HEALTH & SAFETY
Injury rates, costs rise at alarming levels at agencies
By DEBORAH A. MILES The recently released third annual
Workers’ Compensation Report for state employees shows injury rates, lost work time and costs have increased at alarming levels. The report, published by the state
Department of Civil Service for fiscal year 2009-10, reveals work-related injuries cost the state $126 million to $253 million. To address this, PEF President Ken
Brynien sent a letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo in January to highlight the significant problem workplace injuries are causing. The letter also listed the negative effects on agency budgets, staffing and services and offered solutions. Brynien said the current report noted
four state agencies account for 73 percent of the incidents, 80 percent of the lost-time incidents, and 82 percent of the costs. They are the Office of Children and
Family Services (OCFS), the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), the Office of Mental Health (OMH), and the Department of Correctional Services (DOCS). “The injuries and costs described in
this report have a direct effect on the quality of services provided by these agencies,” Brynien said. “The human effect on injured workers and their families, co-workers and clients also is
layoffs estimate, but the DOCS layoffs could not be averted through labor concessions. The Executive Budget also proposes a
$5 million reduction in Central Management staff at DOCS. In addition, the 1,893 FTEs now at
DOP would be merged with DOCS. The budget anticipates 70 of those would be lost to attrition. It is not clear how many of those positions might be eliminated through layoff. However, it appears most of the $6 million in savings anticipated from the merger would come from eliminating administrative redundancies. The state Parole Board would continue as an independent body with 13 members. The board currently has 19 seats but six are vacant. • The Office for Technology is
www.pef.org MOFFITT
significant. Public health studies predict, on average, every dollar spent on injury prevention results in savings of three to five dollars in direct and indirect costs.” James Moffitt, PEF
Executive Board member and OPWDD health and safety co-chair, couldn’t agree more. He said part of the problem at OPWDD is the lack of record- keeping and tracking of injuries, so they can be reviewed. “When we meet with
agency managers on a statewide level, we are told each Developmental Disability Services Office (DDSO) controls its own information. The people from the central office say they don’t have information on what injuries are occurring. They don’t track what happens at each DDSO. I find that mind-boggling,” Moffitt said. Moffitt said at Broome DDSO, where
he is a rehabilitation counselor, the health and safety committee has a good partnership and is able to monitor and report injuries. He said the high costs come into play
when someone is out on workers’ compensation, as the agency has to pay overtime to someone else to cover the position. PEF Vice President Pat Baker said
many injuries to staff are a result of workplace violence.
expected to see a net gain of 52 FTEs from the loss of 30 FTEs through attrition, which would be offset by 82 new FTEs. The new positions are all funded by “Internal Service Funds” and may be consultant positions converted to state-employee positions. • The three State University of NY
teaching hospitals in Stony Brook, Brooklyn and Syracuse would lose a combined $154 million in state funding and that could lead to layoffs. PEF believes as many as 2,700 positions could be lost through layoffs and attrition. These possible layoffs are not accounted for in the budget’s 9,800 layoff estimate. In addition, the proposed state cuts in Medicaid would also undercut the SUNY hospital revenues and produce still more staffing cuts.
“PEF has diligently campaigned
against workplace violence for years. Through union efforts, a law was enacted. Unfortunately, some agencies have feeble prevention plans in place. Until the plans are revised and properly enforced, we are going to continue to see a rise in injuries and costs,” Baker said. PEF Health and Safety Chair Kathy
D’Arminio said back injuries from patient lifting, slips, trips and falls also are leading causes of preventable workplace injuries. “PEF has been instrumental in
educating its members who work in health care about safe patient handling. Agencies that have implemented safe patient-handling techniques have shown a decrease in workers’ compensation costs,” D’Arminio said. “The state needs to make safe patient handling a priority.” “The lost work time is equivalent to the
loss of 1,279 full-time employees for an entire year,” said PEF Director of Occupational Safety and Health Jonathan Rosen. “The state can’t afford to lose this
much staff. It is most likely not a coincidence the increase in injuries and costs coincides with the hiring freeze and agency cuts. PEF is hopeful the governor will work with the unions to address this dilemma,” Rosen said. If you would like to see the report and
letter, go online to
pef.org and select health and safety.
• The Office of Children and Family
Services would likely see a net gain of 420 FTEs, in spite of the governor’s proposal to close facilities. His budget would add 765 new positions, which would be offset by an expected loss of 345 through attrition. Last year’s initiative to improve medical, mental health and direct care services and increase staff-to-youth ratios would continue and be expanded to all remaining facilities. The governor’s budget proposal
includes several provisions that would allow state commissioners to get around requirements for 12-months notice to staff and communities before closing state youth facilities, prisons and psychiatric hospitals.
The Communicator March 2011—Page 9
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