3RD QUARTER 2005 EDITION
MEADOWBROOK/TPA ASSOCIATES
Editors Comments
I
SCC has experienced a large number of injuries for 2004 and now for 2005. My interpretation
of these figures, a review of the accident reports, and conducting accident investigations tells
me that strains and sprains from lifting, computer work (upper extremity disorders) and slips &
falls continue to account for the large majority of these cases. By focusing in on these areas, on a
daily basis, by the supervisor should help to raise the awareness of these issues with employees
which can help to reduce frequency of injuries.
Some tips:
Make safety part of your daily agenda.
•
•
•
•
•
Institute Safety committees – Not only review accidents but question departments/
managers and supervisors to help determine measures to prevent the same injury from occurring in the future. Use the information from these pages to focus your safety efforts so the
same injury doesn’t happen at your facility.
Facility inspections – conduct regular inspections of your facility not only to correct unsafe
conditions but to observe employees, offering suggestions for improved safety practices.
Lifting – observe and offer improvements to employees who are not lifting safely.
Computer safety – do you know a good setup vs. a bad one? See if you can help others to
achieve a reasonable posture adding breaks and stretches too.
Slips & Falls - Identify known areas where slips and falls occur and take corrective action.
In the Fall/winter, dress for the weather, slow you pace outside. ■
CORRAL YOUR STRESS!
IN THIS ISSUE…
Page #2
• Accident Update
• Safety Grant Program
• Could this accident
have been avoided?
Page #3
• 2nd Quarter Statistics
Page #4
• 3rd Quarter Statistics
Page #5
• 2005 Video Library
Page #6
• Fall Safety Workshops
Page #7
• Facilities for your return
to work program and
post offer/ prepre-hire
physical evaluations
BACKPACKS: IT’S ALL IN
ressure, tension, change, and worry all
THE BAG
contribute to causing stress in our daily
lives! A little bit of stress can be helpful to
ackpacks are no longer used
Page #8
keep us at peak performance levels but too
by students alone. As more
• ISCC Leadership
much stress is harmful to both the body and the
employees opt for using backpacks • Predicting a favorable
mind. Stress can be manageable if we take
instead of conventional briefcases,
return to work outcome
positive actions to combat the negative results. your company may see an increase in back injury related claims. While they may seem safe,
Listed below are a few tips to assist you in
people who do not pack or carry their backpacks
managing the every day stressproperly are susceptible to chronic back and
• Exercise regularly and get 8 hours of sleep neck problems, according to the American Chia night
ropractic Association.
• Eat healthy
Some tips to avoid backpack injuries• Plan your day and prioritize
• Know your limits
• Weight should not exceed 10% of the per• Communicate your problems with a
son’s own weight
trusted friend
• Wear high on the back not low on the hips
• Periodically relax, take a break during the
workday
• Dimensions should be no longer than the
• Don’t procrastinate, solve the problem
person’s shoulders to hips and no wider
than rib cage
• Schedule time for fun
• Trust yourself
• Lift the pack by squatting at the knees or
LOSS CONTROL DEPARTMENT
• Be flexible
(P)888.444.4872
from a desk ■
• Seek professional; medical attention if
(F)978.681.1987
persistent ■
P
B
TPALOSSCONTROL@MEADOWBROOK.COM
THIS
NEWSLETTER IS PROVIDED SOLELY FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES AND IS NOT TO BE INTERPRETED AS LEGAL ADVICE.
© 2005
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS COMPENSATION CORPORATION • 3RD QUARTER 2005
ACCIDENT UPDATE
NOTICE!
DEPARTMENT
Lawnmower Safety
OF INDUSTRIAL
ACCIDENTS
Safety Grant Program
T
his past summer on clear and sunny Friday morning, a long time
maintenance worker at one of schools had just finished cutting an
athletic field for an event later in the day. Like all of us on a Friday he
was looking forward to finishing work and starting the weekend. In
the afternoon as he was getting ready to go home he was informed that
the field had not been cut short enough and would have to be cut
again.
Late in the afternoon, he began the process of cutting the lawn again.
He went to the maintenance garage to get the walk-behind mower as
well as his goggles and ear protection and began to cut the lawn for the
second time that day. While cutting the field, the mower became
clogged with grass. This had probably happened to him many times in
the past and he would usually shut off the mower, disconnect the
spark-plug , dislodge the grass, and reverse the process and continue
cutting. But today was different, he was cutting the field for a second
time that day and he was in a rush to get the job done and start the
weekend. He decided to take a short cut, with the machine still running he held the blade shut-off guard open with one hand so that both
the engine and blade kept spinning and with the other hand reached
down to remove the clogged grass. In his haste, his hand was hit by the
spinning blade, cutting two fingers. This action required a trip to the
local emergency room for medical treatment.
What can we learn from this accident?
Bypassing machine safe guards eventually can lead to an accident,
which is entirely preventable. In this case, rushing to complete a job
lead to bypassing the lawnmower safety features placing the employee
in jeopardy of injury. Taking the extra time to clear a jam, allows you
to enjoy your time off, injury-free.
I
f you are interested beyond the scope of the ISCC contract, then you should consider a DIA Safety Grant.
Now is the time to begin the process of making an application for a Safety Grant. Each October the DIA issues a letter
to announce the start of the Safety Grant Request for Response (RFR) process. The application deadline is in March
of the following calendar year.
The grants issued in the past have helped fund the training of
over 225,000 Massachusetts workers in the past 15 years.
The grants are not limited to specific kind of training, but
will cover any training that improves workplace safety
(proper lifting techniques, Hazard Communication, ergonomics, etc.)
For more information, please contact us or the DIA Office of
Safety:
Dan DeMille- (978) 683-6420 x135
email: dand@dia.state.ma.us
The Department of Industrial Accidents Safety Training,
Education and Occupational Health Grants: (617) 727-4900
www.mass.gov/DIA
Or visit The State of Operational Services Division Internet
Site: www.mass.gov/osd for the RFR process.
TIMELINE:
October: Announcement letter to begin “RFR” process
March: Deadline for application
June: Notification Process to grant recipients
July: Finding available (DIA’s Fiscal Year)
Aug/Sept: Programs may begin ■
Golf Cart Safety
As we see more and more facilities using golf/gator carts, we are receiving more injuries in this area, many of which we feel are easily
preventable, for example:
On a warm, sunny and dry day at a facility that used golf carts to provide access to the athletic department, was carrying material such as
water and ice from one field to another. In order to do this two members of the athletic department, one a student and the other a student
on a work study program, loaded up the golf cart with water and ice to
bring to the various fields. They had been doing this on a daily basis
since the student-athletes reported to school to begin fall practice. The
passenger in the golf cart was sitting in with one foot on the top of an
ice cooler and the other extended outside the cart, as they drove from
one field to another. As the driver approached the gate to a field he
was unaware that his passenger’s foot was extended outside the golf
cart. As he slowed down to enter the gate to the field, the passenger’s
foot got caught on the gate, and was fractured resulting in a trip to the
local emergency room and a two weeks out of work. How could have
this incident been prevented? ■
PAGE 2
COULD THIS ACCIDENT HAVE
BEEN AVOIDED?
I
ncidents are often predictable and can
be avoided. For example… “Employee
was walking down the stairs and missed
the last three steps”. The result was a
fractured ankle causing the employee to
miss time away from work. On the surface it appeared to be just an accident
that could happen to anyone in any
place. However, once investigated, the
investigator found that the employee was
carrying boxes, which hindered the employee’s view of the stairs. Was this an
accident or an incident? It was not an
accident at all but an incident that was
highly predictable and that could have
been avoided. Should someone be carrying a load that impairs visibility while
moving from one location to another?
This could have been avoided! ■
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS COMPENSATION CORPORATION • 3RD QUARTER 2005
2Q Top 5 Injuries by Cost
$189,475
$200,000.00
$150,000.00
$86,906
$100,000.00
$44,043
$39,164
$35,267
Inflammation/Irritation or Joint
or Nerve
Cumlative Injury (NOC)
$50,000.00
$0.00
Strain
Fracture
Contusion (B ruise)
2Q Top 5 Injuries by Count
50
44
40
32
29
30
18
20
8
10
0
Strain
Contusion (Bruise)
Laceration, Puncture, Open
Wound
2Q Top 5 Injured Body Parts by Cost
$60,000
$49,508
$50,000
$48,421
Fracture
2Q Top 5 Injuried Body Parts by Count
20
$51,893
Sprain
19
18
$47,290
$43,006
$40,000
16
14
13
11
12
9
10
$30,000
9
8
$20,000
6
4
$10,000
2
0
$0
Low er Back Low er Left
Leg
Head
(Including
Brain)
Right Knee
Back
PAGE 3
Fingers
Back
Multiple
Low er Back
Body Parts
Multiple
Upper
Extremities
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS COMPENSATION CORPORATION • 3RD QUARTER 2005
3Q Top 5 Injuries by Total Cost
$70,000.00
3Q05 Top 5 Injuries by Count
$61,333
25
$60,000.00
21
20
$50,000.00
$33,500
$40,000.00
$30,000.00
15
15
$27,394
13
10
10
$20,000.00
$10,570
$10,500
$10,000.00
5
$0.00
Strain
Fracture
Contusion Laceration, Puncture
(Bruise)
Puncture,
Open
Wound
0
Strain
3Q05 Top 5 Body Parts Injured by Cost
$30,000.00
23
Laceration,
Puncture,
Open
Wound
Sprain
Contusion Bite or Sting
(Bruise)
3Q05 Top 5 Body Parts Injured by Count
14
$25,500
13
12
$25,000.00
$20,000
$20,000.00
10
$15,546
$14,000
$15,000.00
$12,000
$10,000.00
8
6
6
Back
Multiple
Body Parts
6
6
6
4
$5,000.00
2
$0.00
0
Right Wrist
Chest
Left Wrist
Right
Shoulder
Left Hand
PAGE 4
Fingers
Right Ankle Right Hand
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS COMPENSATION CORPORATION • 3RD QUARTER 2005
ISCC 2005 Safety Video Library
To Request a Video Please fill out a Request Form by Visiting:
www.meadowbrooktpa.com-Free to ISCC Members
Company
Title (Alphabetical)
Running
Time
(mm:ss)
Alcohol and Drugs: Personal Action
Back Exercises
ITS
13:00
J.J. Keller
TBD
Back Safety
J.J. Keller
TBD
Back Safety – ExpressTrain
Coastal
9:00
Bloodborne Pathogens- ExpressTrain
Coastal
9:40
Bloodborne Pathogens- Workplace Precautions for Industry
ITS
16:00
Blueprints for Safety – Accident Investigation
CLMI
12:00
Blueprints for Safety – Confined Space Entry
CLMI
17:30
Blueprints for Safety – Construction Fall Protection
CLMI
12:00
Blueprints for Safety – Effective Safety Committees
CLMI
17:33
Blueprints for Safety – Emergency Preparedness
CLMI
14:00
Blueprints for Safety – Hazard Communication
CLMI
12:34
Computer Usage – Ergo Success
J.J. Keller
TBD
Contractor Safety: General Requirements
Coastal
19:00
Computer Usage
TBD
Emergency Action Plan: Crisis Under Control
J.J. Keller
Comprehensive Loss
Mgt., Inc.
Coastal
16:00
Emergency Evacuation: Getting Out Alive
Coastal
16:00
Ergonomics: The 24-Hr Body
Coastal
18:00
Ergonomics: Your Body at Work
Coastal
20:00
Falls, Awareness, and Prevention
ITS
15:00
Fire Safety – ExpressTrain
Coastal
8:00
Groundskeeping Safety: Be A Pro!
Coastal
17:00
Effective Safety Committees
TBD
Hazard Communication: ExpressTrain
Coastal
8:30
Hazard Communication: Your Class is Waiting
ITS
14:40
Intro to Behavior-Based Safety: Behavior Analysis
Coastal
TBD
Intro to Behavior-Based Safety: Foundation Concepts – Shifting the Paradigm
Coastal
TBD
It Only Takes a Second
Aurora Pictures
TBD
Job Safety Analysis
J.J. Keller
20:00
Laboratory Safety: The Finer Points
Coastal
17:00
Landscape: Power Tools
Coastal
20:00
Lifting
J.J. Keller
TBD
Lockout/Tagout - ExpressTrain
Coastal
8:00
Materials Handling
J.J. Keller
TBD
Medical Emergencies: Citizen Responder
Coastal
18:00
Office Ergonomics
ITS
17:45
Personal Protective Equipment: ExpressTrain
Coastal
9:00
Power Hand Tool Safety: Handle With Care
Coastal
19:00
ProActive Safety Attitudes: Looking Out for Number 1
Coastal
15:00
ProActive Safety Attitudes: Target Zero!
Coastal
16:00
Rudy-Safety Takes Courage
Coastal
16:00
Safety 101: Back Safety: Lift Well, Live Well
Coastal
15:00
Safety Coach: The 7 C’s of Safety
Coastal
19:00
Safety Orientation: It Takes A Winning Attitude
Coastal
18:00
Stress Management: Personal Action
12:15
Video Display Terminals: The Battle for Comfort
ITS
MMIV Prevention
Plus, Inc.
Coastal
Weathering the Storm: Disaster Planning
Coastal
13:00
Wellness: Skills for a Lifestyle Change
ITS
14:55
Workers’ Compensation: You Make It All Come Together
ITS
8:50
Workplace Violence: The Calm Before the Storm
Coastal
25:00
The Back Pack
PAGE 5
TBD
21:00
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS COMPENSATION CORPORATION • 3RD QUARTER 2005
Meadowbrook/TPA Associates is Pleased to Announce….
ISCC Fall Safety Workshops Dates:
Tuesday, November 1st
8:45-Noon
DIA, Lawrence-Janas Center-Rte. 114, exit 42b off of I-495
Friday, November 4th
8:45-Noon
Smith College-Mary Maples Pavilion
Monday, November 7th
8:30-Noon
New England Aquarium
Education Dept. Conference Center, 1st Floor of parking garage
Wednesday, November 9th
8:45-Noon
Stoughton Courtyard Marriott
Friday, November 11th
8:45-Noon
Holy Cross College
Hogan Center, 4th Floor, Suite A
Or
Tuesday, October 18th
Annual Safety/Risk Management Day
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
8:00 am-1:00 pm
(can satisfy the one ISCC seminar per year requirement)
More information to follow regarding workshops!
This is your last chance to attend your Mandatory ISCC Safety Seminar!
Topics Include:
•
Best Practices-round table discussion-bring in your favorites!
(Safety Committees, Facility Inspections, OSHA Programs, etc.)
•
How to Reduce Slip and Fall Injuries
•
Practical Ergonomics/Work Station Evaluations and Job Observations
•
Accident Investigation Techniques
PAGE 6
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS COMPENSATION CORPORATION • 3RD QUARTER 2005
These facilities can be used for your return to work program, post offer/pre-hire physical evaluations, periodic physicals,
etc. We encourage their use or the use of equivalent facilities in order to help obtain the best fit for a job, work with injured
employees to bring them back to work within a reasonable time-frame, and conduct fitness for duty evaluations, etc. Please
do not hesitate to ask them to come into your facility to become familiar with your operations in an effort to assist you with
early return to work measures.
Location
Facility
Address
Phone
Attleboro
Occupational Health Services @ Sturdy Hospital
211 Park St
(508)236-7500
Auburn
Occupational Health @ Fallon Clinic
35 Millbury St
(508)721-1195
Ayer
Occupational Health Ctr @ Deaconess Nashoba
200 Groton Road
(978)784-9328
Boston
NE Baptist Hospital Occupational Medicine Ctr
125 Parker Hill Ave
(617)754-5620
Boston
Occupational Health Program @ Boston Med Ctr
Menino Pavillion
(617)638-8400
Bourne
Bourne Bridge Medical/Occupational Health Svc
1 Trowbridge Pl, Ste 200
(508)743-0322
Brockton
Caritas Good Samaritan Occ. Health Services
235 North Pearl St
(508)427-3900
Cambridge
Mt Auburn Hospital Occupational Health Services
777 Concord Ave, Ste 301
(617)354-0546
Chelsea
Occupational Health Ctr of Chelsea
1000 Broadway
(617)660-6360
Concord, NH
Occupational Health & Rehab
171 Pleasant St
(603)223-2300
East Boston
Logan International Health Ctr
1 Harborside Dr
(617)568-6500
Framingham
MetroWest Occupational Medicine
341 Cochituate Rd, Ste 8
(508)626-0386
Framingham
Occupational Health @ Fallon Clinic
85 Lincoln St, 2nd Floor
(508)370-7344
Greenfield
Occupational Health & Rehab
489 Bernardston Road
(413)772-5055
Hampton, NH
Occupational Health & Rehab
861 Lafayette Road Ste1B
(603)929-1648
Holyoke
Work Connection
575 Beech St
(413)534-2546
Leominster
Occupational Health @ Fallon Clinic
165 Mill St
(978)534-6500
Londonderry, NH
Occupational Health & Rehab
156 Harvey Road
(603)644-3330
Milton
Milton Hospital Occupational Health Ctr
92 Highland St
(617)696-4600 ext 1681
Nashua, NH
Occupational Health & Rehab
14A Broad St
(603)889-2354
Needham
Occupational Health Ctr @Deaconess Glover
148 Chestnut St
(781)453-3041
Newton
Newton-Wellesley Hosp Occ. Health Services
2014 Washington St
(617)243-6146
Northampton
Occupational Health Services
30 Locust St
(413)582-2480
Pawtucket, RI
Occupational Health & Rehab
203 Concord St, Ste 301
(401)722-8880
Peabody
Occupational Health Ctr of North Shore
27A Sentennial Dr
(978)532-2428
Smithfield, RI
Occupational Health Ctr @ Fogarty
116 Eddie Dowling Hwy
(401)769-2200 ext 5400
Springfield
Occupational Health & Rehab
140 Carando Dr
(413)746-4006
Stoneham
Occupational Health Ctr of Stoneham
61 Main St, Suite 10
(781)438-9600
Taunton
Morton Hospital Occupational Health Service
88 Washington St
(508)824-0243
Taunton
Morton Hospital Occupational Health Service
2005 Bay St
(508)824-0243
Waltham
Occupational Health Ctr of Waltham Healthpoint
840 Winter St
(781)684-0404
Warwick, RI
Kent Occupational Health
2191 Post Road, Ste 3
(401)738-8100
Westboro
Occupational Health @ Fallon Clinic
106 East Main St
(508)871-0777
Wilmington
Occupational Health & Rehab
66B Concord St
(978)657-3826
Winthrop
Occupational Health Services
52 Crest Ave Ste 7A
(617)846-6131
Worcester
Occupational Health @ Fallon Clinic
630 Plantation St
(508)853-2854
PAGE 7
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS COMPENSATION CORPORATION • 3RD QUARTER 2005
CORNELIUS N. BAKKER, JR., PRESIDENT, ISCC
BANCROFT POOR, MASSACHUSETTS AUDUBON SOCIETY
WILLIAM J. CONLEY, HOLY CROSS
BASIL STEWART, SMITH COLLEGE
KATHY CANNON, CLARK UNIVERISTY
DON VINCENT, NEW ENGLAND AQUARIUM
LINDA MURPHY CHURCH, WELLESLEY COLLEGE
TED WADE, ECOLE BILINGUE
EDWARD J. GOTGART, SAVIO PREPRATORY H.S.
KAREN WHITE, WILBRAHAM & MONSON ACADEMY
WILLIAM MCC. VICKERY, AMHERST COLLEGE
Claim and Loss Control Committee
CORNELIUS N. BAKKER, JR., PRESIDENT, ISCC
BANCROFT POOR, MASSACHUSETTS AUDUBON SOCIETY
WILLIAM J. CONLEY, HOLY CROSS, CHAIRPERSON
GLORIA GRANFIELD, WILLISTON NORTHAMPTON SCHOOL
ELIZABETH J. CARMICHAEL, FIVE COLLEGES INC.
REMLE GORDON, WHEATON COLELGE
JOCK BURNS, THE PINGREE SCHOOL
KATHRYN HOWE-STEWART, WELLESLEY COLLEGE
PAUL COUTE, CLARK UNIVERSITY
KAREN WHITE, WILBRAHAM & MONSON ACADEMY
DAVID EVERITT, CLARK UNIVERSITY
PAUL D. WYKES, OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE
LAURA A. GAUDETTE, BELMONT-HILL SCHOOL
Predicting a favorable return-to-work
outcome
L
iberty Mutual Insurance has summarized several studies
from their Center for Disability Research. The studies
identify factors that can predict a successful return-to-work outcome.
Improvement Predictors
Out of 16 potential disability risk factors, the following were
found to be the best predictors of improvement:
• Job tenure
• Physical work demands
• Availability of modified duty
• Earlier reporting to employer
• Self-ratings of pain and mood
The results showed that all of these were better predictors of improvement than the results of a health history or physical examination.
Positive effects of Supervisor training
Results from a field-based study of supervisor training on disability outcomes showed that supervisors who attended a fourhour training workshop achieved a 47% reduction in new workBased on a survey of 3,000 injured workers, older workers who
experienced positive return -to- work outcomes, more often said ers’ compensation claims. The control group that did not receive
their greatest source of support was from coworkers who assisted the initial training experienced a 19% reduction in claims. The
training emphasized communication skills and the value of ergothem. Younger workers more often relied on support from sunomic accommodation for workers reporting injuries or health
pervisors or health-care providers.
concerns. Earlier studies have indicated that a supervisor’s reEarlier studies have shown that older workers have better return- sponse to an injured worker can make the difference between
to-work outcomes after an injury than younger workers, even
rapid return to work and prolonged disability. (Keller’s Industrial
though their injuries tended to be more severe. Younger workers Safety Report, July 2005)■
may not have developed the same close workplace friendships as
older workers. These types of relationships seem to play an important role in the success of an injured worker’s early return.
Coworkers key for older workers’ return
PAGE 8