Home → Workplace Safety → Occupational Safety and Health Data Collection and Injury Prevention Work Group → Minutes

Occupational Safety and Health Data Collection and Injury Prevention Work Group

February 15, 2006:

Minutes:

Minutes

Bureau of Labor Standards First Floor Training Room February 15, 2006 10:00 - 11:30 A.M.

Present: William Peabody, Chair (Maine Department of Labor), Gary Baxter (Maine Employers Mutual Insurance Company), Brad Brown (Maine Bureau of Insurance), Peter Doran (Maine Occupational Research Agenda), John Rioux, Vice Chair (Maine Department of Labor), Stephanie Jazlowiecki (McTeague-Higbee), Jeff Levesque (Workers? Compensation Board), Kim Lim (Maine Department of Labor), Louise Morang (Maine Association of Occupational Nurses), John Rioux (Maine Department of Labor), Carol Tompkins (Cannon Cochran Management Services, Inc.), Dave Wacker (Maine Department of Labor), and Leslie Walleigh (Workplace Health).

Absent: Brian Doe (Hannaford), Al May (Bureau of Health), Steve Minkowsky (Workers? Compensation Board), Vanessa Santarelli (Maine Department of Labor), Stefanie LaRose (Canon Cochran Management Services, Inc.),

Staff: Terry Hathaway (Maine Department of Labor) & Ted Bradstreet (Maine Department of Labor)

William Peabody, Chair, called the Occupational Safety and Health Data Collection and Injury Prevention Work Group to order at 10:01 A.M.

January 25, 2006 Minutes. After a correction in the first line on page 3, adding the word ?be? before sent, Jeff Levesque made a motion to approve the minutes with the correction. The motion was seconded by Dave Wacker. Vote, unanimous.

Report to Legislature ? Bill Peabody. The report to the Legislature is at printing. Leslie said that although she had asked that the Legislative Report be sent to the Health and Human Services Committee, she has found out that it might not be appropriate. Bill will discuss with someone higher up the line to find out the protocol.

Data & Prevention Subgroups Update.

Data Subgroup ? John Rioux. John and Ann Beaulieu (Maine Department of Labor) attended a meeting with the Internal EDI Committee at Workers? Compensation. They are working on EDI rules. John came away with a better idea of the EDI data elements. Needs will be addressed. Cost data and wage information will be brought over to the database at the Workers? Compensation Board. The Workers? Compensation Report Flow and EDI transfer is being discussed.

The Data Subgroup discussed how to standardize the M-1 Form (Workers? Compensation). It was suggested that the group look at ergonomic and MSD cases to see if the data tells anything over a period of time. In terms of prevention, the group could check into existing statistics to see what they might show.

Prevention Subgroup ? Dave Wacker. The Prevention Subgroup discussed developing a survey for small employers. A draft will be submitted at the next Prevention Subgroup meeting as well as the next meeting of the entire group. Brad Brown will provide MOD 2 information at the next meeting.

Legislative Update ? Bill Peabody. Bill will be attending a legislative work session tomorrow afternoon concerning workplace violence. There will be a work group and Bill may call on members of this group to help with the report.

Bill stated it is a quiet year. There is one Bill before the Legislature, which requires contractors who are working on State projects have the OSHA 10-hour training.

Planning the Year ? John Rioux. John handed out the Work Plan from the last meeting. He asked members for input ? setting standards for insurers offering consultation and training. If folks come up with more tasks, let John know.

Also, John handed out a matrix from Al May for the group for the upcoming year, which has columns for the Tasks, the Key Individuals, and Due Dates (the meeting dates are listed in the Matrix).

John discussed that the deadline for the next year?s annual Legislative Report would be November 15, 2006 to allow the report to go through the approval process. The Data and Prevention Subgroups should complete their work by the October meeting to allow time for approval and any clean-up.

Jeff needs a letter of support from the group for him to do an EDI analysis of the system?s reporting structures. He will report to the group at the July 19th meeting.

Other. Dave explained the SafetyWorks Training Institute (STI), which has moved to the Department of Transportation (DOT) building in Fairfield on Route 201. STI is on the second floor. He explained that the furniture has been moved from the First Floor Training Room. There will be an open house on February 21st at 9:30 AM. The BLS offices will also be moving by September, either the old Digital plant in North Augusta or the Carleton Woolen building in Winthrop.

Leslie asked if the work group could change the next meeting date from March 15th to March 22nd as the Maine Indoor Air Quality Conference is slated for March 15th. Bill said that Terry will poll the membership and let them know.

Bill asked the group if there are any presentations they would like in the near future. At the current time, OSHA is on ?hold?. If the subgroup chairs can think of any presentations by outsiders, they should notify Bill.

Peter asked how can the work group impact prevention? John suggested by improving the reporting process. Peter also brought up schools. Bill stated that the Bureau had been working with some of the school systems. There are specific problems, assaults. Dave and his group are meeting with schools. Leslie suggested the inappropriate placement of students in schools (mainstreaming).

John will modify the work plan and send it out to the group.

Next Meeting. The next regularly scheduled meeting may be held on Wednesday, March 15, 2006, at 10:00 to 11:30 AM, in the First Floor Training Room or on Wednesday, March 22nd, depending on the outcome of the poll. The Data and Prevention Subgroups will meet at 9:00 prior to the work group meeting.

Adjournment. Bill Peabody adjourned the meeting at 11:30 AM. Respectfully submitted,

Terry M. Hathaway Recording Secretary