Something I think we all need to see

[Sithie]

http://www.wcconference.com/agenda_wc.html#idm5


There is a WC conference this year in Chicago on Nov 6-8. this link takes you to the site takes you to the agenda for what they will be teaching adjusters and others. Be sure to click on a few like the one on Tuesday, LR2.

I feel this is something we all need to be aware of, we always talk about getting out cause out to the public, this is what we are up against, and why we cannot give up.

Sithie

[CRABBY]

very interesting.....maybe my lawyer will go!!!!! I'll ask her
Cries of, “Oh my aching back!” may be the result of a workplace accident leading to a high-priced catastrophic injury — or, simply the result of an aging worker. With so many baby boomers in the private and federal workforces, the rules of the game have changed. Protecting your workers from injury is no longer merely a matter of preventing typical injuries. Employers and agencies must also understand and develop ways to address the natural deterioration that coincides with the aging process. In this informative and humorous presentation, Dr. Cooper will enlighten you about ‘boomeralgia’ and other physical issues of the aging worker.

[Tuffy]

Yes that session also hit home for me, In other words, don't grow older and get hurt at work, because it is all due to the ageing process, and you as an older IW will have no rights. what a bunch of BS.

[admin]

Tuffy, I disagree. As we get older we are more prone to injury, and employers need to know how to effectively deal with and protect an aging workforce. The description "Protecting your workers from injury is no longer merely a matter of preventing typical injuries. Employers and agencies must also understand and develop ways to address the natural deterioration that coincides with the aging process." speaks as much about prevention and risk management than anything else.

In the interest of fair and full disclosure, we are a major sponsor of this conference (we have been for 8 years), and I have been a presenter at this event in the past. It is an excellent conference.

[Bummer Knees]

I feel more focus needs placed on workplace safety and the education of all employers and workers.

I worked as a teacher at a large early childhood center. (This program is a part of a local college which has the access to numerous resources)

At the center the only training provided to staff about the lifting and handling of young children is a portion of a video which is viewed at the time the employee is hired.

I worked for the center for 10 years and everyday would see teachers lifting children using improper lifting techniques. I approached my supervisor about staff training on lifting techniques and was told by the center director & supervisor, "We don't have time for this and it cost too much money."

I injured my knees & back lifting a child incorrectly from the floor. At the time I was injured 3 out of 30 other teachers were also off work from work place injuries.

I believe if a safety plan and training had been provided at my work place I would not be an injured worker today.

[jayne]

safety plans have to be followed in honeys case they(management) wanted him to break the rules to get more product out......when he turned then in to OSHA they came out and said to management dont do that and left......then Honey was told do it or go home(fired) he did it and got 2 more surgeries on his arms he then was medically retired..........Just because certain safety plans are on paper doesnt mean they follow them......ADMIN you gonna pay to get some of us there to march(lol) all kidding aside they need to learn to treat us with at least respect and not contempt dont cha think

[Bummer Knees]

Good point Jayne.

[jayne]

all kidding aside ADMIN I would like to ask you to send BAD BOY OR RED to this to speak about the side effects of their decisions such as WC people losing homes....some of our cases injuries being made worse by having to wait for medical care.....maybe putting a human side to us not just a case number.....is this a possiabilty?

[red1030]

Hi all...thanks sithie for that information. I am not surprised that they have a conference to learn more about W/C situations. In Healthcare we have a safety committe that usually meet every month to report about what education has been completed for the reported month, the number of injuries reported etc. A representative from our W/C IC was in attendance at least once a quarter and sometimes more often. My husband was injuried and he was the chairman of the saftey committe.

The purpose of the meeting was not just to look at numbers of who was hurt but to identify potential trends in terms of cause and then to develop a plan to stop the occurance. It was part of the quality improvement program. I know that there are companies such as jayne described who will ignore the safety rules and then people get hurt. That is dreadful and they are the ones who really need to attend a conference such as the one sithie shared with us. But most do not want anyone injuried. The difficulty here is why do they treat you so unfairly and like you are fraud.

The one seminar that Tuffy is referring too is a concern, because the workforce does grow older. It is what is happening with my husband's case. So lets say, for an example, that he developed the cervical hernia, not due to the job he was doing but because he has a weakened system. If this is true and W/C doesn't want to protect a worker who has a weakened system, then my question would be does W/C cover anyone over the age of 40 years old. Ok, I could buy that...but then where is the plan to protect these workers who are at risk? Do they apply and recieve SSDI and medicare for healthcare? Or, do we start another insurance for them so that they can continue their life? What is the long term effect? We already know that our country tax dollars support about 60-70% of our elderly living in a long term care facility. Each of the states are having a lot of difficulty paying for this cost as it is. And what they pay is not enough to truly provide good care. So what happens to a man or women who is over 40 years old, is injured, unable to work and it is not W/C due to his or her risk becasue of increasing age. How will they ever be able to pay for long term care in the future. Who is going to pay? Again, we have an Insurance and it should cover when any accident occurs without concern about who was at a greater or not risk. Again..the long term affect of not recognizing and a older person's injury as work related due to the fact that our bodies age, then where does that leave the population of working adults over the age of 40 years old?

I agree with Admin that conferences are a must and should be encouraged. Prevention must be their number one focus, however, on the other hand that should be complimented with IW needs at the time of injury. Why not sponser a psychologist who can speak about the continual loss of self esteem, self confidence, finances, family, and disability as a result of a work place accident? I agree with the conference, however, I could not find a topic about helping an injured worker cope with a physical disability or to inform of any kind of loss that IW do experience. I agree with jayne that an IW should be added to the list of seminars so that another story is told to enlighten and increase people's awareness of what it is like to be an IW. (Not me..by the way..)

Another issue that must be discussed is about fraud. There is fraud in this system. I don't know why but there is. I believe that if employers and claim agents had more education about how to identify fraud early on, maybe the system would be less confrontational with people who are truly hurt and require their services. I wish I had the answers, but no matter how much this is talked about I don't see change. This could be talked about all day..close for now.. Red

[Bummer Knees]

Red

In my situation the training was not provided to teachers on how to care for children without injuring themselves.

The resources were available for staff training; the college I worked for has a nursing and physical therapy program. Staff training is still not provided according to HR and yes, I have questioned this

I have to think the issue was we don't care if our employees have work place injuries.

I was the 4th teacher out of 30 to be injured on the job that school year and I was injured in November.

I had always been told to bend your knees when lifting and that is what I did and tore-up my knees.

Another side to this is I did not know I had DDD and DJD if I had known I would of found a desk job instead of working as a teacher.

My first wc doctor told me the reason my knees are in the shape they are is because of what I did everyday for 10 years.