workplace injuries

[-jt]

Agreement between SEIU, OSHA, and Beverly will require lifting devices at 270 facilities across the United States.

In a ground-breaking settlement of workplace injury charges against Beverly Enterprises, the nations biggest nursing home chain has agreed to the most comprehensive requirements ever for lifting devices and safety procedures to protect nursing home caregivers from ergonomics-related injuries.......

Nursing home workers suffer crippling back injuries, and now help is finally on the way, said Andrew L. Stern, president of SEIU -- the Service Employees International Union -- which brought the complaints against Beverly. This is a blueprint for improving the safety of one the most dangerous jobs in America..........

The settlement with Beverly comes as the Bush Administration is expected to announce its decision this week not to include regulations to protect worker safety in its ergonomics plan.......

Beverly must implement the new guidelines outlined in the settlement within one year at five Pennsylvania nursing homes where complaints were originally filed with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and phase-in the remedies at 265 other homes around the country in states where OSHA has jurisdiction.......

Under the agreement, Beverly must:

-Minimize manual lifting of patients.

-Purchase mechanical and other lifting devices and train nursing personnel on their use.

-Purchase friction-reducing devices (Maxislides) and gait/transfer belts to assist with repositioning residents and train nursing personnel on their use.

-File semiannual reports with OSHA and SEIU for the five-year term of the agreement.......

The settlement also includes a comprehensive guide to choosing lifting devices for the varying needs of nursing home residents.....

Because of the necessary lifting and repositioning of residents, OSHA has determined that nursing home work is one of the most dangerous jobs in America -- more hazardous than mining, construction, or manufacturing. Nearly one in five nursing home workers is injured each year. The Clinton Administrations ergonomics standard that was shelved last year by the Bush Administration would have set the first-ever standards to protect

workers from ergonomics-related injuries......

The rule would have prevented more than 4 ½ million back, hand, and wrist injuries in the first 10 years -- while saving employers twice what it costs to implement.>> (http://www.seiu.org)

penny wise - pound foolish.

###