Two claims for chronic
pain is one too many
Worker receiving benefits for work-related
carpal tunnel syndrome can't prove
second condition was caused by the first
BY JEFFREY R. SMITH
AN ONTARIO OFFICE worker who was entitled to workers' com-
pensation benefits for carpal tunnel syndrome is not entitled to ad-
ditional benefits for her fibromyalgia, the Ontario Workplace Safety
and Insurance Appeals Tribunal has ruled.
The worker was hired in 1988 to be a technical secretary, which re-
quired a large amount of typing and data entry as part of the job duties.
NEWS BRIEF
Safety Reporter
Canadian
www.safetyreporter.com
May 2016
Fibromyalgia > pg. 2
LETTER CARRIER OVERSTEPS
DANGEROUS WORK CLAIM
Canada Post employee claimed stairs on route
were dangerous, but there were alternatives pg. 3
TRUCKER SENT DOWN THE ROAD
FOR UNSAFE DRIVING pg. 5
Truck driver didn't follow employer's
safety policy and didn't seem to care
NO BENEFITS FOR PRE-
EXISTING BACK CONDITION
AFTER WORKPLACE INJURY
Worker was already performing modified
duties because of degenerative condition
when he strained his back at work
pg. 6
INSIDE
Correctional officers call
for inmates' medical information
UCCO pushing for federal Blood Samples Act requiring disclosure after exposure
BY LIZ FOSTER
THE UNION of Canadian Cor-
rectional Officers (UCCO) is
once again pushing for improved
safety measures.
The union is calling for a fed-
eral Blood Samples Act, which
would provide members with
an inmate's medical informa-
tion following contact with their
bodily fluids.
Officers are regularly attacked
with urine, feces and blood, said
Jason Godin, second national
vice president of UCCO. Cur-
rently, correctional officers in
federal institutions do not have a
right to know if an inmate has a
disease that could be passed on
to them through contact with
bodily fluids.
RELEASED NHL EMAILS
SHOW CONCERN
OVER CONCUSSIONS
The National Hockey League rec-
ognizes that concussions and ad-
dictions are a concern for players,
but isn't sure what to do.
This is what seems apparent
from emails among the league's
top brass discussing the role of
fighting in the NHL and whether it
contributes to problems for players
off the ice. Following the death of
three former enforcers in the league
from suicide or addiction in 2011,
league commissioner Gary Bett-
man showed a reluctance to link
head injuries and fighting to off-ice
issues, but deputy commissioner
Bill Daly and then-league executive
Brendan Shanahan felt otherwise.
Over four months in 2011,
hockey pugilists Derek Boogaard,
Rick Rypien and Wade Belak were
found dead — Boogaard from a
drug overdose and the other two
from suicide.
The emails were part of a re-
lease of documents by a U.S. fed-
eral court as part of a class-action
suit against the league and have
provided ammunition for anti-
fighting and brain injury activists
who are pushing for something to
be done.
Credit:
bibiphoto
(Shutterstock)
7 out of 10 > pg. 4