Workers Compensation and Workplace Safety for Women
Monday, June 22, 2009 | 0
By Robert Elliott
While there is a large volume of injury prevention information and resources for male-dominated industries like construction, not as many resources reportedly exist for women. And, there is often the perception women can't get hurt doing "office work," but obviously, not all women work in offices.
How Maryland is Making Workplace Safety for Women a Priority
In an effort to make the workplace in Maryland safer for women, state officials recently kicked off Workplace Safety Month for Women in Maryland, a public outreach initiative sponsored by IWIF Workers' Compensation Insurance.
IWIF decided to focus on women worker safety issues because nearly 9,000 women in Maryland suffered on-the-job accidents in 2008 requiring time away from work, according to the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MOSH).
Claims data showed 35% of private sector claims and 53% of state claims were filed by female workers last year.
IWIF Loss Control Director Joe Gillian said, "Many injured women suffered serious back, knee and hand injuries. Among IWIF claimants last year, those women who were injured most often worked in nursing homes, colleges and schools, clerical offices, and retail shops and restaurants."
Adrienne Kaspar, IWIF loss control supervisor, noted, "For example, there is a perception among employers that they don't need to worry about their female employees because they have 'easy' jobs and they can't get hurt working in an office. While it's true women have fewer fatal and nonfatal injuries than men, women run a much greater risk of developing certain types of injuries, such as musculoskeletal disorder, injuries due to overexertion, and trips and falls."
IWIF's public outreach initiative titled "SHE Works" stands for Safety & Health Every day. Its goal is to educate Maryland employers and their employees, policyholders, agents and brokers, about workplace dangers women face.
Initiatives include public service announcements, a free safety information kit for employers, a safety poster, and several safety tip sheets.
Information is free and can be order by visiting IWIF's Web site at www.iwif.com.
Workers Compensation When Safety Measures Fail
Can too much be said about safety in the workplace and following proven safety measures? Employers often work very hard to keep workers safe and control workers' compensation costs, but a failure to follow safety measures can wipe out all good will and cost savings in just one adverse claim experience.
A Case Study: UCLA Appeals CalOSHA Findings in Worker's Death
Stating it disagrees with the findings, University of California Los Angeles, (UCLA) is appealing a report recently issued by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (CalOSHA) stating the university was to blame for an on-campus laboratory accident in December 2008 that killed a school research assistant.
The university was fined more than $31,000 for allegedly violating laboratory safety protocols and being cited for insufficient training and for researchers lacking proper safety equipment according to a report filed by state inspectors
Cal/OSHA investigated the cause the accident that killed a 23-year-old UCLA research assistant, who suffered second- and third-degree burns when the chemical compound she was working with spilled on her and ignited. The report said the research assistant was not wearing a laboratory coat at the time of the accident.
UCLA has paid, in full, the $31,875 fine but is appealing to make sure no citation in the Cal/OSHA report can be held against the university in future proceedings.
The appeal also states a number of the safety failures the university was cited for in the Cal/OSHA report had been fixed prior to the accident but had not been properly documented.
UCLA officials said the university is still committed to improving laboratory safety standards and this process is ongoing.
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Robert Elliott is executive vice president of Amaxx Risk Solutions Inc. in Mansfield Center, Conn. © Copyright by Amaxx Risk Solutions Inc. and www.ReduceYourWorkersComp.com. Reprinted with permission.
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