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Vol. 2 - No. 2 - January 31, 2007
Editor's note
Dear Subscriber,
Occasionally we encounter newsworthy items that are time-sensitive. In that event, and consistent with our mission to help you keep abreast of what's happening in the world of safe patient lifting and caregiver injury prevention, we plan to issue "special editions." If you encounter topics that you feel are of general interest and require immediate attention, please take a moment to send an e-mail message to melissa.nowitz@liko.com. As always, we look forward to hearing from you!
Warm regards,
Melissa Nowitz
Editor, Safe Lifting News
e-mail: melissa.nowitz@liko.com
888-545-6671
Headlines in the news...
OSHA announces Feb. 1 posting requirements for Illness/Injury Form 300A
In a News Release date Jan. 24, 2007, OHSA reminded employers that beginning Feb. 1, 2007 they must post a summary of the total number of job-related injuries and illnesses that occurred during 2006. Employers are only required to post OSHA Form 300A, not the OSGA 300 log. Further, the summary must be posted from Feb. 1 to April 30, 2007, and must be displayed in a common area wherever notices to employees are usually posted. Note that in addition to the total number of job-related injuries and illnesses, the summary must list the average annual number of employees and total hours worked during the year in order to assist in calculating incidence rates. In order to obtain a copy of Forms 300 and 300A, visit www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/RKforms.html.
Federal Nurse & Patient Safety Legislation is reintroduced
HR 378, (the Nurse and Patient Safety and Protection Act of 2007), sponsored by Rep. John Conyers (D- MI) has been introduced for consideration. Formerly known as HR 6182 the bill proposes to establish a Federal Grant Program to provide financial assistance to cover some or all of the costs of purchasing safe patient handling equipment for health facilities such as hospitals, nursing facilities and outpatient facilities. Among the many justifications for the legislation are the following:
- Direct-care registered nurses rank 10th among all occupations for musculoskeletal disorders, sustaining injuries at a higher rate than laborers, movers, and truck drivers. In 2004, nurses sustained 8,800 musculoskeletal disorders, most of which (over 7,000) were back injuries. The leading cause of these injuries in health care are the result of patient lifting, transferring, and repositioning injuries.
- The physical demands of the nursing profession lead many nurses to leave the profession. Fifty-two percent of nurses complain of chronic back pain and 38 percent suffer from pain severe enough to require leave from work. Many nurses and other health care providers suffering back injury do not return to work.
- Patients are not at optimum levels of safety while being lifted, transferred, or repositioned manually. Mechanical lift programs can substantially reduce skin tears suffered by patients, allowing patients a safer means to progress through their care.
To review the full text of the bill, click on http://thomas.loc.gov and search by bill number HR378.
Are you attending this year's SPHM Show, March 12-16?
All SPHM show attendees are invited to the 3rd Annual Liko-sponsored visitor appreciation event on Tuesday evening, March 13, 2007. This year's event will be held at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Theme Café at Universal Orlando's City Walk. If you are planning to attend the event, please sign up in advance by visiting www.liko.com/margaritaville.
If you are NOT planning on attending the show, you might want to consider purchasing a compilation of the conference proceedings by contacting pgorzka@health.usf.edu.
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