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Health & Safety NewsNursing HomesThe Bush administration took another step to roll back worker health and safety protections by not renewing its National Emphasis Program (NEP) for nursing homes. Due to the high rates of injuries and illnesses in nursing homes, OSHA stepped up inspections and enforcement in this industry in 2002. OSHA is not renewing the program despite data that show the injury and illness rates for nursing homes remain more than double the private-sector national average, and that 13 of every 100 nursing home workers had a work-related injury that involved time away from work. ErgonomicsAn industry-backed ballot initiative to repeal the Washington state ergonomics rule passed by a 53 percent to 47 percent margin. The Building Industry Association of Washington ran a campaign of distortion, claiming the rule was responsible for killing thousands of jobs in the state. Unions fought a good fight but were unable to overcome the massive negative campaign. The effort was reminiscent of that used to kill the federal OSHA ergonomics standard in 2001. In another setback, the National Safety Council abandoned the ANSI Z365 ergonomics standard process. SARSThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other agencies are gearing up for the possible return of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) this winter. SARS was first reported in Asia in February 2003. Over the next few months, the illness spread to more than two dozen countries. By late July, when the outbreak was considered contained, 8,437 people had become sick with SARS; of these, 813 had died. Health care workers were disproportionately affected. For example, in Toronto, 77 percent of the patients in the first phase of the outbreak were infected in the hospital setting and half of all SARS cases in Toronto involved health care workers. In Hong Kong, 21 percent of all SARS cases occurred in health care workers. More information on SARS is available from the CDC. Smallpox Vaccine Injury Compensation ProgramIn August, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released the first part of the Bush administration's smallpox regulations and vaccine injury compensation program. The effort covers first responders and health care workers who are members of a smallpox emergency response plan. It also covers anyone who sustains a "covered injury" through contact with a vaccine recipient. Part one of the regulations contains 12 injuries or vaccine side effects presumed to result from administration of, or contact with, the vaccine. Injures range from significant local skin reaction to death. Injuries not listed in the table will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The program provides benefits and/or compensation for covered injuries based on the level of disability. In written comments on the proposed rule, AFSCME advocated for inclusion of such a table in the Smallpox Emergency Personnel Act of 2003 and urged that heart attacks also be included. While the plan is inadequate, that it exists at all is a victory for covered health care workers. The Bush administration had strongly opposed any kind of compensation program. The regulations come as the Bush administration effort to inoculate health care workers nationwide sputters to a standstill with fewer people participating than originally hoped. As of Oct. 31, 2003, only 38,759 health care workers had been vaccinated out of the administration's target number of 450,000. There are calls to refocus the program away from vaccinations. Smallpox Vaccine Injury Table of Compensable Injuries
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