Quote of the day
"It's a little frustrating that we have not heard back."
New Jersey Sen. Paul Sarlo, who says senators are still waiting for Gov. Jon Corzine to respond to a proposal to allow the state bar association to vet nominees for the workers' compensation bench
Garden State Legislators Approve Enforcement, Ratemaking Bills
The New Jersey Senate Labor Committee approves four measures intended to shore up the state’s workers’ compensation system by giving judges more enforcement powers, increasing penalties for violators, and expanding oversight at the New Jersey Compensation Rating and Inspection Bureau by adding representatives from labor, business and insurance agent organizations. By John P. Martin, Newark Star-Ledger
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Readers Respond to Action Line Advice
An attorney and an anonymous small business owner have their say on recent advice to an injured worker who felt lost in the bureaucracy of workers’ compensation. By Dennis Rockstroh, San Jose Mercury News
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South Carolina Had Highest Rate of Latino Worker Deaths
South Carolina had the nation’s highest on-the-job death rate for Latino workers between 2003 and 2006, which is most likely attributable to the state’s relatively new, non-English speaking immigrant population and its unfamiliarity with employee safety laws, according to a NIOSH official. The number was twice that of Oklahoma, which had the second-highest rate. By Noelle Phillips, the State (Columbia, S.C.)
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Blogworld: Province Must Acknowledge Asbestos Controversy
Last month, guards at a Nova Scotia jail refused to work after discovering asbestos at their facility, while contending that officials have known about the potential hazard for at least 20 years. Regardless of whether the air is safe, the provincial government should publicly acknowledge the situation. By Natalie Fraser, Cape Breton Post
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Consultant Breaks It Down for Beehive State Business Owners
A safety and health consultant for the Utah Workers’ Compensation Fund tells members of the Hurricane Valley Chamber of Commerce how safety issues affect premiums, noting that traffic accidents and falls are the main cause of worker deaths. By Bob Hudson, Spectrum & Daily News (St. George)
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Family of Aussie Worker Killed by Falling Debris May Not Collect
A union says the family of a 34-year-old worker killed by falling formwork on a New South Wales building site in April could miss out on up to nearly $200,000 in compensation because the worker’s interstate employer failed to make the proper superannuation payments on his behalf. ABC News (Australia)
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New York Mayor Proposes Safety Measures
Stating “Closing down construction is not an option” in booming New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposes measures to make construction safer, including bigger fines, improved tracking of contractors across different sites and the power to stop work. Reuters
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