Maine Occupational Research Agenda (MORA) Meeting
Minutes

Bureau of Labor Standards

Third Floor Conference Room

May 12, 2004

 

Staff Present: Desi-Rae Grady, Terry Hathaway, Lynne Lamstein, & John Rioux.

 

Members Present: Brad Brown (Bureau of Insurance), Ron Dyer (DEP), Carol Eckert (MIOHE), Saskia Janes (Maine Public Health Association), Ruth Lawson-Stopps (Occupational Health Associates), Jonathan Lepoff (Consultant), Jeff Levesque (Maine Workers’ Compensation Board), Kim Lim (Bureau of Labor Standards), Dwight Littlefield (Maine Bureau of Health), Ivan Most (Strategic Occupational Health), & Leslie Walleigh (Workplace Health).

 

Members Absent:  Valerie Carter (Bureau of Labor Education), Peter Crockett (MLGH), Peter Doran (MIOHE), Sharon D’Orsie (USM), Denise Dumont (U.S. HealthWorks), Heather Mason (Maine Safety Council), Steve Minkowsky (Maine Workers’ Compensation Board), Louise Morang (MAOHN), Pat Philbrook (Maine State Nurses Association) & Jonathan Torres (WorkMed),

 

Ivan Most, Chair, opened the meeting at 9:02 A.M.

 

 

Approval of March 10, 2004 Minutes.  Jeff Levesque made a motion to accept the minutes. Jonathan Lepoff, seconded. Vote, unanimous.

 

Operative Document. Saskia Janes and Ivan Most led the discussion on the Operative Document. Saskia had organized the Operative Document. The group looked at Goal #1 and it’s objectives, setting up responsible parties, and resources. Kim Lim suggested running this document by William Peabody. He also suggested that MORA tie in with the six (6) key areas. Also, perhaps the Occupational Safety and Health Data Collection and Injury Prevention Work Group could be a resource. Ruth Lawson-Stopps made a motion that at the next MORA meeting that the members be divided into (3) groups to discuss each objective

 

Prevention Data Advisory Group Update - Leslie Walleigh. Leslie reported that Ellen Schnieter, Dirigo Health, spoke at the last meeting of the Occupational Safety and Health Data Collection and Injury Prevention Work Group. Ms. Scneiter explained that Dirigo would be open to small employers, people without insurance, etc. Also, Ms. Schnieter asked for assistant in providing questions for the Health Risk Assessment. Members of the Prevention Data Advisory Group and MORA are asked to e-mail their occupational health questions to Jeff Levesque by Tuesday, May 18^th.

 

2005 Conference Committee Update - Kim Lim. Kim said that he will know if funding will be available at the end of June. The Conference Committee, consisting of Carol Eckert, Lynne Lamstein, Ivan Most, and Kim Lim, will come up with an alternate plan for funding, should the grant not be accepted. Kim announced that there is $7,000 left from the last MORA conference. The Conference Committee will provide an update at the next meeting. MORA members are encouraged to submit any suggestions to the Conference Committee, including local speakers for special populations.  Discussion included the possibility that we may need to forego the exhibit by Earl Dotter, since funds may not be available.  As Peter Doran has already contacted Mr. Dotter, Ivan will speak to Peter.

 

Carol Eckert suggested a speaker representing the disabled worker (i.e., disabled from birth, but working), such as Goodwill.

 

Discussion also included MIOHE, which needs to be reactivated on project status.

 

Meeting with Commissioner May 13, 2004 - Ivan Most. Ivan Most explained that the meeting the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Labor came about as a result of the meeting with Bill Peabody, Director, Maine Bureau of Labor Standards. One of the issues to be discussed will be how MORA can fill in for the Commission of Safety and Health in the Maine Workplace, which was created by the Legislature in 1988 and disbanded by Commission members a few months ago. Does MORA want to take on the element of assessment of the Commission. Ivan Most will stay with the agenda of his letter to the Commissioner.

 

Harvard School of Public Health - Ivan Most. A handout was included for the RFP - $7,500 per proposal. Suggestions for grants were made. Ruth Lawson-Stopps and Lynne Lamstein suggested a proposal regarding the aging work force - how employees see their place of work, how employers see aging workers, etc. Leslie Walleigh will speak to Carol Eckert regarding a pilot project offering free blood lead screenings for the outer Augusta area. Jeff Levesque suggested a project regarding the psycho-social factors and costs regarding claimants. RFP’s have a due date of June 1^st. Folks will report back to MORA at the next meeting.

 

Ron Dyer made a motion that MORA support all three (3) RFP’s. Ruth Lawson-Stopps, seconded. Vote, unanimous.

 

Open Forum - Exchange on Conferences, Research, Doctoral Thesis, Etc. 

 

MORA Contact	Title of Event	Sponsoring  Organization	Location & Date
Ron Dyer	Chemical Information Seminar	USM Toxicology Program & MORA	Late July - TBD
Ivan Most	Forum to Look at Indoor Air Quality	American Lung Association of Maine	UNE, Biddeford May 19-20, 2004

 

Ron Dyer made a motion that MORA cosponsor the Chemical Information Seminar to be held in late July. Jonathan Lepoff seconded the motion. Vote, unanimous.

 

Jeff Levesque stated that more workers’ compensation claims are being made regarding indoor air quality, especially through MSMA (Maine School Management Association) and MMA (Maine Municipal Association).

 

Leslie Walleigh provided an update on work-related asthma. Leslie handed out copies of the final draft of the “White Paper” written by the American Lung Association of Maine to those members who were not at last month’s meeting. She would like to use MORA as a sounding board.

 

Terry Hathaway asked members to review a letter to the president of the Maine Safety Council drafted by Sharon D’Orsie. After discussion, Ruth Lawson-Stopps made a motion to table this until the Operative Documents is finished and what we want for MORA membership is determined. Jeff Levesque, seconded. Vote, Unanimous.

 

Summer Meetings - Ivan Most. Ivan Most suggested no July meeting. Members were in agreement.

 

Next Meeting - June 9, 2004 - Agenda. The next meeting of the MORA Steering Committee will be held Wednesday, June 9, 2004 from 9:00 AM to Noon in the Third Floor Conference Room, Bureau of Labor Standards. The following items will be on the agenda for the May meeting:

 

            I. Approval of May 12, 2004 Minutes             Ivan Most

            II. Operative Document                                                Ivan Most & Saskia Janes

            III. Lead and Occupational Disease Reporting            Carol Eckert

            IV. 2005 Conference Committee Update                       Kim Lim

            V. Prevention Data Advisory Group Update                       John Rioux

            VI.      Report of Meeting with Commissioner                     Ivan Most

VII. Harvard RFP’S Update

a. Ruth Lawson-Stopps

b. Carol Eckert

c. Jeff Levesque

VIII. Open Forum Ivan Most

IX.        Next Meeting - August 11, 2004 - Agenda Ivan Most

Adjournment. Chair Ivan Most adjourned the meeting at 11:51 AM.

                                                                       

Respectfully submitted,

 

Terry M. Hathaway