things you should know
NCCI reports gloomy outlook for Workers’ Comp
NCCI is the major national workers' compensation rating agency. A recent report highlighted that medical costs continued to soar even in a declining economic market. While claims continued to decline, medical costs continued to grow at a fast rate. In 2009 costs increased 5.0% while the medical CPI (Consumer Price Index) rose only 3.2%. Medical costs and the efficient delivery of medical benefits continue to be a major issue in the functioning of the Workers' Compensation system nationally.
NIOSH offers guidance on reducing manufacturing injuries
NIOSH recently posted information on reducing injuries and fatalities from contact with objects and falls, both of which are among the leading causes of death for workers in the manufacturing sector.
ILO issues booklet on emerging workplace risks
The International Labour Organization has released a booklet
on emerging workplace hazards and new approaches to prevention.
It discusses numerous safety and health issues, including those related to
technical innovations such as nanotechnology and biotechnology. It also notes
an increase in stress disorders stemming from difficulties "coping with
the changing patterns of working life," according to an ILO press release.
New drilling device reduces worker fatigue, risk of injury
Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, and UC Berkeley reported that their new device for drilling holes into metal or concrete ceilings, which was configured and refined on construction sites with workers and contractors, has been shown to reduce fatigue and risk of injury to workers performing this task. The overhead drilling device is the culmination of a five-year research project that developed and tested a variety of tools designed to assist construction workers during overhead drilling.
Report: Occupational Injuries and Deaths Among Younger Workers—United States, 1998—2007
A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that the death rate for young workers is 3.6 deaths per 100,000 workers – lower than the death rate among workers 25 and older. However, the injury rate for young workers is five emergency care-required injuries per 100 workers – approximately two times higher than the injury rate among older workers.