Standing Desks at Work Deemed Not Beneficial

Before employers buy standing workstations and/or even treadmills to prevent repetitive motion claims, they ought to take heed of a recent study that considers them a useless fad. The newest marketing craze is work at standing desks, some even equipped with treadmills and marked as ergonomically safer for an employee’s health.

Intervening Superseding Event: Turning in Bed Held Not a Bar to Workers' Compensation

A NJ Workers' Compensation Judge has held that turning over in bed did not constitute an intervening superseding event and therefore the claim was held to be compensable.

"....the act of turning in bed to shut off an alarm clock did not constitute an intervening, superseding
event which would free respondent of the liability for petitioner's second back
surgery of September 27, 2007 and I further find that the need for that surgery is
causally related to the work accident of July 12, 2005." 
Philip A. Tornetta, Judge of Compensation

IPPOLITO v. COUNTY OF BERGEN ROAD DEPT
2011 WL 11004007 (N.J. Adm.)
CLAIM PETITION NOS. 2007 - 25283, 2010 - 17376 August 1, 2011
(Reported Oct. 5, 2013)

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OSHA announces outreach campaign to protect health care workers from hazards causing musculoskeletal disorders

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration today announced a campaign to raise awareness about the hazards likely to cause musculoskeletal disorders among health care workers responsible for patient care. These disorders include sprains, strains, soft tissue and back injuries.

"The best control for MSDs is an effective prevention program," said MaryAnn Garrahan, OSHA regional administrator in Philadelphia. "Our goal is to assist nursing homes and long-term care facilities in promoting effective processes to prevent injuries."

As part of the campaign, OSHA is providing 2,500 employers, unions and associations in the health care industry in Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and the District of Columbia with information about methods used to control hazards, such as lifting excessive weight during patient transfers and handling. OSHA is also providing information about how employers can include a zero-lift program, which minimizes direct patient lifting by using specialized lifting equipment and transfer tools.

How far do you have to go to accommodate a lifting restriction?

Today's post was shared by Lynch Ryan and comes from www.safetynewsalert.com

Due to a workplace injury, an employee had a permanent 20-pound lifting restriction. She applied for a position that required heavy lifting. Did the company have to accept her suggestion on how to accommodate her restriction?

Renee Majors worked at the General Electric (GE) Bloomington, IN, plant. In 2000, she suffered a work-related injury to her right shoulder that left her limited to lifting no more than 20 pounds and precluded her from work above shoulder level with her right arm.

The restrictions were temporary at first, but they were later determined to be permanent.

In 2009, Majors was the senior eligible bidder for a temporary purchased material auditor position under the collective bargaining agreement with GE. An essential function of the position was “intermittent movement of heavy objects.”