Posts Tagged ‘ergonomics’

Good laptop ergonomics – for work and for play

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

In the office, on the road or at home, proper ergonomics when using laptops will help to prevent back, shoulder, and wrist problems.

Housekeepers, Revisited

Friday, November 20th, 2009

Back in September we blogged the mass layoffs of housekeepers at the Hyatt Hotels in Boston. After unknowingly training their replacements, long-term employees were laid off, their jobs taken over by employees of a temp firm called Hospitality Staffing Solutions (HSS). Given the the low wages and marginal benefits offered the replacement workers, this solution was lacking in hospitality, to say the least.
Well, there is more to the story. As we read in an article by Steven Greenhouse in the New York Times, a study is about to be published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine on the disproportionate rate of injuries among housekeeping staff in several hotel chains. The findings of the report were presented to the annual meeting of the American Plublic Health Association in Philadelphia.
Would it surprise you to learn that injury rates among housekeepers in the Hyatt chain are nearly double that of the Hilton Hotels? Or that injury rates for hispanic and asian workers were twice as high as those for other workers? The study focused on 50 unionized properties and examined 2,865 injuries over a three-year span. The highest injury rate for housekeepers was at the Hyatt chain, at 10.4 percent, and lowest at the Hilton chain, at 5.47 percent.
Root Causes
Let’s put on our MBA hats and perform a little “causal chain” analysis. The Hyatt Hotels find themselves paying too much for workers comp coverage. The high rate of injuries among housekeepers is driving up their costs. With cost reduction as the over-riding goal, the hotel strikes a deal with HSS, outsourcing the jobs. The cost of labor acquired through HSS is certainly lower for Hyatt (even when you factor in HSS admin and profit), but HSS also assumes responsibility for any workers comp losses. It is incidental and perhaps irrelevant to Hyatt that the work is being performed at much lower wage rates and with fewer benefits. From the Hyatt perspective, the goal has been achieved: hourly labor costs have been reduced and someone else is holding the bag on the cost of injuries.
When you ask the wrong question, you often end up with dubious answers – and, in this case, a public relations nightmare. The right question, of course, is why are Hyatt housekeepers suffering injuries at twice the rate of Hilton employees? As we back up the causal chain, the MBAs at Hyatt should have zeroed in on the real issues: Are we providing the requisite orientation and training for our employees? Are supervisors focused on best ergonomic practices? How well are we managing injured workers: do we provide prompt treatment and speed return to work through modified duty?
Hyatt opted to throw out the housekeepers with the bathwater- a solution that immediately gave rise to largely unforeseen problems, the most prominent being a tongue-lashing from Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. In full disaster-containment mode, Hyatt has offered to continue health insurance coverage and maintain wages of laid off employees – if they agree to join the ranks of HSS. (This “loss leader” of higher wages and benefits comes to an abrupt end next spring.)
One way or another, Hyatt will ride out the PR storm, but the fundamental problem of unsafe practices among housekeepers remains. Perhaps HSS, in the midst of slashing wages and benefits, will commit to making the work and the working conditions safer. I’m not holding my breath. In the meantime, the rooms at the Hyatt will continue to appear spotless, despite the fact that no one seems to care about the people who make them that way.

Health Wonk Review and other news from the blogosphere

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

Health Wonk Review – Bob Laszewski hosts this weeks edition of the best healthcare posts on the Web! – check out this week’s Health Wonk Review.
Pharma – Joe Paduda discusses a planned FDA ban on certain medications which is likely to take a high toll on workers’ comp since they are “old stand-bys, drugs that have long been used to manage chronic and acute pain.” Joe notes: “The loss of these drugs will certainly drive up costs, may lead to adverse events as patients try other medications to replace their now-banned drugs, and may make it harder for patients to get medications.”
Ergonomics – A few ergonomics resources:
Call Center ergonomics: sit-to-stand work stations – if you have workers who spend the better part of their day on the phone or before a computer screen, sit-to-stand works stations might help to minimize repetitive stress injuries.
Exercises that protect against carpal tunnel syndrome – a four and a half minute video with tips from percussionist David Kuckhermann.
Thanks to Ergonmics in the News for the two links above – a great source for the latest news on the topic.
Work violenceHR Daily Advisor recently ran a pair of posts addressing workplace violence prevention. The posts are authored by Dennis A Davis, Ph.D., who notes that, “Because most people follow the rules, and because most violent people give ample signs before they act, employers can be successful at preventing workplace violence.” He offers six key steps for prevention. The first post is Workplace Violence Is Not Beyond Your Control and the second is Are Your Greeters Ready to Deal With a Violent Visitor.
Illegal immigrants – Peter Rousmaniere summarizes and links to A Portrait of Unauthorized Immigrants in the United States, the latest Pew Hispanic Center report on illegal immigrants.

Health Wonk Review and other bloggy news notes

Thursday, September 4th, 2008

Hank Stern has posted a fresh roundup of news from the health wonkosphere over at InsureBlog – check it out: Health Wonk Review: Early September Edition.
ADA update – The folks at George’s Employment Blog has been keeping an eye on changes to the ADA. In July, George Lenard posted on what the ADA amendments will mean if they become law, and more recently, Karen Tofte has posted a second part in the series. She examines how the substantial limitation of major life activities element of the ADA’s definition of disability would be altered.
MA health care – Bob Laszewski of Health Care Policy and Marketplace Review comments on a recent NY Times editorial that looks at the Massachusetts health insurance experience and finds it less costly than expected. Bob points to some problems that must be factored in when assessing the program.
Technology risksErgonomics in the News points us to the article The Downside of Mobility: Injury: “As Wi-Fi–and laptops and mobile devices–become more ubiquitous, users from kids to adults find themselves suffering from injuries ranging from carpel tunnel syndrome to “BlackBerry thumb.” The first in a series of features and reviews on the ergonomics of Wi-Fi-induced mobility, this article offers tips on how to prevent injuries.”
Going and coming – Judge Robert Vonada of Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Journal reports that PA courts upheld compensability in the case of a home health nurse injured while traveling to her patient’s home. The case was complicated by the fact that she provided services to several employers in the course of her day.
Safety – BLR’s Daily Safety Advisor offers tips on Getting the most from your safety committee.

Health Wonk Review and news roundup

Thursday, January 10th, 2008

Bob Laszewski of Health Care Policy and Marketplace Review has posted the first Health Wonk Review of 2008, and it’s a good one because people had to save up their best posts over the last month since we had a short hiatus. Many entries focus on analysis of the presidential candidates’ positions on health care, which will be one of the hot-button issues for the coming election.
A deadly year for public servants – Celeste Monforton of The Pump Handle tells us that 2007 was a deadly year for law enforcement officers, with a 28 percent increase in on-the-job fatalities compared to 2006. Shooting deaths were up 33% and traffic fatalities up 10%. And Occupational Hazards reports that 115 on-duty firefighters died in 2007. Fire Administrator Greg Cade labels 2007 it “one of the most tragic years for firefighters in recent memory.”
High cost of chronic diseaseAn Unhealthy America – the economic burden of chronic disease – is a good reference site to bookmark. Find specific prevalence and costs by disease or by state.
From the courts – Peter Rousmaniere at Working Immigrants posts about a recent South Carolina Supreme Court ruling upholding the right for illegal immigrants to receive workers comp benefits. Courts continue to protect workers who are injured on the job, regardless of legal status. Justice James E. Moore stated that “…disallowing benefits would mean unscrupulous employers could hire undocumented workers without the burden of insuring them, a consequence that would encourage rather than discourage the hiring of illegal workers.” In making its decision, the court cited prior decisions by North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, and Minnesota.
Laptop safety – By their very design, laptops force users into awkward positions so prolonged use can result in muscular fatigue in various body parts and may lead to repetitive stress injuries. Laptop Ergonomics discusses the particular safety hazards related to using laptops and offers recommendations to help help reduce the risk of developing injuries. Hat tip to Ergonomics in the News for the pointer.
Weighty mattersStudy links obesity to absenteeismOccupational Hazards reports on a recent study that links increased rates of absenteeism to morbid obesity, putting the cost at $4.3 billion per year in the United States.

Santa Claus is a risky guy!

Friday, December 21st, 2007

SantaThere’s no two ways about it – Santa is an underwriter’s nightmare. He’s overweight, he drives too fast, and there is some evidence that he is tipping brandy while he drives. Plus he smokes a pipe and eats too many cookies.
Besides all his bad habits, Santa’s job is a nightmare, and he faces a lot of unusual health risks. He is sneezed or coughed on up to ten times a day, and he has been “wet on” in 34% of his mall stops, poor guy! And sometimes, he is even attacked and mauled by his reindeer! (video alert). And an ergonomic risk assessment of Santa’s job turns up a host of other alarming issues that need to be addressed.
Would you insure this guy? One independent insurance agent enumerates Santa’s risks and offers some sound pointers that Santa would do well to heed:

  • Hire a fulltime risk manager, or at least allow his agent to conduct a loss control and safety survey of Santa’s home and workshop.
  • Put together an employee manual and provide instructional DVDs to all supervisors and elves to avoid EPLI claims
  • Expand his in-house manufacturing operation to eliminate the use of sub-contractors and control his liabilities
  • Consider self-insuring some hard-to-place risks in a captive. Bermuda was dismissed as too warm, but Vermont would be acceptable.

 
~~ All of us at Workers Comp Insider wish you and yours a happy and safe holiday season. ~~

News Roundup” Cavalcade of Risk, networks, docs & drugs, scandal watch & more

Friday, May 11th, 2007

Carnival timeCavalcade of Risk #25 is posted at Getting Green. Among other fine entries, we note there are two posts about data security. In one case, the Transportion Security Office lost the records of 100,000 workers – great, that speaks well to their ability to protect us! And in another item, we learn that Chase is careless in disposing of sensitive client materials – and they are obviously not the only ones. Not good. Is your agent, insurer or TPA properly disposing of any claim-related data and records for your organization? You may want to add this item to things you check for in renewals or RFPs.
WC networks – Joe Paduda has some thoughts on the future of workers compensation networks. After meeting with several network executives at the recent RIMS meeting, he sees a definite continuation of the trend away from the national broad-based, discount-oriented networks to regional hybrid networks. Not sure what a Hybrid network is? Joe offers a good explanation in his post. His expert analysis on these matters is worth your attention.
Docs & Drugs – Those free drug samples that physicians hand out may not be such a good idea after all, or so says a recent article in the New York Times. Critics see these as just another example of the close ties between physicians and drug companies, and say that ” … they may actually drive up the cost of health care in the long run, because the drugs being promoted are the most expensive brand-name medications.” We’ve talked about docs and drugs a few times before. (Thanks to HealthLawProf Blog for the pointer to the article)
Scandal watch – We’ve written quite a bit about the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation Coingate scandal. Today we learn that the BWC’s former CFO faces 5 years in prison. His sentence was reduced based on cooperation with authorities, so there is the potential for further shoes to drop. There have been 16 public officials and money managers convicted of various offenses thus far. In other state news, trouble is brewing in the North Dakota workers comp system too.
Geek safety25 Free health Tips for Computer nerds This blog may focus on work-related risks, but play can be dangerous too – In 2005, a 28-year-old South Korean man who played computer games for straight 50 hours died of heart failure. Pass this article on to your IT folks and the bloggers in your life. Via Ergonomics In the News
Notes from the Blogosphere – Congratulations to Michael Fitzgibbon at Thoughts from a Management Lawyer ob his 4-year Blogiversary. Michael is a Toronto-base attorney and professor who keeps us informed about the employment-related goings on in our neighbor to the North. And speaking of Canadian bloggers, we told you that rawblogXport had announced the blog was winding down, but we are happy to note that items are still being posted daily.

Texas enacts safe lifting guidelines for a hazardous industry

Tuesday, June 28th, 2005

Quick – name the three leading industries with the overall greatest numbers of injuries and illnesses.
I’ve run this little pop quiz on people who work in the industry and those who don’t, and it’s rare that people get the right answers. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, the dubious *winners* in the win, place, and show categories are laborers and material movers; heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers; and nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants. (source)
For many people, this information is something like a game my nieces used to play called “one of these things is not like the other.” Many are startled to learn that our nation’s healthcare workers are right up there in the ranks of the nation’s most hazardous professions. The reason is largely due to patient handling that takes a heavy toll in back and neck injuries. An article in ErgoWeb describes some of the hazards for nursing home staff.
“In “Ergonomics: Guidelines for Nursing Homes,” OSHA identifies work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) that include low back pain, sciatica, rotator cuff injuries, epicondylitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. It isn’t difficult to pinpoint why MSDs are such a problem. Nursing home employees care for residents who are disabled by frailty, stroke, fractures, Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions. The work involves heavy lifting, often in confined and awkward spaces.
Some good news from Texas
From Jordan Barab’s Confined Space, we learn that Texas has taken legislative steps to protect healthcare worker safety. The state is the first to enact legislation (TX SB 1525) requiring hospitals and nursing homes to implement a safe patient handling and movement program. The legislation takes effect on January 1, 2006. In his post, Jordan notes:
Most significantly, the law requires the plan to include “procedures for nurses to refuse to perform or be involved in patient handling or movement that the nurse believes in good faith will expose a patient or a nurse to an unacceptable risk of injury.”
This is good news for healthcare workers and hopefully other states will follow suit since OSHA has issued only ergonomic guidelines which, although good for what they are, many feel are meaningless in terms of affording workers any protection.

Return-to-work programs benefit by ergonomics

Tuesday, May 25th, 2004

Ergonomics Today features an article on how ergonomics is an important tool in a successful return-to-work program.

“According to Sheryl Ulin, Ph. D., CPE, Senior Research Associate Engineer at The University of Michigan’s Center for Ergonomics, applying ergonomics principals to return-to-work can help the injured worker return to a more productive state more quickly. The key, she says, is starting with an analysis that takes into account both worker and workplace. … Ulin’s experience shows that a successful return-to-work program incorporates worker, doctor and ergonomist. “If the medical professional writes specific restrictions, we may be able to look at other available positions and determine that [a different job] doesn’t have the [restricted] work-related risk factors,” she says. Even in situations where returning the worker to his or her former position is impractical, “we can still accommodate the worker,” says Ulin.

The article goes on to reference the experience of Dr. Barton Margoshes, Chief Medical Officer of CIGNA:

“Margoshes likes to try to get an injured worker back into his or her old job if at all possible. To do this, ergonomics is not only the key to workspace assessment, it also becomes an important factor in redesigning the workspace. “It’s not so easy to put people into another job,” says Margoshes. “In our case management, we do everything we can to help individuals return to their old jobs at their same employer. Unfortunately employers on their own don’t always think about how to modify the workplace ergonomically. We work with employer and employee to try to figure out how to adapt the workplace to make it fit,” he says.

Lifting guidelines and RTW

Monday, December 15th, 2003

The Ohio Bureau of Workers Comp and Ohio State University have teamed up on a research project that studies back injuries and reinjuries that can occur when people return to work. As an offshoot of the research, they developed an interactive lifting resource with guidelines intended to help employers and physicians in developing realistic transitional work programs. Considering that back injuries cause more time away from work than anything besides the common cold, it’s a resource worth checking out.