MORA Meeting Minutes

April 10, 2006:

Minutes:

MINUTES MORA April 12, 2006

Attending: Jonathan Lepoff, Carol Eckert, Peter Doran, Ginger Jordan-Hillier, Desi-Rae Mason, Ivan Most, Ruth Lawson-Stopps, Kathy Schultz, Leslie Walleigh, Sharon D’Orsie, Michael Rowland, Kim Lim, Bill Coffin, Ted Bradstreet, and Terry Hathaway

Guests: Norm Anderson (ALAME), Elise O’Neil (Jackson Lab), Stephen Langley (Jackson Lab), and Adrien Polky (Maine Department of Labor)

Jonathan Lepoff called the meeting to order at 10:03 A.M. in the Bureau of Labor Standards, 3rd floor conference room, Hallowell.

Introductions were made.

Approval of March 8, 2006 Minutes: Peter Doran made a motion to accept the March 8th minutes as written. Carol Eckert seconded the motion. Vote, unanimous.

MORA – OSHA Alliance. Bill Coffin presented the alliance to Jonathan Lepoff for signature as well as to Adrien Polky, Maine Department of Labor, Workplace Safety and Health Division, who signed the agreement for David Wacker, Division Director. The new OSHA Area Director, Kim Castillon, could not be present at today’s meeting as she was at a reception in her honor at the Women in Construction trade show. She had signed the agreement.

Committee Reports: Finance Committee – Carol Eckert. Carol has drafted a RFP to award the small amount of grant or conference money. It is being reviewed by Leslie Manning and Jonathan.

Data Committee – Desi-Rae Mason. Desi-Rae reported that the group on Pesticides has not had a chance to meet. Regarding Cost Drivers, they are in beginning of Phase 2, surveys have been sent out to advocates and Ivan has met with attorneys regarding sending out surveys. Workers’ Compensation is mandated by the Legislature to fund this project. Peter made a strong pitch for the cost driver and the occupational asthma projects at the NORA town meeting. Ivan received a Harvard grant for a new project, Occupational Health Infrastructure in New England. As for occupational asthma, Sharon D’Orsie is presenting a paper to the American Society of Safety Engineers. Leslie Walleigh is co-author. Norm Anderson gave an overview of the occupational asthma projects he is working on.

Occupational Asthma Presentation – Norm Anderson. Norm Anderson, American Lung Association of Maine (ALAME), did a presentation on the occupational asthma projects he his working on. He handed out a copy of a presentation, entitled, “Indoor Air Quality in Maine Schools – A Collaborative Study with NIOSH and the Maine Department of Education”. He handed out a copy of an abstract entitled “The Frequency of Workplace Exacerbation Among Health Maintenance Organization Members with Asthma”, a Semi-Quantitative Assessment Sheet, and the ALAME’s Draft Approach to Work-Related Asthma Fact Sheets. Norm will e-mail a copy of the Fact Sheet on “Your Child’s Health and Indoor Air Quality at School” to Terry, who will forward to MORA.

Wiscasset schools system has volunteered to be the pilot school for the ALAME study, funded by NIOSH, to conduct a new study in Maine on school air quality and health hazard assessment. This is a multi-year project, funded by NIOSH, through 2009, which will look at dust, mold, and moisture in the school setting. At this point, the study will not include students. It is hoped that other schools will follow Wiscasset’s example.

Jackson Lab Occupational Mouse Allergen Study – Elise O’Neil and Steve Langley. This is a study of volunteer Jackson Lab employees who participate in this study. Jackson Lab is working in conjunction with John Hopkins University. The volunteers must be at least 18 years old and have been employed at Jackson Lab for three months. Volunteers fill out a questionnaire about their general health and have tests for blood work and lung function as well as a skin prick test. Finding answers to questions helps us learn about risk factors and how they might be prevented.

PDAG Update. Terry informed the group that PDAG met on Wednesday, March 22nd, and that John Rioux handed out a timeline to keep the group on track for the next annual report. It will be a regular agenda item for PDAG.

Other. Jonathan relayed a message from Leslie Manning stating the April 28th is Workers’ Memorial Day. MORA is willing to post a statement.

The MORA Steering Committee decided not to hold meetings during the months of July and August for this year.

Ivan Most did a power point presentation on the “Health Experience of Workers Receiving Lump Sum Payments from the Maine Workers’ Compensation System” also known as the “Cost Driver Project”. Phase Two of the project is surveys being sent out to advocates. The Maine Workers’ Compensation Board is funding this project as mandated by the Legislature. Discussion followed.

Ivan will be doing this as a poster presentation at the national NORA meeting next week. There is a “new” NORA. Sharon D’Orsie will be a part of the “new” NORA.

The next meeting is scheduled for May 10th.

Adjournment:

Jonathan adjourned the meeting at 12:09 PM.

/tmh