the tanker to roll to its left. A man not employed by General Transport who was working at a bench to the left of the tanker was trapped between the tanker and the bench, suffering pelvic bruising.
WorkSafe WA Commissioner Lex McCulloch said the case demonstrated that safe systems of work needed to be in place at all times. [WCx]
“
It was fortunate that this man was not more seriously injured — or even killed — in this incident,” McCulloch said. “The court found it would have been reasonable to expect that the tanker would have been supported using appropriately rated trestles or stands, or that the employees should not have been allowed to hydro test without the tanker being properly supported.
“This employer failed to take any practicable measures to ensure this task was performed in a safe manner, and the case should serve as a reminder to ensure that safe systems of work are in place at all times,” he said.
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. He is an editor and contributor to Workers Compensation Management Program: Reduce Costs 20% to 50%. 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, contactInfo@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
According to new research conducted by a team from Cardiff University (Wales), half of those British workers surveyed have been ill-treated in the last two years.
The survey reports 4.9 percent of workers were victims of violence while 22.3 percent said they were treated in a disrespectful or rude way. Twenty-seven percent said they felt ignored. The study used data from face-to-face interviews with 3,979 workers, and the data, provided for the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), was to be presented at a London conference.(WCxKit)
The report, "Insight into ill-treatment in the workplace: patterns, causes and solutions," was written by academics from Cardiff University's School of Social Sciences and Prof Duncan Lewis at the University of Plymouth Business School. It is based on data from the British Workplace Behaviour Survey, obtained in 2008 from interviews by the market research company TNS Global.
The team also looked in-depth at four large employers, using them as case studies. Workers in the public sector were reported to be "particularly at risk" of rudeness, disrespect, violence and injury. (WCxKit)
The majority of attackers involved in violent incidents were said to be from outside the workplace, with 72% of assailants being customers, clients or members of the public. Workers in health, social work, education, public administration and defense faced the highest risk.
Meantime, staff in the private sector
was more likely to suffer assaults by colleagues, while disabled employees, those with long-term health problems and younger staff are all more likely to experience ill treatment at work, as were lesbian, gay and bisexual workers.
The survey found that permanent staff with managerial responsibilities is more likely to experience what was described as "unreasonable treatment" and violence in the workplace.(WCxKit)
The report notes some 7,000,000 to 8,000,000 British workers suffer from "impossible workloads" and "not being listened to". Managers and supervisors were blamed for two-thirds of incidents of unreasonable behavior but could also be victims of the same treatment.
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.
The Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation recently awarded grants to a handful of businesses in an effort to reduce worker injuries.
According to information from the Ohio BWC, more than $217,000 in safety intervention grants was doled out to 10 businesses. (WCxKit)
Private and public employers are eligible for the grants, which provide a 2-to-1 matching amount up to a maximum of $40,000. The BWC conducts follow-up studies to gauge effectiveness and establish best practices.
“Safety grants not only help employers reduce workplace injuries and illnesses, and their related costs, a majority of employers report improved productivity and product quality,” said Stephen Buehrer, BWC administrator/CEO. (WCxKit)
“On the back end, we are able to collect data that helps us focus our efforts in needed areas by determining the effectiveness of interventions and establishing best practices to share with other employers with similar safety concerns.”
West Virginia Workplace Deaths more than double in 2010
Ninety-five workers died in on-the-job incidents in West Virginia in 2010, more than double the 41 workplace deaths that occurred the previous year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported.
The preliminary 2010 total, which includes 29 coal miners who were killed in an explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine, was the highest since the annual Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries began 19 years ago. The lowest total was 40 in 2002.
Across the U.S., there were 4,457 workplace fatalities in 2010, a drop from 4,551 the previous year. (WCxKit)
Thirty-three of West Virginia’s fatalities were the result of fires, including the Upper Big Branch deaths. Due to the infrequency of workplace fire deaths, the only other year for which figures are available is 2006, when nine fatalities occurred.
Twenty workers died as a result of fatal injuries in highway incidents, up from 11 in 2009. Eight workers died after being struck by an object or equipment, compared to seven in 2009.
Other causes included exposure to harmful substances or environments, falls and being caught or compressed by equipment or objects. (WCxKit)
The most fatalities took place in the mining industry, which noted 37 deaths. Construction accidents led to 10 fatalities.
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.
Great Britain and Ireland’s Unite labor union has vowed to ‘leave no stone unturned’ in its efforts to get the answers to vital safety questions as its members and workers at the Port of Tilbury grieve the loss of a comrade and union representative who was tragically killed in a recent workplace accident.
"A close and loving family has lost a husband and father and his colleagues have lost a truly wonderful friend, Unite spokesperson Andy Green stated in a release. “They only want to help in this tragedy and to learn what happened and why, that is not too much to ask. (WCxKit)
“Our members are deeply shocked that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has not responded to calls from Unite representatives at the port to launch an investigation, and that the company has chosen not to conduct a joint investigation alongside the Unite safety representatives, as set out in the company's own health and safety policy.
"We are at a loss then to know why the HSE will not speak to us; its behavior is nothing short of shameful. However, we have been touched by the kind words of condolence from dockworkers in every port throughout the UK. Our union will always fight for truth and justice and to help the loved ones left behind who have to bear the real burden of workplace deaths."
Speaking on National Inspection Day, which is supported throughout Europe, Unite's national officer for docks, Julia Long, called for health and safety action across all ports to reflect the dangers within the port industry. "The government has set the ports as a 'low risk' industry. This tragic incident shows that the government needs to have a rethink on its position. We are calling for the company to carry out a full investigation with our health and safety reps fully involved,” Long remarked. (WCxKit)
“Unite will leave no stone unturned in its efforts to understand how this terrible accident was able to happen. We now call on the HSE and port management to work with us and immediately launch an urgent joint investigation into what happened,” Long added.
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.
