Occupational Safety and Health Data Collection and Injury Prevention Work Group

  • September 20, 2006:

Minutes:

Occupational Safety and Health Data Collection and Injury Prevention Work Group

Minutes

Bureau of Labor Standards First Floor Conference Room September 20, 2006 10:00 - 11:30 A.M.

Present: William Peabody, Chair (Maine Department of Labor), John Rioux, Vice Chair (Maine Department of Labor), Brad Brown (Maine Bureau of Insurance),Peter Doran (Maine Occupational Research Agenda), Kim Lim (Maine Department of Labor), Al May (Bureau of Health), Louise Morang (Maine Association of Occupational Nurses), and Leslie Walleigh (Workplace Health)

Absent: Gary Baxter (Maine Employers Mutual Insurance Company), Brian Doe (Hannaford), Jeff Levesque (Workers? Compensation Board), Stephanie Jazlowiecki (McTeague-Higbee), Steve Minkowsky (Workers? Compensation Board), Vanessa Santarelli (Maine Department of Labor), Carol Tompkins (Cannon Cochran Management Services, Inc.), Dave Wacker (Maine Department of Labor), and Stefanie LaRose (Canon Cochran Management Services, Inc.),

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

Bill Peabody called the meeting of the Occupational Safety and Health Data Collection and Injury Prevention Work Group to order at 10:10 A.M.

June 21, 2006 Minutes. Peter Doran made a motion to approve the minutes as amended. John Rioux seconded the motion. Vote, unanimous.

Data & Prevention Subgroups Update. Data Subgroup ? Al May. The Data Subgroup reviewed the work group template to see what still needs to be done. Several items have been completed. Once they are all completed, they will be summarized into one sheet.

Prevention Subgroup ? Leslie Walleigh. The subgroup is still working on the survey and letter. It will be sent to Dawn McKenney. Needs to get out as soon as possible.

Timeline Updates ? John Rioux. John handed out new copies of the timeline. Those in red have been extended as the work group did not meet during the summer. Project templates should be done even if project is not completed.

Kim will do a template for the EDI evaluation for the next meeting.

Al and John will contact Adam Fisher to develop an educational outreach for promotional purposes for the Maine Department of Labor web site.

Bill urged getting the survey going.

Al handed out a draft of the project template regarding Maine Hospital Data. Discussion followed regarding coding of the hospital data.

Other. Bill said that in gearing up for the upcoming legislative session, there is a bill for increasing penalties for state agencies for occupational safety and health violations.

Bill presented an update on the Workplace Violence Task Force, who will be holding their third meeting tomorrow at 1:30 pm. There is interest in a data question, which is how do you use crime statistics as an indicator for this type of hazard?

Al asked Bill about the life span of the work group. Bill said that as long as the Department of Labor, the Bureau of Labor Standards, and members of the group feel there is useful work to do, the group will stay together.

Peter stated that at the MORA meeting, Mike Rowland (Maine Migrant Health Program) had shared initiatives regarding Workers? Compensation as the extent to which migrant workers are covered at this time. He raised the question of exploring and trying to understand how they are covered, etc. Bill said this could be looked at in the next year as the Bureau includes Migrant and Immigrant Services and supports them. Peter explained that MORA is interested in this project and they will work with Mike Rowland as it fits into MORA?s priorities.

Also, Peter stated that Earl Dotter is putting together an exhibit on blueberry harvesting as well as other agricultural settings with MEMIC. He feels it is a good opportunity to draw legislative and public attention to migrant workers.

Next meeting ? Wednesday, October 18, 2006. The agenda will include a final check in on timeline, an early draft for November reports, and a legislative update.

Adjournment. Bill Peabody adjourned the meeting at 11:24 A.M.

Respectfully submitted,

Terry M. Hathaway Recording Secretary