Transcript 1904.1 - Baltimore City Public Schools

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Recording and Reporting
Occupational Injuries and Illnesses
29 CFR Part 1904
and COMAR 09.12.21
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
This presentation is derived from publically available training
materials developed by OSHA’s Office of Training and Education.
It has been edited for content to focus on proper identification of
recordable injuries. The number of illness and injury scenarios
has been increased to give the student more practical experience
and the examples have been set in a school environment.
The materials are intended to improve workplace health and
safety, but do not provide instruction on all that is necessary to
ensure a healthy and safe workplace. This information must be
understood as an instructional tool, rather than an exhaustive
statement of City Schools’ legal obligations, which are defined by
statutes, regulations, standards and policies.
Over time, OSHA may modify rules and interpretations. To keep
apprised of new information please visit www.osha.gov.
Please contact Baltimore City Public Schools, Dept. of Health &
Safety at 443-984-8679 for more information.
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Rationale Behind the Rule:
Preventing injuries and
illness in the workplace
 Employers: make management more
aware of the causes & types of injuries.
 Safety Inspectors: provide a source of
information during inspections.
 Bureau of Labor & Statistics: chart the
nature and magnitude of workplace
injury and illness nationwide; identify
trends.
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Do all Fatalities, Injuries and
Illnesses get Recorded?
NO–record only those that are:
• work related, and
• new Cases, and
• meet one or more of the general or
specific criteria contained in the
regulation.
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Requirements of the Rule
Recording or reporting a work related
injury, illness, or fatality does not
mean:
• the employer or employee was at fault,
• an OSHA/MOSH rule has been violated,
• or that the employee is eligible for
workers’ compensation or other
benefits.
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NOT RELATED
TO WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
OSHA/MOSH injury and illness
recordkeeping and workers’
compensation laws are independent
of each other.
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FIVE STEP PROCESS
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Did the employee experience an injury or illness?
YES
Is the injury or illness work-related?
YES
Is the injury or illness a new case?
YES
Does the injury or illness meet the general criteria
or the specific criteria for a case?
YES
RECORD THE INJURY OR ILLNESS
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STEP 1:
Did the employee experience an injury or illness?
An injury or illness is an abnormal condition or
disorder. Injuries such as a cut, fracture, sprain, or
amputation. Illnesses include both acute and chronic
illnesses, such as, a skin disease, or respiratory
disorder.
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STEP 1:
Did the employee experience an injury or illness?
Scenario A:
An administrative assistant reports to nurses’ station with
®
complaint of painful wrists. Employee given 2 Advil and returned
to job.
Stop here – there is no injury/illness
OR
Go on – an injury/illness has occurred
OR
Can’t say - need more information
Answer: Go on to the next step. Painful wrists was the
injury experienced.
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STEP 1:
Did the employee experience an injury or illness?
Scenario B:
There is a chemical spill in a high school science lab and two
teachers in the area are taken to the Mercy Clinic. They are
told to stay home the next day as a precautionary measure.
Stop here – there is no injury/illness
OR
Go on – there has been an injury/illness
OR
Can’t say - need more information
Answer: We need more information. Did the either employee
exhibit signs or symptoms of an injury/illness? So far, we
have an event or exposure only.
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Did the employee experience an injury or illness?
YES
Is the injury or illness work-related?
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STEP 2:
Is the injury or illness work-related?
You must consider an injury or illness to be work-related if, an
event or exposure in the work environment either caused or
contributed to the injury or illness or significantly aggravated a
pre-existing injury or illness.
Work-relatedness is presumed for injuries and illnesses resulting
from events or exposures occurring in the work environment
unless an exception specifically applies.
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What is the
Work Environment?
The work environment is defined as the
establishment and other locations where
one or more employees are working or
present as a condition of employment.
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What is Significant Aggravation?
 A pre-existing injury or illness is
significantly aggravated when an
event or exposure in the work
environment results in any of the
following (which otherwise would not
have occurred):
Death
 Loss of consciousness
 Days away, days restricted or
job transfer
 Medical treatment

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Exceptions
Winton Jazz Trio
Johnson High School
Friday, September 7th, 8 p.m.
 Employee is present
as a member of the
general public.
 Symptoms surface at
work but result solely
from a non-workrelated event or
exposure that occurs
outside the workplace.
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Exceptions
• Voluntary participation in
wellness program,
medical, fitness or
recreational activity.
• Eating, drinking or
preparing food or
drink for personal
consumption.
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Exceptions
• Personal grooming, self
medication for non-workrelated condition, or
intentionally self-inflicted.
• Personal tasks outside
assigned working hours.
• Common cold or flu.
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Exceptions
• Motor vehicle
accident in
parking
lot/access road
during
commute.
• Mental illness, unless employee provides a
medical opinion from a physician or licensed
health care professional (PLHCP) having
appropriate qualifications and experience
that affirms work-relatedness.
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Travel Status
 An injury or illness that
occurs while an
employee is on travel
status is work-related
if it occurs while the
employee is engaged
in work activities in the
interest of the
employer. For
example, an injury
experienced from a slip or fall on the lecture
room floor during a conference is workrelated.
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Travel Status
 When travelling, upon
check-in, the employee
establishes a “home
away from home” at
his/her hotel.
 A slip in the hotel shower
is therefore not workrelated.
 A detour for personal
reasons is also not workrelated.
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Work at Home
 Performing work for pay from one’s home
means that one’s normal duty hours are
spent at home.
 Taking work home, e.g., grading tests in
the evening, is not “work at home” for
OSHA purposes.
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STEP 2:
Is the injury or illness work-related?
Scenario A:
A custodian gives blood at voluntary employer-sponsored blood
drive and passes out (loss of consciousness).
Stop here – not work-related
OR
Go on – work-related
OR
Can’t say – need more information
Answer: Stop here. The injury or illness results solely from
voluntary participation in a wellness program or in a medical,
fitness, or recreational activity such as blood donation, physical
examination, flu shot, exercise class, racquetball, or baseball.
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STEP 2:
Is the injury or illness work-related?
Scenario B:
A Para-professional sprains an ankle in the school parking
lot on his way in to work.
Stop here – not work-related
OR
Go on – work-related
OR
Can’t say – need more information
Answer: Go on. There is no exception that applies. Parking
lot exception is only for vehicle accidents.lot exception
applies only to motor vehicle accidents during commute.
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STEP 2:
Is the injury or illness work-related?
Scenario C:
To catch up on some work, a teacher decides to stop by
school on Saturday, employee’s day off. The employee knows
the building will be open, because Mr. Jones’ drama club is
practicing for a play. She slips and falls in hallway, breaking
her arm.
Stop here – not work-related
OR
Go On – work-related
OR
Can’t say - need more information
Answer: Stop, there is an exception. The injury or illness is
solely the result of an employee doing work at school
outside of the employee’s assigned working hours.
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Did the employee experience an injury or illness?
YES
Is the injury or illness work-related?
YES
Is the injury or illness a new case?
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STEP 3:
Is the injury or illness a new case?
Determination of a new case
Consider an injury or illness a “new case” if the employee
has not previously experienced a recorded injury or illness
of the same type that affects the same part of the body,
OR
the employee did previously experience such a recorded injury or
illness but had completely recovered (all signs and symptoms had
disappeared) and an event or exposure in the work environment
caused the signs or symptoms to reappear.
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Determination of New Cases
 If signs and symptoms of a chronic
work-related illness recur even in the
absence of exposure, it is not a new
case (e.g., tuberculosis, asbestosis).
 If an exposure in the work environment
triggers the recurrence, it is a new case
(e.g., asthma, rashes).
 If there is a medical opinion regarding
resolution of a case, the employer must
follow that opinion.
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STEP 3:
Is the injury or illness a new case?
Scenario A: Five weeks ago, a cafeteria manager sprained her wrist
at work and received support, prescription medication, and a “no
lifting” work restriction. Two weeks ago employee was back on
normal job and completely recovered. Today (7 weeks after the
injury) employee complains of pain in same wrist after moving boxes.
Stop here – previously recorded case
OR
Go On – new case
OR
Can’t say - need more information
Answer: Go on. The employee had completely recovered
from the previous injury and a new event or exposure
occurred in the work environment.
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STEP 3:
Is the injury or illness a new case?
Scenario B: Four weeks ago, a teacher sprained his ankle at work
and was given prescription medication, and routine duties were
modified. Two weeks ago, employee was back on normal job, but
continued to take prescription medication. Today (5 weeks after
the injury) employee complains of pain in same ankle after moving
boxes.
Stop here – previously recorded case
OR
Go On – new case
OR
Can’t say - need more information
Answer: Stop. The employee had not completely recovered
from the previous injury or illness. Prescription
medication is still being taken—he is still under a doctor’s
care. Update the previously recorded entry, if necessary.
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STEP 3:
Is the injury or illness a new case?
Scenario C: Athletic Director fractures foot at work. Every six
months or so it bothers him and he is placed on a work
restriction for a day or two by the Mercy Clinic.
Stop here – previously recorded
OR
Go On – new case
OR
Can’t say - need more information
Answer: We need more information. Was the employee
completely recovered from the first injury? If no, stop.
If yes, was there a new event or exposure in the work
environment?
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Did the employee experience an injury or illness?
YES
Is the injury or illness work-related?
YES
Is the injury or illness a new case?
YES
Does the injury or illness meet the general criteria
or the specific criteria for a case?
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Step 4:
Does the injury or illness meet the general criteria
or the specific criteria?
General Criteria: An injury or illness is meets the general
criteria if it results in:
• Death
• Days away from work
• Restricted work activity
• Transfer to another job
• Medical treatment beyond first aid
• Loss of consciousness
• Significant injury or illness diagnosed by a PLHCP
(even if it does not result in circumstances above)
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Death
 Record any work-related fatality.
 Report any workplace fatality to MOSH within
8 hours–even if it does not appear to be
work-related. MOSH will decide whether to
investigate.
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Days Away From Work
 Record if the case
involves one or more
days away from work.
 Do not include the day
of injury/illness even if
the employee does not
return to work that day.
 If a medical opinion
exists, employer must
follow that opinion –
can’t require employee
to work.
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Restricted Work Cases
 Restricted work activity occurs
when:


the employer keeps the employee
from performing routine job functions
or from working the full workday, or
a PLHCP recommends the employee
refrain from performing routine job
functions or from working the full
workday.
 Routine job functions are those
activities the employee regularly
performs at least once per week.
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Restricted Work Cases
 If a PLHCP recommends a restriction,
employer must follow that opinion –
can’t require employee to perform
restricted work.
 If the recommendation is vague, e.g.,
“light duty X 2 weeks”, the employer
must ascertain what duties can be
safely performed considering the totality
of the circumstances.
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Restricted Work Cases
• Record if the case involves
one or more days of
restricted work.
• Do not include the day of
injury/illness even if the
employee cannot perform
routine job functions that day.
• You should ensure that the
employee complies with the
restriction.
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Job Transfer
 Injured/ill employee is
assigned to a job other
than his or her regular
job.
 Injured/ill employee
performs his or her
routine job duties for
part of a day and is
assigned to another job
for part of the day.
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Medical Treatment
Medical treatment is the management
and care of a patient to combat
disease or disorder. It includes (but
is not limited to :
 prescribing
medications,
 re-setting bones,
 surgical operations,
 physical therapy
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Medical Treatment
It does not include:
• visits to a PLHCP (Mercy Clinic)
solely for observation or
counseling,
• diagnostic procedures such as Xrays, MRIs, or blood tests, or
• first aid.
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First Aid Exception
 Using nonprescription medication at
nonprescription strength.
 Cleaning, flushing, or
soaking surface wounds.
 Tetanus
immunizations.
 Wound coverings, butterfly
bandages, Steri-Strips.
 Hot or cold therapy.
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First Aid Exception
 Non-rigid means of support.
 Temporary immobilization device
used to transport accident victims.
 Drilling of fingernail
or toenail, draining
fluid from blister.
 Eye patches.
 Removing foreign bodies from eye
using irrigation or cotton swab.
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First Aid Exception

Removing splinters or foreign
material from areas other
than the eye by irrigation,
tweezers, cotton swabs or
other simple means.

Finger guards.

Massages.

Drinking fluids for relief of
heat stress.
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Loss of Consciousness
 All work-related cases
involving loss of
consciousness must be
recorded.
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Significant Diagnosed
Injury or Illness
 The following work-related
conditions must be
recorded at the time of
diagnosis by a PLHCP:




Cancer
Chronic irreversible disease
Punctured eardrum
Fractured or cracked bone or
tooth
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Needlestick and Sharps Injuries
Record all work-related
needlesticks and cuts from
sharp objects that are
contaminated with another
person’s blood or other
potentially infectious material
(includes human bodily fluids,
tissues and organs; other
materials infected with HIV or
HBV such as laboratory
cultures).
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Forms _______________
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City Schools Employee Incident Report
IF EMPLOYEE IS SENT TO CLINIC:
 Complete all portions of this form before sending
employee to Clinic. Remove “ Agency Copy” for
files. Send remaining copies with employee to clinic.
IF EMPLOYEE IS SENT TO HOSPITAL:
 Complete all portions of this form immediately after
sending employee to the nearest medical facility for
treatment. Remove “Agency Copy” for files. Send
remaining copies to Clinic.
NOTE; “AGENCY COPY” REQUIRES ADDITIONAL
ACTION AFTER REMOVAL!
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Discharge Instructions
 Employee will be given discharge
instructions indicating whether the
employee is able to work or is placed on a
work restriction.
 Employees are required to provide the
supervisor with a copy of the discharge
instructions.
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OSHA Form 300, Log of WorkRelated Injuries and Illnesses
 Employers must enter each recordable
case on the OSHA 300 Injury Log within 7
calendar days of receiving information
that a recordable case has occurred.
 Unknown information, such as total days
away from work may be updated later
when that information becomes known.
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Counting Days Away/Days Restricted
 Check the box for days
away cases and enter the
number of calendar days
that the employee is
away, restricted or
transferred.
 Enter an estimate if you
are not sure—this can be
updated later.
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Counting Days Away/Days Restricted
 Cap day count at 180 days away
and/or days restricted.
 May stop the count if employee leaves
company for a reason unrelated to the
injury or illness.
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Counting Days Away/Days Restricted
If a case occurs in one year but results in
days away/restriction during the next calendar
year only record the injury or illness once.
 If the days extend into the next year, estimate
the total number of calendar days
away/restriction and use that number for the
annual summary.
 Update the initial log entry later when the day
count is known or reaches the 180-day cap.

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Recordkeeping
 Records can be kept on a
computer as long as they
can be produced when
they are needed.
 Must provide copies of
the records to
government agencies
within 4 business hours.
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Privacy Protection
 Do not enter the name of
an employee on the OSHA
Form 300 for “privacy
concern cases.”
 Enter “privacy case” in the
name column.
 Keep a separate
confidential list of the case
numbers and employee
names.
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Privacy Protection
 Privacy concern cases are:
an injury or illness to an intimate body part or
reproductive system,
 an injury or illness resulting from sexual
assault,
 mental illness,
 HIV infection, hepatitis, tuberculosis,
 needlestick and sharps injuries that are
contaminated with another person’s blood or
other potentially infectious material, and
 illness cases where the employee voluntarily
requests to keep name off.

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Privacy Protection
 Employer may use discretion in describing
other aspects of the case if employee can be
identified. For example:
o
o
You omit the name of the employee, and the
nature of the injury, but describe the job title as
“teacher” and the location as “Room 106.”
All staff know that Room 106 is used exclusively
by the Art teacher, Ms. Doe.
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Privacy Protection
 If you give the forms to people not authorized
by the rule, you must remove the names first
Exceptions for:

Auditor/consultant

Workers’ compensation or other
insurance

Public health authority or law
enforcement agency
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OSHA Form 300A, Summary of
Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses
 In January each year, OSHA
Form 300A Summary of
Work-Related Illnesses and
Injuries must be completed.
 The 300A Summary must
be posted by February 1st
where it can be easily seen
by employees.
Note: Be cautious. Never post the OSHA Form 300.
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Completing the OSHA Form 300A Summary
 Review previous OSHA Form 300 entries for




completeness and accuracy: update and correct
deficiencies.
Calculate average number of employees and
total hours worked and enter this information
under “Employment Information” (other
categories will appear automatically).
Print the Summary.
Certify the Summary—a company executive, (in
schools, the principal) must ensure accuracy and
sign the Summary.
Post the Summary for the 3-month period from
February 1 to April 30 of the year following the
year covered in the Summary.
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Calculating Total Employees
Example: There are 48 employees assigned to #102
Hudson Elementary School—but they don’t all
work year-round.
Forty-five (45) are 10-month employees:
They work the last weeks in August through the first weeks in
June the following year (22 pays)
Three (3) are 12-month employees:
They work January through December (26 pays)
48 x 22 =1056 (everyone gets 22 pays)
3 x 4 = 12 (only 3 get the extra 4 pays)
1068 (total number of pays for all employees)
1068 (total pays) ÷ 26 (yearly pays) = 41.07
Round to the nearest number = 41 total average employees
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Calculating Total Hours Worked
Example: There are 48 employees
assigned to #102 Hudson Elementary
School—but they don’t all work yearround.
12-month: 3 employees
3 x 2,000 hrs annually = 6,000
10 Month: 45 employees
45 X 1,750 hrs annually = 78,750
Total 84,750 hrs
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Retention and Updating
 Retain all forms/records
for 5 years following the
year that they cover.
 Update OSHA Form 300
entries during that period
if new information
becomes available.
 Need not update the
OSHA Form 300A
Summary.
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Employee Involvement
 Must set up a
system for
reporting and must
inform each
employee of how
to report an injury
or illness.
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Employee Involvement
 Must provide limited access to injury and
illness records to employees, former
employees; their personal representatives
(i.e., attorneys) and authorized
representatives (i.e., union representatives).
Provide copy of OSHA Form 300 by end of next
business day.
 May not remove names from OSHA Form 300.

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Employee Involvement
 Provide copies of all Employee Incident
Reports to authorized employee
representative (under collective
bargaining) within 7 calendar days.
Note: You are only required to give
information about the case, personal
information must be removed/blocked.
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Prohibition Against Discrimination
 Cannot discriminate against an
employee for reporting a work-related
fatality, injury or illness, filing a safety
and health complaint or asking for
access to the records.
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Fatality/Catastrophe Reporting
 Report orally within 8 hours any work-related
fatality or any incident involving 3 or more inpatient hospitalizations to MOSH Central Office.
 Do not need to report highway or public street
motor vehicle accidents (outside of construction
zone).
 Do not need to report commercial airplane,
train, subway or commercial bus accidents
 Report fatal heart attacks by calling MOSH
Central Office–MOSH will decide whether to
investigate.
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KNOWLEDGE CHECK
Please decide for each scenario
whether the case is:
• Recordable
• Not Recordable
• or you Need More Information
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1. While grading tests, a teacher cuts his
hand on the sharp metal edge of a desk.
The injury is cleaned, antiseptic is applied
and the wound is bandaged.
Not Recordable: first -aid
exception
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2. The teacher in 1 (previous slide)
complains of pain and swelling 3 days
after the original injury. He reports to
Mercy clinic and is given antibiotics to
combat an infection that has developed.
Recordable: general criteria —
medical treatment other than first
aid (prescription issued by
Mercy).
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3. A grounds crew worker gets particles of
dry leaves in his eye while trimming
trees. The school nurse assists him in
rinsing the particles from his eye and
recommends that he wear an eye patch for
several days.
Not Recordable:
first-aid exception.
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4.
A cafeteria worker slips and falls on spilled
water in the cafeteria during her lunch break.
She is taken to the Mercy ER where she is
diagnosed with cracked vertebrae and given 3
weeks off from work and 4 weeks of restricted
duty when she returns.
Recordable: personal consumption
exception does not apply because
employee was walking, not
consuming food.
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5.
A principal is rushing to the scene of a student
disturbance. In doing so, she trips on the stairs
and twists her ankle. X-rays are taken.
Need More Information: an X -ray
is only a diagnostic procedure.
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6.
A school police officer responding to the same
incident in 5 (above) is accidentally struck by a
student while attempting to separate them. His
nose is broken. He reports to Mercy clinic
where the injury is taped and he returns to work.
Recordable: specific criteria—
broken bone.
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7. An elementary school teacher assists a
child who is experiencing a nosebleed. In
doing so she gets a small amount of blood
on her hand. In washing her hands she
realizes the blood landed on an area of
broken skin.
Not Recordable:
this is only an exposure.
Note: if the teacher later develops a blood
borne illness as a result of the exposure, it
would then be recordable.
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
81
8.
Several students in classroom 105 have
contracted the H1N1 flu virus and have missed
a number of school days as a result. The
teacher in 105 has now been diagnosed with
H1N1 flu and is ordered by his doctor to remain
at home for at least 24 hours after his fever has
ended.
Not Recordable:
cold & flu exception.
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
82
9.
An administrative assistant has work-related
elbow pain. She reports to the Mercy clinic and
is given a prescription for 800 mg Motrin to be
taken as needed. Instead of filling the
prescription and paying her $15 dollar co-pay,
the employee uses generic ibuprofen in the nonprescription dosage recommended on the label.
®
Recordable: medical treatment
other than first aid. Even if the
employee does not take the proper
dosage of the prescription, she is
still under a doctor’s care.
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
83
10. A metal-shop teacher gets a small shard of metal
in his eye while cleaning up after a class. He
reports to the Mercy clinic where the shard is
easily and quickly removed using only a pair of
tweezers. He misses no work.
Recordable: medical treatment other
than first aid (tweezers may only be
used on other parts of the body to be
considered first aid).
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
84
11. A teacher trips over a projector cord and strikes
her forearm sharply against a student desk.
There is no fracture however, there is
significant pain and bruising (particularly to her
ego). Mercy Clinic places her on a “no lifting
more than 25 pounds” work restriction for
seven days.
Need More Information: is lifting
more than 25 pounds within her
routine job duties?
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
85
12. A high school boys’ track team coach encourages
his students to participate in the Susan G. Komen
“Race for the Cure” 5K run. During the course of
the race he sees several members of his track team
participating, so he runs along with them. The
teacher, who is wearing his “Frederick Douglass
High” sweatshirt, injures his knee during the race.
Not Recordable: voluntary
participation exception.
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
86
13. A paraprofessional slips and falls while
assisting a student. She strikes her head on a
table and briefly loses consciousness. She
regains consciousness and states that her head
hurts, but that she is otherwise fine. She
continues working and takes non-prescription
Tylenol for the pain.
®
Recordable: general criteria—
loss of consciousness.
Note: Please have someone take this
employee for medical care!
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
87
14. While picking up trash from around the school
fence, a custodian experiences a needle stick
through his glove from an uncovered syringe.
The syringe has clearly been used. The
employee is frightened and the principal
recommends that he report to Mercy for
counseling.
Recordable: specific criteria—
contaminated needle stick.
Note: also a privacy case.
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
88
15. While typing at her desk, an
administrative assistant with a preexisting heart condition suffers a fatal
heart attack.
Not Recordable:
no work-related event.
Note: the fatality must be reported to
MOSH within 8 hours—MOSH will decide
whether to investigate.
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
89
16. A basketball coach sprains his finger while
demonstrating routine passing techniques. He
reports to Mercy Clinic and a finger guard is
applied to support the finger. He is told that he may
not actively demonstrate sports for two weeks, but
he returns to work.
Recordable: the injury resulted
in a restriction to his routine
duties even though only first aid
was used (finger guard).
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
90
17. A custodian has a sprained wrist from a fall he
suffered at work last week that resulted in him
missing 2 days of work. Two weeks later, he
falls from a ladder while changing light bulbs
in the main office of his school. He fractures
the same wrist, exactly where the sprain had
earlier occurred.
Recordable:
significant aggravation of the injury
and specific criteria —broken bone!
This would also be listed as a new case.
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
91
18. A cafeteria manager cuts her forearm on a nail
located in a food storage area. She reports to
Mercy where butterfly bandages are used to
close the wound. A tetanus immunization is
administered.
Not Recordable: first -aid
exception.
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
92
19.
Two students who share gym equipment have been
diagnosed with CA-MRSA (a community associated
staph infection, resistant to antibiotics, which causes
serious skin and soft tissue infections and a serious
form of pneumonia). The physical education teacher
has an uncovered scrape on his hand and after
handling the same gym equipment, he likewise
contracts CA-MRSA.
Recordable: work-relatedness is presumed if the
illness or injury happens in the workplace.
Sometimes, particularly for illnesses, it’s hard to
tell. Look to the surrounding circumstances —you
should find this case to be work -related.
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
93
20. A custodian experienced a lower back injury
after he fell off a chair while on his morning
break. The incident occurred away from his
work area, outside by the loading dock. After
an evaluation by Mercy Clinic he was given
three days of “light duty.”
Need More Information: the
instruction is vague—are his
routine job duties affected?
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
94
21. A food service manager suffers from a fear of
mice (musophobia). While moving some
boxes, she faints after discovering several of
the rodents have taken up residence around her
work area.
Recordable: specific criteria —a work related
event caused the employee to lose
consciousness.
Note: also a privacy case due to
her phobia (phobias are considered to be mental
illnesses).
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
95
22. A paraprofessional was injured while on the job
and Mercy assigned a work restriction that
would affect the performance of his routine
duties. The paraprofessional stated nonetheless
that he could perform his duties without pain
and proceeded to do so.
Recordable: restricted duty was
assigned—even if it was ignored.
Note: only the clinic or other appropriate
medical personnel should be discharging an
employee back to full duties!
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
96
23. A principal scalds herself while sipping a hot
cup of coffee. She goes to the Mercy Clinic
where she is prescribed a prescription ointment.
Not Recordable: personal food
consumption exception.
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
97
24. An assistant principal is involved in an auto
accident on the school parking lot during his
morning commute. He experiences a
concussion. The Mercy Clinic prescribes a
prescription medication and instructs him to
stay home from work for three days.
Not Recordable: parking lot
vehicle accident exception.
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
98
25. The school nurse accidentally sticks herself
with a needle while preparing a student’s
insulin injection.
Not Recordable: needle was not
contaminated with blood or other
potentially infectious material.
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
99
26. On December 20, 2009, a maintenance worker
slipped in the school parking lot and fractured
his knee cap. Surgery was required and he
missed three months from work. Should this
case be recorded, and if so, should it go on the
log for 2009, 2010, or both?
Recordable–2009 only: the total number
of days away should be updated on the
2009 injury log when that becomes
known. There is no need to update the
2009 year-end summary.
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
100
27. A teacher developed a significant case of
sunburn during a day-long school field trip to
Gunpowder State Park. As a result, Mercy
Clinic advised him he could not work for the
next two days.
Recordable: work-related
injury.
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
101
28. The school nurse provides a food service
worker with four 200 mg ibuprofen tablets (800
mg = prescription strength) after he complains
of minor musculoskeletal discomfort after
doing a repetitive job task.
Recordable: non-prescription
medication administered at
prescription strength by a
PLHCP.
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
102
29. A substitute teacher sprained her ankle after she
tripped and fell on the school parking lot. She
was entering the building at the beginning of
the day, but had not yet signed in.
Recordable: parking lot
exception is only for motor
vehicle accidents.
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
103
30. An athletic director had an epileptic seizure
while walking through the gymnasium on his
way to the boys’ locker room. During the
seizure he fell and struck his head. His injury
required five stitches to his forehead and he
was off work for a week.
Not Recordable:
not work related.
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
104
Contact Information:
Mary Beth Haller, Esq.
Manager, Environmental Compliance
Department of Health & Safety, Room 407A
Baltimore City Public Schools
200 E. North Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21202
office 443-984-3617
cell 443-984-4641
fax 410-659-6937
[email protected]
BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
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