Unions: their role in health and safety issues

Article Abstract:

The primary concerns of the labor unions change along with changing times and needs. Today's priorities are health-care benefits and occupational safety and health issues. The major economic issue with many employers and employees is the cost of health-care insurance. Many employers have purchased self-insurance programs through a health maintenance organization (HMO). More often than not, these programs exclude certain forms of health-care delivery such as podiatry, optometry, dentistry and chiropractic. When a company with union workers purchases one of these programs, it must first negotiate with the union. Unions, which are considered the collective voice of the workers, can have a major influence over what is included in the health-care package. The chiropractor can work with the union to gather information as to how many members use chiropractic care on a regular basis, how their absentee rates compare with those of members who do not use it, how much money was spent on chiropractic care, and whether there would be a cost benefit to supplying chiropractic care over paying for absenteeism and decreased productivity. Addressing the issue of occupational safety and health is usually postponed until workers' compensation costs have skyrocketed or denial can no longer cover-up health and safety problems. It often takes government regulation and enforcement by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to motivate companies to make changes. Unions have played a major role in stimulating state legislation and OSHA action toward effecting changes concerning the safety and health of the workers. OSHA has adopted an ergonomic approach, seeking to reduce or eliminate work or work environment stress that leads to health and safety problems. The most costly problems to industry today are low back and cumulative trauma disorders caused by repetitive motion stress on the biomechanical systems of the body. Prevention is of utmost interest to the unions and companies, who are interested in reducing workers' compensation costs, which reduce the overall profit. Chiropractors would have to demonstrate to the company's management and the union that they can be a source of valuable prevention resources, also. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Management, Health insurance, Repetition strain injury, Cumulative trauma disorders, Labor unions

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An example of health-care provider intervention in the workplace

Article Abstract:

Many jobs carry with them common health hazards and related injuries. At one foundry that specializes in casting metal components for commercial aircraft, there are many jobs that require repetitive clenched fist motions using vibrating tools. This type of job can lead to problems in the employee's hands and wrists, including carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and vibration-induced white finger disease (VWF). Carpal tunnel syndrome is thought to be caused by compression of the median nerve as it passes through the "carpal tunnel" to enter the palm of the hand from the wrist. Symptoms include wrist pain at night, burning, tingling and pain in the fingers, which gradually gets worse. With further damage to the median nerve numbness occurs. The muscles of the thumb become weak and the person cannot grip and hold things easily. It is thought that chronic use of vibrating tools can lead to microtrauma of individual nerve fibers, leading to numbness, tingling, and increased sensitivity in the fingers. The clenching may also cause vascular constriction in the blood vessels that deprives the nerves of blood, with the same outcome. These problems are compounded when working in a cold environment. As the condition progresses, a loss of fine movement and dexterity or even permanent disability can occur. For six months, the foundry tested employees for signs of early peripheral nerve damage using a device provided by a local health-care provider called a vibrometer, which is painless, non-invasive, inexpensive and very effective. The foundry also started using job rotation and high frequency absorbing gloves. During this test period there were fewer complaints of CTS and a significant decrease in referrals for surgical consultation. These interventions helped the industry to reduce its health care costs. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Evaluation, Prevention, Occupational health services, Work, Work (Labor)

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Labor/management relations in the emerging trucking industry

Article Abstract:

The trucking industry has many concerns over increasing labor needs and industry costs. The large number of motor vehicle accidents that involve trucks has led to an investigation into the major contributing factors. Driver fatigue is suspected to be one major cause and is thought to result in the driver becoming less responsive to the environment and more vulnerable to accidents. While the truck driver spends many hours in a fixed sitting position, he still experiences whole body vibrations, and this is being investigated as a major cause of driver fatigue. In a previous study bus drivers were found to have significantly more bowel, respiratory, muscular and back disorders than office workers or the general population. It was concluded that the combined effects of body posture, postural fatigue, dietary habits and whole-body vibration contributed to these disorders. These factors are also concerns for truck drivers who, because they drive for extended periods, also exert much stress on the lower back, especially on the discs between the vertebrae, the bones that make up the spine. This health problem costs the trucking industry significant amounts in workers' compensation and health care. The chiropractic profession can continue to help the trucking industry through treating occupational injuries and through prevention education. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Health aspects, Trucking, Causes of, Complications and side effects, Vibration syndrome, Fatigue, Traffic accidents, Workers' compensation, editorial

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