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Hazardous duty?

LTC Liability Monitor, May 25, 2005

Working in a nursing home is among the most dangerous jobs in the U.S., ranking up there with working at a noisy manufacturing plant, according to the Biloxi Sun Herald. Nursing homes had the third highest worker injury rate in 2003 among the 84 industry groups that the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics analyzed. Nursing assistants, in particular, hurt their backs, necks, and shoulders while lifting patients, and suffered other injuries from residents who lashed out or struck workers. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued ergonomic guidelines for nursing homes in 2002, but the guidelines are not enforceable. However, OSHA inspectors can use the Occupational Safety and Health Act's general duty clause to require employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards, the newspaper reported.

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