FAQ

A written safety program shows management concern for employee safety. It outlines steps the company will take to identify and control hazards, provides an opportunity to evaluate (and possibly revise) work practices, and helps make employees aware of safety issues.

A program stressing that safety is everyone's business benefits both employer and employees: It prevents injuries to workers, provides for documentation and investigation of any incidents that do occur, and reduces the employer's claim costs.

The purpose of a return-to-work program is to facilitate a worker's return to the workplace as soon as feasible after a work-related injury or illness. It should focus on the abilities of the employee while complying with any medical restrictions.

The advantages to the employer are that it will reduce the number of lost-time days and the claim costs. It will benefit the employee by reducing the financial impact of the injury and encouraging the use of abilities.

Employees who are 16 or under need working papers. Under Rhode Island workers' compensation law, an employer must pay triple damages for minors employed in violation of the law.

There may be a need for specialized loss-prevention techniques for both groups. Job duties and safety programs may need to be specifically designed for these workers.

If Social Security is being received by the claimant, the Social Security payments can be offset by our workers' compensation payments. If Social Security benefits are being received because of retirement, workers' compensation benefits can be withheld.

Notify your supervisor or human resource department immediately.

After your employer reports the injury to our office, a claim representative is assigned. You will be contacted directly within 24 hrs to review information and begin the claim process.

A Dependency form confirms your marital status and number of dependent children. If you are out of work, this information is used to calculate benefits on claims.

Injured workers are reimbursed at a state mandated rate, which is approximately 75% of the net weekly wage, with slight changes due to your marital status and number of exemptions/dependents.

Every September 1st, the maximum rate for benefits changes. This information is posted on the Department of Labor and Training website.

If you lose time from a second job due to a work injury at your primary job, then you are also entitled to receive benefits from the second job. A wage form is sent to your second employer, and your earnings are included in the calculation of your benefit rate.

The 3-day waiting period is state-mandated.

Yes. You are entitled to benefits for any permanent disfigurement you receive as a result of a work-related injury. Contact your claim representative for further information regarding scarring benefits.

Yes. If you desire a second medical opinion, contact your claim representative who can assist you in coordinating the second opinion and explain the process.

No. TDI payments are for non-work related injuries or illnesses. Workers’ compensation payments are for work-related injuries.

Workers’ compensation does not reimburse you for pain or suffering. You are entitled to a lost wage benefit until you are able to return to work. Workers’ compensation also pays for medical expenses related to the work injury, as well as scarring and loss of use if appropriate to your injury.

We have nurses on staff to assist you with receiving appropriate medical treatment, and ergonomic specialists that work with you and your employer to aid in your return to work. Your claim representative helps you and your employer coordinate these services.

Submit the pharmacy receipts to your claims representative or employer, and you will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket costs.

Our goal is to pay accepted claims within 7 to 10 days of notification of a work related injury.

Effective January 1, 1999 every person firm, public service or private corporation, including the State, that employs employees regularly in the same business is subject to the Workers’ Compensation Law.

The Beacon has an approved preferred provider network comprised of providers that are experienced in treating work-related injuries. This directory contains a listing of physicians and other health care providers participating in The Beacon Preferred Provider Network. Click Here to view and print a copy or call your claim representative and ask for a copy to be sent to you.

Send in wage statements, full duty job descriptions, assist in identifying modified duty jobs and implement a return-to-work policy or program.

Injured employees are reimbursed at a state-mandated rate, which is approximately 75% of the net weekly wage, based upon a calculation of their average weekly wage prior to the injury. The employer is required to complete a state wage statement to determine the average weekly wages. Overtime and bonuses are used in the computation of the average weekly wage.

Yes. You are required to continue paying private health coverage for two years from the time the employee begins to receive workers' compensation. The employee is required to continue to maintain their weekly contribution amount. Your company is not required to maintain private health benefits if your company is subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

No. You are not required to pay injured employees during the 3-day waiting period but you can if you so choose.

It is not recommended that you make any type of benefit payments to an injured employee. By doing so, this could result in the injured employee receiving “double” payments and medical providers receiving more than required by the RI Fee Schedule.

You are required to take an injured employee back to work as stated in the Right to Reinstatement, if the injured employee returns to work within one year of their date of injury. There are exceptions and it is recommended that you speak to your claim representative to determine if you meet any of the exceptions.

You can minimize the cost by educating your work force, prompt reporting of injuries and offering modified duty. You are not required to offer modified duty. However, this is a great way to control the costs on a claim, thereby reducing your exposure. An employee is entitled to their job with reasonable accommodations per the American Disabilities Act and according to the right to reinstatement as listed in the Workers’ Compensation Act.

SAE is a formal offer of employment that mutually protects the injured employee and the employer. SAE is an offer of employment that an employee is physically capable of performing without exacerbating the medical condition. The employee is protected if the job does not meet the conditions of the SAE offer and the employer is protected if the employee does not perform the SAE as it is offered.

It is treated the same as if the employee was working regular duty.

An injured employee has the first choice to treat with whomever they choose. Any change in physician after the first choice must be within the PPN. However, all of your employees should be familiar with and encouraged to use Beacon’s Preferred Provider Network (PPN). Physicians listed in the PPN are more familiar with Workers’ Compensation and the paperwork required to process a claim.

If an injured worker is dissatisfied with the medical treatment he or she is receiving and wishes to see another physician to confirm or dispute the appropriateness of that treatment, a second opinion can be coordinated with the help of the claim representative. A second opinion is a great tool to assist an employee in directing their medical care that might not otherwise be achieving its goal.

The employee may be asked to submit to an independent medical examination, at the insurer’s expense, for an independent opinion. This is generally used when there is a dispute in the disability, injury or question of the treatment plan. Independent Medical Examiners cannot treat an injured worker.

All Loss Prevention services of the Beacon are free of charge to our policyholders.

Only your employer, our policyholder, can request Beacon services. We suggest that you speak with your company’s safety department who can then request LP services.

No. Employers are obligated to evaluate the hazards associated with each job and then provide, at no cost, workers with the appropriate PPE to do that job.

The Beacon’s loss prevention consultants work with policyholder to identify and eradicate hazards in the workplace. The Beacon uses OSHA standards as a guide and baseline for identifying unsafe conditions or practices. OSHA is branch of the federal government charged with enforcing safety standards. OSHA's mission is to assure the safety and health of America's workers by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health.

If the identity of the insurer is unknown, contact the Department of Labor and Training at at 1-401-462-8116.

Bill on the HCFA1500 using code 99080 for special reports.

We recommend obtaining the information from the injured worker regarding the health insurance carrier when the injured worker initially completes the paperwork. If the claim is denied you can then bill the injured worker’s regular health insurance for the visit(s).

No. That would be considered “balance billing”, which is not allowed under workers’ compensation law. Direct any questions that you have to the Department of Labor and Training at 1-401-462-8100.

Please notify The Beacon claims representative as soon a possible.

No. But if a patient becomes non-compliant according to your office policy, the DWC27/28 can be used to notify The Beacon that a patient has been discharged for non-compliance. List the missed appointment dates. Bill on a HCFA 1500 using the 99080 code for special reports.

Assists the injured worker to achieve the highest level of medical improvement, and facilitates a successful return to work in the safest, most cost effective manner. NCM is provided on a case-by-case basis. NCM provides patient advocacy. Facilitation of communication and education. Provides an overview of the “Big Picture” Provides access to appropriate and timely resources.

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Premium is calculated based on a business classification code (or combination of codes) that best describe your operations. The National Council of Compensation Insurance (NCCI) is the national organization that determines class codes. Each class code represents a rate per $100 of payroll that is multiplied by your total estimated annual payroll for that code. Other rating factors may also affect your premium, such as your safety practices and experience modification.

The National Council of Compensation Insurance (NCCI) develops your experience modification. It reflects your claims history compared to other businesses in your classification. Premiums are adversely affected if your claims history is worse than average or positively impacted if better than average. The experience period generally consists of three completed policy years.

The determination of premium is a function of remuneration, predominantly payroll. At the inception of the policy, the premium is based on estimated payroll information. As a result, policyholder financial records are reviewed at expiration in order to accurately verify the amount of payroll for the policy period. Any changes in payroll may result in an additional premium or a return premium.

An independent contractor is defined as a person who files a DWC-11-IC “Notice of Designation as Independent Contractor” with the Department of Labor and Training. Although no one factor is determinative, issues such as work schedule control, invoicing, uses of tools/equipment, as well as the existence of a separate liability policy, are taken into consideration.

For the convenience of our policyholders, we have a toll-free number, 1-888-886-4450, which may be used for claim reporting purposes 24 hours/day, 7 days/week

Part-time employees are covered under workers' compensation. Lost wages are based on the recorded payroll for that individual. Loss wage forms and instructions on how to complete them can be found on this website by accessing the "Resources" section of Quick Links on our home page. From there click on State of Rhode Island Dept. of Labor and Training, Workers' Compensation, Forms, Claim Forms, Wage Statement Part Time.

The following procedure is required:

1. Provide The Beacon with a current RI P&C license, resident or non-resident.
2. Complete and submit The Beacon Agency Application.
3. Complete and submit a W9 form.

The name and tax ID number on all of the above items must be identical, as this is how commissions will be paid and policies will be read.

No. Determining the correct job classifications and rates for premium calculation if not as simple as it sounds. Jobs that appear to be similar may be considered different for classification purposes. Our underwriters will review the operations carefully to make sure that the proper rates are applied. Completion of an application is necessary.

The Beacon will accept applications filed on the standard Acord application. It is critical that all information is included on the application in order to bind coverage. A cover letter explaining the account, along with prior loss history (loss run information) is also desired. Incomplete applications or submissions will be returned if information is not received within 7 days of submission.

All Loss Prevention and Claims services are provided free of charge with the policy. Please contact our Loss Prevention or Claims departments for assistance.

The principal contractor is liable for injuries to an uninsured subcontractors' employees.

The determination of premium is a function of remuneration, predominantly payroll. At the inception of the policy, the premium is based on estimated payroll information. As a result, policyholder financial records are reviewed at expiration in order to accurately verify the amount of payroll for the policy period. Any changes in payroll may result in an additional premium or a return premium.

An independent contractor is defined as a person who files a DWC-11-IC “Notice of Designation as Independent Contractor” with the Department of Labor & Training. Although no one factor is determinative, issues such as work schedule control, invoicing, uses of tools/equipment, as well as the existence of a separate liability policy, are taken into consideration.

The principal contractor is liable for injuries to an uninsured subcontractors' employees.

Rhode Island-hired employees who are assigned to incidental employment in another state are covered by our "temporary exposure in other states" policy provision. Employees assigned for extended periods or permanently located in another state should be covered by a policy which we can issue through a partner for that state.

Employees who are 16 or under need working papers. Under Rhode Island workers' compensation law, an employer must pay triple damages for minors employed in violation of the law.

Even if you have never experienced a claim, the Loss Prevention department conducts an overall risk assessment for the Underwriting department. Once your risks are determined, we can assist you through proactive controls, recommendations, resources and training. We believe an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

If directly supervised by your company, injuries may have to be reported on your OSHA 300 log. You are required to have a safe workplace free of any recognized hazards that may cause injury to any worker.

In 2004, the number one cause of workplace fatalities was assaults, followed by falls, electrocutions and crushing.

The client company is responsible for the safety of every employee working at their facility, regular staff or temporary employee.

Yes. Especially fire safety, how to exit the building, where the primary and secondary exits are located.

Yes. For those who are not coming in direct contact with chemicals at the location, knowledge of the location of the Material Safety data sheets would suffice. For those employees coming in direct contact with chemicals, they should receive the same training given to your employees for Right to Know.

Reduce losses! The most impact that your business can make toward reducing the experience modification is by reducing the frequency and severity of your claims. Reduce the number of injuries as much as possible and when you do have a claim reduce the costs by getting the employee back to work as soon as possible.

Yes. Even if your company has a good safety record. Safety committees help keep safety a priority. Safety committees can help improve employee awareness levels toward safety by talking about prevention measures. The committee should also be involved with reviewing safety policies and procedures. If your committee is lacking excitement, invite an outside safety person in, such as a loss prevention person from The Beacon or your local fire department.

No. Though back belts keep low back muscles warm and encourage proper posture while lifting, they do not decrease the forces responsible for low back injury. They promote a false sense of security and in general should not be considered a piece of personal protective equipment.

There is no defined weight that is safe for employees to lift. The circumstances of the lift: below knee, above shoulders, at arms length, all increase the difficulty of the job task and therefore would lower the acceptable weight lifted. The frequency of the job task is also important. Finally, you must consider the workforce. What is an “average” worker? We all have differing physical capacities. Therefore establishing a simple weight limit is not a comprehensive solution to reducing material handling risk.

No. There are currently no standards that regulate or set maximum limits on lifting. It is up to each employer to determine what works best for the type of work performed. Click here for more information.

No. Back belts will not prevent back injuries if the person still lifts using the "rounded back" or non-neutral postures. Most people only think the belt is helping them because the belt stabilizes weak stomach muscles, making the trunk feel stronger, which gives a false impression of extra strength a.k.a. the Superman Effect. Back belts are only effective when lifting greater than 75% of the maximum weight a person can lift, and will not take the place of good lifting techniques and proper back posture.

No. Ergonomic issues for most industries are generally addressed under the General Duty Clause. OSHA has developed some industry specific and task specific guidelines to reduce and prevent workplace ergonomic injuries. These voluntary guidelines are a major part of OSHA's new four-pronged approach to ergonomics. The voluntary guidelines currently in place are for the poultry processing industry, the retail grocery industry, nursing homes, and meatpacking plants. For more information on this topic please visit OSHA.

Although back training has been the most frequently used approach in the past to help RNs and CNAs, the true solution lies in a step-by-step process involving a facility cultural change, customized task analyses, and utilization of safe patient handling devices. The Beacon has developed a 10-step process for safe patient handling to address these exposures in health care facilities. For additional information on safe patient handling, please visit Patient Safety Center.

The State of Rhode Island has a good web resource for the RI Fire Codes: http://www.fsc.state.ri.us/

Yes. Vibration is an exposure that increases the risk of Musculoskeletal Disorders. Vibration has been proven to desensitize the neuromuscular system resulting in increased force production and corresponding trauma to the musculoskeletal system. Vibration also reduces the flow of blood to hard working muscles.

No, not necessarily. Adjustable keyboard trays allow for employees of all statures to maintain neutral posture while performing computer tasks. The goal is to keep the keypad approximately one inch below seated elbow height. For some employees desk height meets this recommendation. The adjustable keyboard tray allows all workstations to meet the recommendation.

Employers must have a written respiratory protection plan prior to the use of respirators, this plan shall include selection of respirators; medical evaluation of employees prior to wearing respirator; fit testing procedures for tight-fitting respirators; procedures and schedules for cleaning, disinfecting, storing, inspecting, repairing, discarding, and otherwise maintaining respirators; training of employees in the respiratory hazards to which they are potentially exposed during routine and emergency situations.

The employer shall provide a medical evaluation by a physician or other licensed health care professional to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator, before the employee is required to use the respirator in the workplace. Employees must also be fit-tested to determine the correct size respirator they will need to be completely protected prior to issuance of respirator. Click here for more information.

You will need an OSHA 10-Hour Construction card whenever you begin work on any Rhode Island municipal or state job that is $100,000 or more in total contract value. This also includes any employee who visits the site from your company. For instance, you may have a "roving" superintendent or project manager who may visit the job infrequently. He or she is still mandated to have the card. In addition, any of your suppliers or vendors need to have this card even if they are only delivering stock or supplies to the project but have to step or drive inside the footprint of the construction site. The only employees that are exempt are municipal, state, or federal employees.

Yes. Both OSHA and ANSI govern the use of spreader bars and other types of rigging equipment. Your spreader bars are either made from steel I-beams, steel pipe, or tube stock ('box beam'). Although this material can be used, it must be rated and stamped by a structural engineer prior to use in the field. This equipment, even if used infrequently, must be inspected by a qualified person annually.

Remove it from service and place a “DO NOT USE” tag on it.

Employers must conduct a hazard assessment of the workplace prior to placing employees in PPE. OSHA calls this the Workplace Hazard Assessment. Click here for more information.

The National Safety Council recommends a minimum three-second following distance with an additional second for adverse or hazardous driving conditions, like heavy traffic and poor weather and visibility. If your speed is higher than 60 miles per hour, you will need to add extra following distance between the vehicle ahead and your vehicle. The higher the speed, the more distance it takes to stop your vehicle.

To find the right following distance, begin counting when the rear bumper of the vehicle ahead passes a fixed object, such as an underpass, or a billboard. Count "one-thousand and one, one-thousand and two, one-thousand and three." Your vehicle should not pass the fixed object until after you have finished your counting.

If another car enters that "safe space" you must begin counting again.

For each subcontractor you hire, The Beacon's auditors will look for either a certificate of workers' compensation insurance or DWC-11-IC "Notice of Designation" for a sole proprietor or partner with no employees. All subcontractors and independent contractors that have not provided The Beacon with either a certificate of workers' compensation insurance or a legitimate DWC-11-IC form will be included in the general contractor's audit and bill for premium charge. The Beacon, like the Workers' Compensation Court, may still determine that there is an employer/employee relationship. In making the determination, consideration will be given to: * Who controls the detail of the work? * Who is responsible for the detail of the work? * How is the individual paid? * Is there a job contract? * Does the independent contractor invoice the insured for work performed? * Does the independent contractor have a general liability insurance policy and/or a business license?

The exclusive remedy doctrine generally provides that an injured worker is only entitled to statutory workers’ compensation benefits from his or her employer in the event of a work related injury. It vitiates any tort action.

The Medical Advisory Board or MAB is a group of medical, legal and rehab professionals responsible for developing the rules, protocols, procedures and fees as it relates to the treatment of injured workers.

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• Fully completed and signed Workers Compensation Acord 130 application
• Fully completed and signed Beacon Supplemental Application for Temporary Employment Agencies/Employee Leasing Companies (Please refer to the 'Forms' section of our website)
• Full names and physical addresses of all Rhode Island client companies that the temporary employment agency/leasing company does business with
• A copy of the executed contract between the temp agency/leasing company and each Rhode Island client company
• Most recent experience modification worksheet
• Recently valued, hard copy prior carrier loss runs for the past four years
• Proof of coverage for all other states in which the temporary employment agency or employee leasing company may place employees

Beacon Mutual has additional underwriting requirements which pertain to all out of state employers requesting Rhode Island coverage. If the temporary employment agency or employee leasing company for whom coverage is being sought does not have a physical location within the state of Rhode Island, please refer our "Agents" tab and the posting dated 4/10/07 titled "Out of State Employers." The "Out of State Employer" application requirements are in addition to Beacon's standard temporary employment agency/employee leasing company application requirements.

• The underwriter will review your application for completeness, and may request additional information or clarification prior to providing you with a quotation.
• A preliminary audit or loss control survey may be required prior to quoting.
• Once we provide you with a quotation, a premium deposit (and any additional information as noted on the quotation letter) will need to be received one day prior to the requested coverage effective date.
• Please refer to the 'Forms' section of our website for Beacon Mutual's Requirements pertaining to temporary employment agencies and employee leasing companies once coverage is bound

Yes, as of July 1, 2008, the State of Rhode Island adopted legislation regulating safe patient handling in hospitals and nursing homes titled the “Safe Patient Handling Act of 2006”. (http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText/BillText06/SenateText06/S2760A.pdf). The responsibility of enforcement lies with the Rhode Island Department of Health Facilities Management. The Beacon Mutual can assist your facility with the key components of the act by helping to develop written policies on the safe movement of patients, i.e. patient assessment, equipment and patient matrix, develop and maintain a safe patient handling committee and to provide training and education to the staff using our Caregiver Training Program.
For additional information on safe patient handling, please visit CDC/NIOSH – Safe Patient Movement : http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2009-127/download.html OSHA Ergonomic Guidelines for Nursing Homes http://www.osha.gov/ergonomics/guidelines/nursinghome/final_nh_guidelines.html American Nurses Association – Handle with Care Campaign

NO. Beacon Mutual provides all of its ergonomic services (see ergonomic services for a complete list of services) free to all current policyholders.

If your company has been assigned a loss prevention representative already, please feel free to contact your representative directly to request any ergonomic or other loss prevention service. If you are a new policy holder or have not previously been assigned a loss prevention representative please contact Michael Whittaker, Loss Prevention Supervisor at (401-825-2730 ) or mwhittaker@beaconmutual.com or David Cookson, Loss Prevention Supervisor at (401-825-2728) or dcookson@beaconbmutual.com

NO. Beacon Mutual provides training to any size company regardless of the number of employees. If your company is looking to train a large number of employees, our trainers may ask your company to commit up to 20-25 employees per session. Larger class sizes allow for more interaction between the trainers and attendees while reducing operational down time while the employees are participating in the training

NO. There is currently no workplace standard or regulation that restricts or limits the maximum amount of weight an individual employee can lift. In 1991, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) developed a lifting equation in an attempt to assist employers with reducing the risk of lifting-related musculoskeletal injuries. For more information about the NIOSH lifting equation please use the following link to the OSHA website: http://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/otm/otm_vii/otm_vii_1.html

A considerable amount of research has been done on the topics of back belts effectiveness by The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). NIOSH is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the Department of Health and Human Services. NIOSH is the federal Institute (agency) responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injuries and illnesses.
NIOSH Back Belt Summary: “After a review of the scientific literature, NIOSH has concluded that, because of limitations of the studies that have analyzed workplace use of back belts, the results cannot be used to either support or refute the effectiveness of back belts in injury reduction. Although back belts are being bought and sold under the premise that they reduce the risk of back injury, there is insufficient scientific evidence that they actually deliver what is promised.
The Institute, therefore, does not recommend the use of back belts to prevent injuries among workers who have never been injured.* If you or your workers are wearing back belts as protective equipment against back injury, you should be aware of the lack of scientific evidence supporting their use” For additional information please visit the following link : http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/94-127/

Traditional safety programs typically address acute injury events such as slips and falls, lacerations or chemical exposures. The process of ergonomics identifies and reduces risks associated with repetitive stress and over exertion. Common examples of ergonomic risk factors are repetitive, forceful, or prolonged exertions of the hands; frequent or heavy lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying of heavy objects; and prolonged awkward postures. Jobs or working conditions presenting multiple risk factors will have a higher probability of causing a musculoskeletal problem. The level of risk depends on the intensity, frequency, and duration of the exposure to these conditions and the individuals' capacity to meet the force of other job demands that might be involved. Getting involved with a Beacon Mutual ergonomic specialist will help to indentify your company’s ergonomic risks and how to best reduce or eliminate those risks by implementing engineering and or administrative controls.

All loss prevention service visits including ergonomics consultations, analysis and training are followed up with a written report detailing the nature and results of the visit along with any supporting research, resources and suggestions for corrective action

Yes, the Beacon Mutual can “unbundle” their loss prevention and ergonomic services to non-policyholders for a contract fee. For more information about our very competitively priced for fee loss prevention services including ergonomic consultation, analysis and training please contact Michael Whittaker, Loss Prevention Supervisor at (401-825-2730 ) or mwhittaker@beaconmutual.com

No. OSHA does not currently have a 1910 standard for Ergonomics. Ergonomic related issues for most industries are generally cited under the General Duty Clause. OSHA has developed some industry specific guidelines as an outreach training tool to aid in the reduction and prevention of workplace ergonomic injuries. These voluntary guidelines are a major part of OSHA's new four-pronged approach to ergonomics. The voluntary guidelines currently in place are: Poultry Processing Industry, Shipyard Industry, Retail Grocery Industry, Nursing Home Industry, and the Meatpacking Industry. For more information on this OSHA’s ergonomic guidelines please use this link: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/ergonomics/guidelines.html

The simple answer is No, not all workstations need or can accommodate a keyboard tray. Workers who perform certain data entry tasks or workers who may be very tall or short may benefit from the installation and use of an adjustable keyboard tray. Before any ergonomic solution is suggested or implemented, it is important to start with a comprehensive ergonomic analysis. An ergonomic analysis will identify the individual risk factors or stressors and how to best reduce a workers exposure through engineering or administrative controls. Just adding a tray may not be the best solution.

The simple answer is Yes. Vibration is considered a secondary ergonomic risk factor and has been associated with an increased risk of developing a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) or disorders such as Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). Common sources of vibration come from machines, i.e. punch presses, hand tools,hammers and long periods of driving due to road vibration to both the back and hands. Studies have shown that occupations such as forestry workers, stone drillers, stone cutters or carvers, shipyard workers, and long haul truck drivers are at high risk for developing MSD or HAVS symptoms

Yes, as of July 1, 2008, the State of Rhode Island adopted legislation regulating safe patient handling in hospitals and nursing homes titled the “Safe Patient Handling Act of 2006”. (http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText/BillText06/SenateText06/S2760A.pdf). The responsibility of enforcement lies with the Rhode Island Department of Health Facilities Management. The Beacon Mutual can assist your facility with the key components of the act by helping to develop written policies on the safe movement of patients, i.e. patient assessment, equipment and patient matrix, develop and maintain a safe patient handling committee and to provide training and education to the staff using our Caregiver Training Program.
For additional information on safe patient handling, please visit CDC/NIOSH – Safe Patient Movement : http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2009-127/download.html OSHA Ergonomic Guidelines for Nursing Homes http://www.osha.gov/ergonomics/guidelines/nursinghome/final_nh_guidelines.html American Nurses Association – Handle with Care Campaign