Things you should know

Medicare Secondary Payment interest calculation tool updated

The Interest Calculation Tool, featured in the Toolkits section of www.msprc.info, provides accurate interest calculation to the nearest penny and now has additional features to assist you in reimbursing Medicare. When you use this tool, you will notice there are now three additional tabs. These new tabs include New Interest Periods Tab, Demands before October 2004 tab and How Interest is Calculated tab.

Interactive safety training better for dangerous jobs: study

Hands-on safety training, simulation and behavioral modeling for workers in highly hazardous jobs is most effective at improving safe work behavior, according to psychologists from Tulane University who analyzed close to 40 years of research. However, it can be just as effective in preparing workers to avoid accidents when jobs are less dangerous, according to the study, which appeared in the Journal of Applied Psychology (Vol. 96, No. 1).

"The primary psychological mechanism we can offer as an explanation for these results is something called the 'dread factor,'" said the study's lead author, Michael Burke, PhD, of Tulane University. "In a more interactive training environment, the trainees are faced more acutely with the possible dangers of their job and they are, in turn, more motivated to learn about such dangers and how to avoid them."

Reed Group announces enhanced predictive modeling for MDGuidelines

Reed Group, publisher of the industry’s leading return-to-work (RTW) reference toolset, MDGuidelines, has released its newly upgraded predictive modeling tool for tailoring return-to-work (RTW) durations.

Many factors can influence recovery times, and employers, insurers, TPAs and healthcare practitioners all struggle to predict accurately when injured or ill employees will be able to return to work. Predictive modeling tools employ statistical techniques that allow general RTW guidelines to be more closely tailored based on factors such as age, job class and the presence of additional (co-morbid) health conditions.

Free online training for spray polyurethane foam application

Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) has a new online training program to help educate spray polyurethane foam (SPF) users on good safety practices. The free training, which is available at http://www.spraypolyurethane.org/ takes about 1.5 - 2 hours to complete. At the end of the training, users successfully passing a test on the training material receive a “Recognition of Completion” form and wallet-sized card, which are valid for two years.

Alert urges caution when working with beryllium

NIOSH in February issued an alert for beryllium.

Beryllium is a highly toxic metal, and exposure to particles, fumes, mists or solutions from materials containing beryllium can lead to sensitization or chronic beryllium disease, a potentially life-threatening respiratory disease. NIOSH's recommendations include:

For workers:

1. Control beryllium dusts, fumes and mists at the source.
2. Keep work surfaces clean.
3. Do not use cleaning methods that may cause dust to become re-suspended in air.

For employers:

1. Substitute less hazardous materials for beryllium when possible.
2. Keep airborne exposures low, as a safe exposure limit has not been determined.
3. Establish and maintain a skin and respiratory protection program.