Workers comp symposium promotes prevention programs |
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20 October 2004 ATTENTION: Reporters covering California's workers' compensation challenges |
Contact:
By Sarah Yang, Media Relations
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WHAT
"Promoting Prevention in the California Workers' Comp System," a symposium addressing the lack of employer incentives to introduce workplace programs that can help prevent injury and illness.
The day-long event, hosted by the University of California Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH), includes case studies of workers' compensation programs with a strong emphasis on prevention in other regions, including Washington state and British Columbia, Canada.
WHEN
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Friday, Oct. 22
WHERE
Auditorium of Elihu Harris State Office Building, 1515 Clay St., Oakland
WHO
The range of speakers include occupational and environmental health experts, such as Dr. David Bonauto, associate medical director of Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention (SHARP) in Washington state; and Terry Bogyo, director of corporate planning and development with the Workers' Compensation Board of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
For a full list of speakers and the agenda, go to http://coeh.berkeley.edu/news/fallsymp04.htm.
DETAILS
"There has been widespread criticism of California's workers' compensation system in recent years, but little attention has been paid to prevention programs at the manager and system-wide level," said Dr. John Balmes, director of COEH. "We'll look at how these programs can lower premiums for employers by reducing the burden of injury and illness in the workforce."
The government-funded COEH is a multidisciplinary training program based at UC Berkeley, UC Davis and UC San Francisco. Through the center's programs, researchers work to prevent injuries and disease on the job and to solve critical health problems in local communities.