I’m a physician how looks forward to my issue of FHB more than my issue of JAMA. I’ve been thinking of submitting an article to FHB and would like to gauge how much interest there would be out there – the article would be about workman’s comp issues – what qualifies as work comp illness, what to expect/not expect from your doctor and your insurance carrier, when to call a lawyer, what your rights are, etc. etc. Any comments? or any other topics you’d like to see?
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WC is of great interest to me...as your slant on it would give all of us a different insight that we are not normally privy to...
so.... I'd encourage you to pursue this with Andy...
Mike Smith
Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
The other thing that's had a lot of discussion here is emergency medicine. They got as deep into it as suggesting that for each job site, you know where the nearest hospitals are, and what kinds of things they're equipped to deal with. There's also an ER doctor on this board, or at least there was.
-- J.S.
are you going to cover each state? or just some general info.
I'm in contact with a couple of interested lawyers to help me out on this, and I'll have to leave up to them as to whether we can cover every state.
Go for it!
The state of Maine is re-doing their system - again.
I think this is a great topic for an article. How about a sidebar on the costs to society including added cost to building, statistics on fraudulent claims, percent residential workers covered, etc., etc.
I would venture to guess in my area that across the board maybe 25% of residential construction workers are covered. Definately less in many trades.
Also I would like to know what the gov't is doing to ensure that employers are providing equal coverage.
Tom
Hey skmd,
I know of 2 recent table saw accidents of tradesmen in their fifties who cut off a finger and now live with that. I would like to know exactly what to do if one of my students cuts off a finger(knock on wood- in 8 years, no shop accidents).
When I checked on student placements last summer, I was shocked to find shop owners missing fingers or, in one case, not using a respirator during spraying. It is easy to become complacent about safety and as I tell my students,safety sounds dry and boring but we're talking about eyes, ears and fingers. Try buying some of these.
If you could write about the dangers of complacency and what lurks
on the other side from a doctor's point of view, I think it could really hit home with a lot of tradesmen/women. I also have a problem with trigger finger in several of my fingers and I would like to know what options are available including alternative therapies.
All the best to you. I have recently started writing and am enjoying the challenge.
cheers, silver
Please go for it. We would surely be enlightened, and delighted. It would be a lot better reading than some of the subjects they pick for sure. That would be an overall interrest to the trades. Look at what they pick to print. Nuff said,
Tim Mooney
A nice chart comparing how injured workers are treated in other parts of the world would be a nice-to-have for your project.
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
Since I pay 13% on top of worker's wages for worker's comp, I wouldn't mind seeing what I get for my money...
And what will this contribute to us doing a better, more informed job? It is great for human interest... but irrevelant in a magazine like FHB. Oh, I forgot... liberals think the rest of the world is superior to the USA...
I think there was an article last year saying that Oregon was lowering Workman's Comp rates. It was at least in part the result of state moving from a reliance on industries like logging to high tech. Perhaps a side bar on the rates in all the states (might be a nice project for a grad student in Industrial Relations). Perhaps the folks at the Institute of Industrial Relations at UC Berkeley could help you out, although I don't know if that is one of the areas they delve into.
Would also find it interesting to see what groups and industries aren't covered by it.
A definite thumbs up.
And red-necks are afraid of any data that show one way or the other. It's conservatives like myself who prefer the open path..
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
First of all... you are either a lying fraud... or simply delusional. Which is it? To call yourself conservative is so laughable it is almost unreal. Why do you push a liberal agenda then?
My response to your slam (which I don't mind) on the data issue is this... I CLEARLY said it would be interesting. Now how can you construe that to mean I am afraid of it? Or did you just deliberately twist my words to meet your agenda? Surely you can do better than that, can't you?
I was only making the point that that kind of information is worthless to help me be a better tradesman or businessman. It reeks of the incredibly stupid arguement that our gas prices are not so bad because elsewhere (in Europe, the liberals Mecca) they are much higher. If that is not the mentality you came from please clarify that.
But save the delusional crap about you being a conservative. You REALLY think any person with a sound mind will believe that? Sheesh!
What "liberal" agenda ? Are you insane ? I've been a staunch conservative my whole life.
Unlike the redneck agenda, conservatives are pragmatic rather than ideological in their approach. For example, a redneck would look at something, like some data, and say something like: "that's of no interest to my narrow and xenophobic needs, so no-one else better want it either because only I count". I'm sure you've met people like that..
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
Be careful with the "redneck agenda" comments.
Rednecks ain't what you think they are, nor do you live with them, around them, or even know them.
A TRUE redneck is a southern thing, and the use of the term has been butchered far too much, and far too often. True rednecks are very family oriented, friend oriented, and country oriented. They are faithful, honest, true to their faith in whatever it is they believe in, and would (in most cases) give their lives without hesitation to protect others. They are the TRUE meaning of the word "honorable".
Just a thought...
James DuHamel
J & M Home Maintenance Service
"Southeast Texas"
won't do a thing to help you hammer a nail in straight, but it might come in handy when you smash your thumb with that hammer. There are many aspects of building that don't directly relate to the job but are certainly part of it: legal aspects, financial, regulatory, and medical. It's nice to have a little kowledge in all those areas.
whw... if yur tryin to pick a fight , u certainly have a talent..
all depends on wether u think of yurself as robin hood or a businessman... me.. i run a business.. and i employ carpenters... and they have families.... and we have to compete in a tough market...
i wouldn't dream of sending my carps out into the workday without Workmen's Comp...1st , if they got injured, they'd clean me out in a year .. and then they'd be on the public dole...
so.. if yur saying you work without WC, then shame on u...u can kiss my liberal ass..cause yur a drain on society and you ain't payin yur fair share
if yur sayin something else, you cud say it a little clearer....
but hey, whadda i no ?Mike Smith
Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I was only referring to the guy from up north's request for a comparison chart to compare us with the rest of the world... I re-read what I wrote and find it hard to see how you couldn't understand that...
Edited to add this...
Mike said...
if yur sayin something else, you cud say it a little clearer....
Mike I was too nice to you...I clearly was responding ONLY to Mr Giles post about the comparisonm chart. Just why do you then attack me for my viewpoint on WC?
I never said ANYTHING to indicate I was against WC. I was very CLEAR in my statement which was (and is) clearly marked as a response to Mr. Giles post on the comparison chart.
YOU are the one who needs to learn how to read. I was plenty clear. Of course, I know how closed minded liberals are. Is that the reason you refused to see the obvious and instead chose to attack me?
The problem isn't that you chose to attack, rather it is that you deliberately misrepresented me and my position in order to slander me.
Shame on you.
Edited 4/23/2002 3:47:32 PM ET by Wet Head Warrior
whw... if yur tryin to pick a fight , u certainly have a talent..
In answer I refer you to the "Liberals Suck" thread in the Tavern. Maybe there you will see why I tend to react as I do to certain people here.
whw.. i guess the red font large means yur pissed.. too bad...
the thread is about WC.. your post sounded like you were against WC...but u were so busy pickin a fight with phillll u took yur eye off the ball...
phill & i have gone around on lots of things.. but all he was asking for was a comparison chart... this neither implied nor di i infer that he was saying the usa was worse off than other first tier countries.. just a comparison...
and yur supposition that he was a liberal is laughable...u been listenin to ole rushbo & michael savidge too much... sad to say... as neat as it might be.. liberals are unfortunately.... not responsible for all the ills of our society...
liberal / conservative... u have no idea what the terms mean or u wouldn't misuse them so often...
the liberals are the ones who changed our govt. from a colony of the monarchy to our present republic...the conservatives, who suported the status quo, left and went to canada.. or nova scotia.. or back to england...so, in that respect phill is right.. ...
you introduction of a slur on liberals , instead of talking about WC, is what confused the issue...
lemme ask u ?...r u in favor of WC.. or agin it....?
& the thread u referred to.. is that something i should really go look at ?
Mike Smith
Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Edited 4/23/2002 4:34:18 PM ET by Mike Smith
I am for WC...
And I do understand the words "liberal" and "conservative" well enough to know I completely misuse them. I only use them that way because of popular usage.
I am very independent in my thinking. To the point neither "liberals" nor "conservatives would want me. For example... I am very anti-abortion... but am also anti-the anti-abortion-wackos. I am also strongly in favor of legalizing drugs. I am against bigger government... but sure don't think the Republicans have the answer. I despise Rushie almost as bad as I do Tom DASShole.
whw... yur my kinda guy.. pull the trigger 1st... then wait 'til the smoke clears to see who's still standin in the bar and feels like talkin....
my brother gave me a pin.. got it on my truck visor..
"suddenly i realized...i'm a man..i'm SUPPOSED to be an assh*le "
that and the one engraved on the inside of my eyelid..
"what , me worry ? "...
Mike Smith
Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Here's a nice thought ...
Why don't we all, regardless of our political persuasions, keep this crap out of a discussion about an issue related to the business? I suggest that if you just can't resist the urge, e-mail your favorite "enemy" directly so the rest of us don't have to read your ravings.
AMEN.
Calm down boys.
Wet head, when I read your first post, I took it out of context too and thought, "My goodnes what set him off, this isn't like him at all"
So I looked back and saw the "to" philgiles and immediately uinderstood.
It's the way these boards read that inspires confusion and misapplication of statements made but I can understand why Mike thought you were hitting on Workers comp.
ALL
I see both sides of a lot of comp issues because I've been hurt and have been screwed by employers and their insurances in my thirty plus years, and I've been screwed by employees.
So I think we could all use all the knowledge we can get about WC and health insurance. If I'da knowed then what Ida knows now...
Excellence is its own reward!
I was only referring to the guy from up north's request for a comparison chart to compare us with the rest of the world... I re-read what I wrote and find it hard to see how you couldn't understand that...
I think it's a grand idea. Information on workman's compensation issues at local, state or even international with comparisons can only serve to better inform me of the state of this important subject. Quite a few of the people I know in various trades have had dealings with the compensation system and no small amount of money or time are spent on it. An overview of the system would be most helpful.
Please discount the well intentioned but habitually rude, cranial constipation of our hydrocephalic friend. Comes at it like trying to kill snakes with a hoe. Lots of enthusiasm but not making many friends in the process. To each his own method.
Edited 4/24/2002 3:38:48 AM ET by 4LORN1
4lorn1... u weasel...which friend wud u be talkin about... shud i be offended ?
hah, hah, hahMike Smith
Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
skmd
You might want to discuss what determines if a severed digit can be re-atttached and the pros and cons of reattaching it. I've met a few people that have had parts of digits re-attached and most of them complained that it had no sense of touch. It seems a choice of cosmetics or utility.
Describing the benefits of following up with physical therapy might helpful also.
Mike
It's O.k. to think out of the box, Just don't walk off of the plank!
Edited 4/26/2002 1:54:32 AM ET by Mike S
Edited 4/26/2002 1:55:48 AM ET by Mike S
Edited 4/26/2002 1:56:49 AM ET by Mike S
WCONLINE.COM (walls & ceilings, not workmans comp) had an interesting article about employee abuse of WC (workmans comp, not walls & ceilings) in the march 2002 mag. http://www.wconline.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/features/BNP__Features__Item/0,3299,73208,00.html
BTW, W&C is a great free mag.
Ted
This might be one that The Journal of Light Construction (jlconline.com) would be interested in as well.