Doctors in the Carolinas called a press conference in New York to say they feel employers are pressuring them to undertreat and underreport workplace injuries. Here's the beginning of an article in the Charlotte Observer, which describes what the doctors said:
Doctors feel push to downplay injuries by AMES ALEXANDER
A leading group of occupational doctors is taking the unusual step of speaking out publicly against pressure from companies to downplay workplace injuries.
To outline their concerns, the physicians have sent a letter to federal workplace safety regulators and held a conference session in New York City on Monday. They're also planning to testify before Congress.
If successful, their campaign could affect the treatment of injured workers and might help change how the government assesses workplace safety.
"Our members feel they are being methodically pressured ... to under-treat and mistreat," said Dr. Robert McLellan, president of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. "...This is a grave ethical concern for our members. It's a grave medical concern."....
Dr McLellan said that he would lobby OSHA (the US federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration) to check the accuracy of the injury-reporting logs all employers are supposed to maintain and submit monthly. Good luck! Last time I researched the subject, OSHA was desperately short-staffed. And that was
before the Bush administration started chopping and slashing at all regulatory agencies.
