Road traffic crashes kill nearly 1.3 million persons every year and injure or disable as many as 50 million more (1). Road trauma is the leading cause of death among persons aged 10--24 years worldwide and the leading cause of death to those aged 5--34 years in the United States. CDC has declared road traffic injuries a "winnable battle" and supports efforts at the United Nations (UN) and World Health Organization (WHO) to celebrate 2011--2020 as the Decade of Action for Road Safety (2). Distracted driving is a major cause of accidents.
In October 2005, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution* calling for governments to mark the third Sunday in November each year as World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. The day was created as a means to give recognition to persons injured or killed in road traffic crashes and the plight of relatives and others who must cope with the emotional and practical consequences of these events.
WHO and the UN Road Safety Collaboration encourage governments and nongovernmental organizations worldwide to commemorate this day as a means of drawing the public's attention to road traffic crashes, their consequences and costs, and prevention measures. Additional information about the remembrance day is available at http://www.worlddayofremembrance.org. Additional information about motor vehicle injuries and prevention is available at http://www.cdc.gov/winnablebattles/motorvehicleinjury.
References
World Health Organization. Global status report on road safety: time for action. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2009.
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited two Chicago companies, T2 G.C. LLC, which operates as T2 Construction, and Gramek Construction Inc. for failing to protect workers from asbestos hazards at a job site in May. T2 Construction faces proposed fines of $141,600 and Gramek Construction faces proposed fines of $138,600, for a combined total of $280,200.
T2 Construction was the general contractor at the Chicago job site, which involved a 90-year-old, 80,000-square-foot building. T2 oversaw the activities of demolition contractor Gramek Construction, including the removal of floor tile and pipe insulation that allegedly contained asbestos.
"Failing to conduct an asbestos assessment and require workers to wear personal protective equipment when working with material potentially contaminated by asbestos shows a blatant disregard for their health and safety," said OSHA Regional Administrator Michael Connors in Chicago. "Safe and healthful working conditions should be paramount on every job site, and OSHA is committed to protecting workers, especially when employers fail to do so."
T2 Construction was cited for two willful health violations including failing to have a competent person conduct an initial assessment prior to commencing Class I and Class II asbestos work, and failing to ensure compliance with the asbestos standard as the general contractor. A willful violation is one committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirement or plain indifference to employee safety and health.
Additionally, T2 Construction was cited for 14 serious violations involving asbestos control procedures, such as failing to conduct air and exposure monitoring, failing to follow specific engineering controls and practices, failing to remove tile intact, allowing dry sweeping of dust and residue, failing to provide hygiene facilities for workers conducting asbestos removal and failing to ensure that employees wore adequate personal protective clothing while performing asbestos work. 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.
Gramek Construction was cited for one willful health violation for failing to have a competent person conduct an initial assessment prior to commencing Class I and Class II asbestos work. The company also was cited for 24 serious health and safety violations, 18 of which involved violations of asbestos control procedures such as failing to conduct air and exposure monitoring, failing to follow specific engineering controls and practices, allowing dry sweeping of dust and residue, failing to implement a respiratory protection program, failing to provide hygiene facilities for workers conducting asbestos removal and failing to ensure that employees wore adequate personal protective clothing for asbestos work. The remaining six serious safety violations were cited for lack of fall protection and training as well as electrical hazards.
Each company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Boca Raton, FL – The 3rd Annual Miles for Meso weekend is set! February 10-12, 2012
Larry Davis, organizer of South Florida Mikes for Meso has announced: We are planning our ever popular Welcome event. Although you will need to check back with us for it’s location, you won’t be disappointed. We will offer the opportunity to meet friends, old & new, while picking up your race packet and information on the latest in Mesothelioma news.
Saturday evening – We will once again host our Health Symposium. We are currently making arrangements with 2 new physicians who will be discussing the latest news in cancer treatments and trials.
Sunday morning – On your mark … get set … get ready for the 3rd Annual Miles for Meso 8K/4K Tribute Walk! The race will start just after the sun rises over the beautiful Atlantic. It’s a beautiful site as you run along A1A patting yourself on the back for helping raise funds for an excellent cause!
This year’s event will have something for everyone involved;
Racers – A great course, a race T, snacks & friends.
Patients – It will be an amazing place to meet other patients and supporters of Mesothelioma, the Meso Foundation and the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization. There is a wealth of information just within those people, not to mention the incredible attorneys we will have on hand who can assist in giving you further information on how they can help and programs they offer.
Survivors (patients & family members) – Support in numbers. You aren’t alone in your fight against Mesothelioma and the companies who have used asbestos in their products! Talk with us and let the healing begin.Volunteers – We absolutely couldn’t do this without you. Every year we have wonderful people who come out and donate their time to making this event a success. Please join us again and help make this our best race yet.
South Florida Miles for Meso Race Info
Welcome Event
The race's welcoming event will take place Friday, Feb. 10. This event will offer participants to meet friends, old & new, while picking up race packets and information on the latest mesothelioma news. Location & times TBA.
Health Symposium
A Health Symposium will take place Saturday evening before the race. Last year, it featured Dr. Richard Alexander. Plans are under way to feature two physicians who will discuss the latest news in cancer treatments and clinical trials.
TIMES
Pre-Registration begins at 5:45 a.m. the day of the race
The 8K race starts at 7:30 a.m.
PLACE
Spanish River Park
3001 North Ocean Blvd.
Boca Raton, FL 33431
LOCATION & DIRECTIONS
The race starts on AIA in front of Spanish River Park. Take I-95 to Palmetto Park Road, East to AIA, then left (north) 2.5 miles to Spanish River Park.
COURSE
USATF Certified Course by Evert McDowell
ENTRY FEES
More information coming soon.
8K RUN AWARDS
Awards will be giving to the top 3 overall M/F runners; the top master M/F runners; and the top 3 M/F runners in the following age group categories: 0-9, 10-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, and 80+.
IN-STORE REGRISTRATION
More information coming soon.
REGISTER ONLINE
More Information Coming Soon!
HEAT WARNING
Temperatures & humidity can be high in South Flordia. Participants should drink plenty of fluids (non-alcoholic) for 48 hours prior to, during and upon finishing the race. Beware of heat injury symptoms: dizziness, no sweating, nausea, cramps, redness, incoherent speech & thoughts. Seek immediate medical attention if symptoms occur. Wear loose, light-colored clothing.
Newt Gingrich's sudden rise in popularity this week for the Republican nomination for the US presidency has yet again raised the concern as to whether the workers' compensation program will become extinct. Mr. Gingrich has long sought the withdrawal of any employer contributions to workers' compensation.
"We have to rethink and redesign the public policies we created for people with disabilities, for workers' compensation, and for long-term living. Policies and systems that made perfect sense in an industrial era make no sense in the information age. The paternalistic solutions of the twentieth century are actually roadblocks to hope and opportunity in the twenty-first century.
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is encouraging major retail employers to take precautions to prevent worker injuries during Black Friday and other major sales events during the holiday season.
In 2008, a worker was trampled to death while a mob of shoppers rushed through the doors of a large store to take advantage of an after-Thanksgiving Day Black Friday sales event. The store was not using the kind of crowd management measures recommended in OSHA's fact sheet, which is available online at http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/Crowd_Control.html.
"Crowd control is critical to preventing injuries and deaths," said OSHA Assistant Secretary Dr. David Michaels. "These incidents can be prevented by adopting a crowd management plan, and this fact sheet provides retail employers with guidelines for avoiding injuries during the holiday shopping season."
The fact sheet provides employers with recommended elements for crowd management plans. Plans should include having trained security personnel or police officers on-site, setting up barricades or rope lines for pedestrians and crowd control well in advance of customers arriving at the store, making sure that barricades are set up so that the customers' line does not start right at the entrance of the store, having emergency procedures in place that address potential dangers, and having security personnel or customer service representatives explain approach and entrance procedures to the arriving public.
OSHA also recommends not allowing additional customers to enter the store when it reaches its maximum occupancy level and not blocking or locking exit doors.
The "Super Committee" of the US Congress is mandated to set forth a proposal for debt reduction by November 30, 2012. Some of the proposals may impact the nations' workers' compensation in a big way.
The proposals include extending premium raises for Parts B and D; changing the retirement age from 65 to 67; establishing a permanent "Doc Fix" and lower medical provider costs; lower the costs for durable goods and establish a cost limiting structure for prescription drugs. All of these suggested recommendations will potentially trigger changes in workers' compensation benefits and administrative procedures.
As more dollars are sought from entitlement programs to shore up the national debt, the integrated benefit program of workers' compensation will require modification as to the amount and duration of benefits as well as the cost.
"The US Green Building Council (USGBC) sponsored LEED green building program represents the largest program in the United States for the measurement, verification, and certification of green buildings. A recent study found that LEED certified buildings have accounted for a higher injury rate than comparative traditional non‐LEED buildings.
"This finding served as the impetus for the present study, which aimed to identify and evaluate the safety and health risks associated with the design elements and construction management practices implemented to achieve LEED certification. To explore this topic, six detailed case studies and two validation case studies were conducted following a strict protocol developed from guiding literature.
The results indicate that:
(1) workers on LEED construction projects are exposed to work at height, with electrical current, near unstable soils, and near heavy equipment for a greater period of time than on traditional projects;
(2) workers are exposed to new high risk tasks such as constructing atria, installing green roofs, and installing photovoltaic (PV) panels; and
(3) some credits result in a positive impact on construction worker safety and health when low VOC adhesives and sealants are specified. It is expected that these results can be used by practitioners to focus attention and resources on new high risk work environments.
Guest Blog by by Roger Moore a member of the Nebraska Bar
Take the right steps to make sure this doesn't happen to you!
Social Security Disability applicants sometimes have trouble getting the evidence needed to demonstrate that they have a disability.
PROBLEM 1: You haven’t had regular medical care because you don’t have health insurance.
Without regular medical care, it’s difficult to develop a relationship with a doctor that is strong enough that the doctor can complete a report on your health. Even if your disability is very real, proving it in Court can still be a hard thing to do. However, without medical insurance, most doctors won’t see a patient.
SOLUTION: In Nebraska there are some free clinics where you can be seen by a doctor even if you cannot afford to pay. To find a free clinic near you, contact your local health department. Anyone planning on applying for Social Security Disability should try to develop a relationship with a doctor by seeking regular medical care as often as possible.
PROBLEM 2: Many applicants don’t have the right kinds of conversations with their doctors about their disabilities.
Doctors are mainly concerned with your symptoms and how they can help you get well. They aren’t necessarily focused on the kinds of things they’ll need to know to help you with your Social Security Disability claim. To fill out a report for your claim, they’ll need to know exactly how much you can and cannot do.
While your attorney may invite your doctor to schedule an appointment with you so that they can gather the correct information, doctors often do not do this, and may complete your report with incomplete knowledge of your physical condition.
SOLUTION: It is important for you to educate your doctor about your limitations every time you see them, so that when they have to fill out a disability report, they will have a basis of knowledge to complete the report with.
Whether your disability is physical, mental, or some combination of the two, make sure to give your doctor specific examples of your limitations each time you see them. Talk to your doctor about what you can and cannot do such as:
how much you can lift,
how long you can stand for,
how much you can do with your hands,
or how easily you can handle social interactions.
Take the right steps to make sure that you get the evidence you need to support your Social Security Disability claim!
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and partners in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today announced revised and updated resources to help prevent exposures of emergency response employees to potentially life-threatening infectious diseases in the line of duty.
The resources include:
A list of potentially life-threatening infectious diseases, including emerging infectious diseases, and specifying those diseases routinely transmitted through airborne or aerosolized means.
Guidelines describing the circumstances in which emergency response employees may be exposed to such diseases while attending to or transporting victims of emergencies.
Guidelines for medical facilities making determinations whether such exposures have occurred.
The action was taken as a result of provisions in the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009. In the reauthorization, Congress directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to update resources originally compiled under the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act, enacted in 1990.
The Secretary of Health and Human Services delegated the task to CDC. NIOSH and CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion (DHQP) worked together to develop the required list and guidelines, incorporating input from stakeholders that was received via a public comment process. NIOSH was created under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and is a part of CDC.
The updated list of potentially life-threatening infectious diseases which emergency response employees occupationally may be exposed include all that were in an earlier list under the 1990 Ryan White Act:
Diphtheria
Hepatitis B
HIV, including AIDS
Tuberculosis
Viral hemorrhagic fevers
Meningococcal disease
Plague, pneumonic
Rabies
New additions include:
Anthrax, cutaneous
Novel influenza A and other influenza strains with pandemic severity index greater than or equal to 3.
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration will publish interim final rules in the Nov. 3 Federal Register that revise the regulations governing whistleblower complaints filed under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The act protects employees of publicly traded companies and their subsidiaries, and of certain other employers, from retaliation for reporting mail fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, securities fraud, violations of SEC rules or regulations, or violations of any provision of federal law relating to fraud against shareholders. OSHA is requesting public comment on the interim final rule.
"Fraudulent practices by publicly held corporations have contributed to the economic difficulties currently facing our nation," said OSHA Assistant Secretary Dr. David Michaels. "The best way to prevent this from happening in the future is to ensure that workers feel free to blow the whistle on corrupt corporate practices without fear of retaliation, and OSHA is committed to protecting the rights of those workers to speak out."
The whistleblower protection provisions of SOX were amended by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 to clarify that subsidiaries of publicly traded companies are covered employers under the statute, and to add nationally recognized statistical rating organizations as covered employers. The 2010 amendments to SOX also extended the statute of limitations for filing a complaint from 90 to 180 days, among other changes. The new interim final rules implement these changes and aim to improve OSHA's procedures for handling complaints under SOX.
Among the changes to improve the complaint filing process, the revised rules will allow SOX complainants to file complaints orally and in any language, and enhance the sharing of information between parties throughout the investigation.
"The ability of workers to speak out and exercise their legal rights without fear of retaliation is crucial to many of the legal protections and safeguards that all Americans value," said Dr. Michaels. "In a continuing effort to improve the Whistleblower Protection Program and make the filing process easier, the rules have been updated to reflect the changes required by the statute."
The interim final rule can be viewed at http://s.dol.gov/JN. Comments, which must be received by Jan. 3, 2012, may be submitted electronically via the federal e-rulemaking portal at http://www.regulations.gov, or by mail or fax. Faxed submissions, including attachments, must not exceed 10 pages and should be sent to the OSHA Docket Office at 202-693-1648. Comments submitted by mail should be addressed to the OSHA Docket Office, Docket No. OSHA-2011-0126, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20210.
OSHA enforces the whistleblower provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and 20 other statutes protecting employees who report reasonably perceived violations of various workplace, commercial motor vehicle, airline, nuclear, pipeline, environmental, railroad, public transportation, maritime, consumer product, health care reform, corporate securities, food safety and consumer financial reform regulations. Additional information is available at http://www.whistleblowers.gov.
. Additional information about motor vehicle injuries and prevention is available at http://www.cdc.gov/winnablebattles/motorvehicleinjury.
