Accidents Involving Roofers Can Give Rise To Injury Claims

Roofing is a high risk job meaning that roofers are at an increased risk of being injured or killed at work should an accident take place than workers in other professions such as shop workers, cleaners, office workers, etc. Falls from heights is the greatest risk faced by people working in the roofing industry. Falls from heights can cause serious injuries and can also lead to fatalities.

Other than falls from heights, there are numerous other dangers faced by workers in the roofing industry. Any person who is required to work as a roofer must be adequately trained. Employers must ensure that roofers are fully trained for the tasks they are required to carry out. If you have been injured at work whilst working as a roofer and if your employer is to be blamed for your injuries, you may be able to put up an injury claim.

Common Types of Roofing Accidents

There are numerous types of roofing accidents for which a work accident claim can be made. Here is a look at some of the main types.

Burns and Scalds

Roofing jobs usually require the workers to make use of blow lamps, compressed gas, bitumen or blow torches. All these things can cause burn and scald injuries if workers are not adequately trained on how to use them safely. In addition, burn injuries and scalds can also be sustained if workers do not have appropriate personal protective equipment such as safety gloves, glasses, long sleeve clothing, long trousers and protective boots.

Being Struck By Falling Objects

Roofers can also be injured as a result of objects falling on them from above. When work at height is carried out, it is essential that workers are provided with proper waste chutes as well as a safe means of transporting materials from the ground to the roof and vice versa. In such cases, they must also be provided with personal protective equipment such as safety boots and hard hats.

Manual Handling And Lifting Accidents

Depending on the type of job being performed, roofers may also be required to lift, move or transport heavy supplies, tools and equipments to and from the roof. Manual handling and heavy lifting tasks can be hazardous and if they are not performed correctly, they can cause accidents and injuries. If you are required to perform such tasks, it is essential that you are fully trained and provided with the right equipment or mechanical assistance. In the event that you are not, your employer will be held liable for your injuries.

Preventing Falls in a Nursing Home

Each year, long-term care facilities with an average census of 100 elderly residents, report 100 to 200 falls per year. Of those that fall, 1,800 will die. Those who don't die as a result of the fall sustain serious injuries have limited ambulation and their quality of life is significantly reduced.

The causes of these falls are termed risk factors. The top five risk factors that contribute to falls in nursing homes are osteoporosis, lack of physical activity, impaired vision, medications, and environmental hazards. In addition, lack of knowledge and fall prevention contributes to the higher incidence of falls in long-term care facilities.

Osteoporosis is a condition where bones become very porous, less resistant to stress and more prone to fractures. This decrease in bone density contributes to falls and can results in injuries. To prevent this condition, it is recommended that long term care facility residents eat and drink sufficient calcium rich products, get sufficient vitamin D and do regular weight bearing exercises.

Another risk factor that contributes to falls in the elderly is a lack of physical activity which can result in poor muscle tone, decreased strength and loss of bone mass and flexibility. All of these deficits can contribute to falls. Prevention tips include regular exercise designed to increase muscle and bone strength such as with physical and occupational therapy and restorative services. Also, residents should always wear proper fitting shoes with low heels or rubber soles.

A person with a visual impairment also has a greater risk of falling. Age related vision diseases increase the risk for falls. Cataracts and glaucoma alter the resident's depth perception, visual acuity and may cause glares. This may hinder the resident's ability to navigate safely around their environment. To prevent this, residents of long term care facilities should have annual eye examinations to determine the extent of the age related eye disease, and what modifications should be implemented to make their environment safer. Some of these modifications for visually impaired residents can include installation of grab bars and handrails, clean eyeglasses on a regular basis, and maintain clutter free environments.

Medications are often overlooked as risk factors for falls but medications are often one of the most influential risk factors of falls in the elderly. Sedatives, anti depressants and anti- psychotic drugs can contribute to falls because they reduce mental alertness, worsen balance and gait, and can cause the blood pressure to drop while standing. Medical staff can prevent this by being aware of all of the side effects of residents' medications, encourage physician's to use the lowest dose possible, have anti-psychotic medications reviewed and attempt trial reductions and eliminations of these types of medications.

New guidelines have been released by the American Geriatrics Society and the British Geriatric Society in regards to fall prevention measures. This is the first time an update has been made by AGS in ten years. The new guidelines state that all interventions for preventing falls should include some type of exercise. New guidelines also state that assessment of a person's fall risk should include a thorough foot exam. The foot exam should include assessment of a person's footwear as well. Both are imperative to obtaining safe mobility. The assessment should also include the person's fear of falling and his/her ability to complete activities of daily living. Other recommendations in the new guidelines are as follows: physical therapy, adapting the environment to the person at risk, cataract surgery as indicated and medication reduction.

Finally, environmental hazards cause at least one third of all falls in the elderly. The most common cause is a resident tripping over an object. Other causes can be poor lighting and unsteady furniture. Staff should conduct routine room rounds to ensure there is adequate lighting, including night lights, as well as reducing all clutter and checking stability of furniture.

It is a known fact that the risks of falls increases with age. Even though most falls do not result in death, they can result in serious injuries as well as have a profound psychological impact on the resident. The key is prevention. Fall prevention in long term care facilities has to be a combination of medication monitoring, rehabilitation to increase physical strength and wellness, and environmental changes. In addition, fall prevention includes assessing residents after falls to address future risk factors, educating the staff of potential risk factors, and providing a safe environment for the residents.

Wills, Living Wills and Health Care Power of Attorney - What Is the Difference?

Many people don't know what all of these are, and, with my experience in health care field and consulting for legal services, I thought I'd elaborate on the differences and needs. Wills, also known as last will and testaments, are VERY different than living wills and health care power of attorneys. The main similarity is they all have to do with what YOU want under difficult circumstances. They all let family know what you want, as well as hospitals, courts, etc. know your desires.

To begin with, a will is a legal document stating what you want happening to your assets and children after you die. This document is very involved and having the help of an attorney is definitely preferable to doing it yourself, especially if you can get it done at low cost or no cost. For parents, having a will is essential especially so you can have one of your most precious responsibilities accounted for. Since all of us will die at some point, having a will is crucial to ensuring that your desires are enforced. The last will and testament is a way to voice your opinions when you no longer have a voice to let others know what you want.

Secondly, a living will is most recently known as advanced directive. This is a legal document to let your family know what you want while you are still living. What do I mean? If you are only able to breathe with a machine, do you want to live on a ventilator, or do you want them to pull the plug? Personally, after working with people on ventilators, I would choose to live on one, but many people do not, since it can cost $30,000 a month. Many family members struggle with pulling the plug, feeling that if they do, they killed their loved one. However, if they know that's what you wanted, in many cases it would be an easier decision for them to make. There are also things called full code and DNR. If you want to be full code, that means that you want health care professionals to do anything they need to in order to keep you alive. DNR, Do Not Resuscitate, means that if you are not breathing and don't have a pulse, you don't want health professionals to try to continue to keep you alive. These are very different interests and family members need to know what YOU want.

The last of the three I will explain is a Health Care Power of Attorney. This is the person you want deciding where you go if you can no longer make the decision. The health care power of attorney will decide whether you need to stay with a family member, go to a nursing home, assisted living facility, have home health come to take care of you, have a live-in caregiver live with you or the like. The good news is that you can choose a person you trust to make these decisions for you should your health drastically decline. This is a hard decision to make but one that, if you can, you should tell family what you want if you cannot decide anymore.

There are many choices that are yours to make regarding your care toward the end of your life and after you are gone. You get to choose how you want things, while you're still healthy. However, you don't have to do it alone. You can get help from attorneys to help you know the pros and cons to each decision you make regarding legal matters. If you don't know what choices to make, get informed to know what you want. Find help to help you make the best choice for your family by letting them know what you want or not.

New Graduate Nursing Jobs - A Word of Encouragement and a Bit of Advice

"There are no jobs out there for us!" "I thought nursing was supposed to be such a sure thing for job-security, but I can't get a job anywhere!" "All the positions are for experienced nurses only...how am I supposed to get any experience if no one will hire me?" "Nursing shortage? What nursing shortage? If there's such a shortage, why aren't there any jobs?"

This is a typical lament of the newly-graduated nurse, looking for his or her very first job out of school, at least in some parts of the country, and in some situations. I believe that some encouragement is needed, as well as some "sage advice."

The job market, in some places, is very tight. While it is disheartening, we need to realize that this isn't completely new. Nursing, as a profession, has been here before, to a degree. When I first began my career, nurses were being laid off, allied professions were being cut...this was over 2 decades ago now. New grads and both current and future nursing students: You're caught in the middle of a really weird situation right now. Trust me...there is a nursing shortage! And it is going to get worse.

The problem seems to be that, like every other business around, hospitals are having to make the same gut-wrenching budget cuts as everyone else. It's hitting so many areas of nursing right now...students, faculty, schools, hospitals...everyone is affected by the current economic situation. Hospitals, whether they're short on nurses or not at the moment, are dealing with a cash-crisis. A brand new nurse, fresh out of school--no matter how many "A's" you got in nursing school, no matter how many articles you've written above and beyond, no matter how many volunteer/student-work/extra-credit hours you've logged--a brand new nurse will take close to a full year to mentor and precept into an independent RN. They will spend tens of thousands of dollars on you, above and beyond the salary they pay you, just to get you to the place where you actually "earn" that salary. Don't be offended...the hospital typically knows that you are a great investment! These just aren't typical times right now.

You may not believe it right now, but most of the skills of nursing are learned after you get out of school! In school, you are learning the "science" of nursing, the "theory" of nursing. Upon graduation, you will learn how to apply that science and theory in the real world of nursing. Your clinical rotations were not the real world. Nursing requires judgment skills; judgment skills are the result of experience backed by the theory and science you learned in school. It just takes time.

OK, so...what can you do? First, recognize that you DO have options:

1. Realize that your first job is just that...it's your first job. Few new grads, whether they're nurses, lawyers, engineers, or architects, land their dream job right out of school. When you say that there are "no jobs anywhere" in your area, is it really NO jobs? Or have you limited yourself in any way by not considering jobs in, shall we call them, "less than desirable" specialties? I really disliked my first year of nursing! But you know what? It was only my first year. Once it was over, I was the "experienced RN" that hospitals were crying out for. I named all my future positions, where and when I wanted them. But that first year, in what amounted to a "glorified nursing home" was not what I had EVER imagined for myself. So...have you really looked everywhere?

2. I have read more than one nursing student posting comments online about how upset they were that there were "NO JOBS" out there, only to then read that she is a senior in nursing school or a brand new graduate nurse who wants to go on to become a nurse anesthetist, and to get into that program she has to have at least a year of ER or ICU experience...and "no one will hire me." To such students and grads, may I tell you in the kindest way that if any hospital does hire you into their ER or ICU as a new grad, they are setting themselves...and very possibly you..up for a possible lawsuit because of the dire consequences your lack of experience and immature professional judgements may cause someone?

I worked 10 years of my career in critical care...ALL areas of critical care...and new grads simply do not have the knowledge, skill, or judgment abilities to work in these areas. Period. Want to become a Nurse Anesthetist? Then graduate nursing school, take whatever job you need to to get working as a nurse, so you can actually begin to function as a "real" nurse (not just a student nurse!) at the bedside, fulltime. Learn. Learn all you can in that first job. Be the best new nurse you can be.

Get the best peer reviews. Get the best reviews from your Unit Manager. Be the nurse the patients and their families write letters to the hospital directors about (good letters, of course)! Then, at the end of that year, go apply for a job in the ER. Go get a spot in the ICU. Believe me, when you're in there, you'll be starting all over again with the learning curve! But when you're in, you're in...now, remember what you did that first year in that first position? Do it again. At the end of that year, go apply for that slot in the Nurse Anesthetist program. Smile...you'll have earned it, because you worked for it. Well worth it!

Again, few new graduates, whatever their profession, land their "dream job" fresh out of college. Most new grads expect to start, oh, somewhere near the bottom, and work their way up, gaining experience, wisdom, and leadership skills along the way that will be used in their futures. In nursing, we are fortunate...the bottom isn't that far from the top. It doesn't typically take more than a year of doing what you'd rather not be doing in order to shoot straight to where you do want to be. So just get started.

2. Let's say you really have looked at every hospital, every nursing home, every assisted living center in your area, and there are NO jobs. You have a decision to make. I tell my own kids this all the time: you can either choose where you want to live, and then work at whatever you like best that is available there, or you can choose what you'd love to do, and then go wherever you have to in order to do it. It's just that simple. With a career in nursing, If you wait long enough and are willing to do what it takes at first (probably not too long, but be ready for a year or so), you'll probably be able to have BOTH.

Jobs ARE out there. Go where they are, get your feet wet and become the experienced, independent RN everyone's looking for! Do what it takes! It's WORTH IT!

Nursing Homes or Private Assisted Living?

With great advancements in science and healthcare, more and more people are living longer than ever. Because of this, we strive to look for ways on how we can live our retirement years in comfort, happiness and fulfillment. In the United States, there has been a significant increase in the number of nursing homes, care facilities and agencies that provide care and daily assistance for seniors. The number of caregivers has also tripled by the hundreds or thousands as the demand for care providers soared. Many families are choosing between nursing homes and private assisted living. Some even use the terms interchangeably but the thing is they are two different concepts altogether.

A nursing home is a place for someone whose condition doesn't require hospital care but is also not recommended to be taken care of at home. Most nursing homes take in clients who require nursing supervision 24/7, especially those who have chronic illnesses or those who are not mentally well. Clients in nursing homes are also those who are trying to recover from a serious health problem like a stroke or a bad fall. They require assistance in daily tasks like walking, eating, being pushed in wheelchairs, taking medicines and undergoing medical tests. Nursing homes are mostly set up like hospitals thereby providing little to no privacy for clients. Most of the time, clients share rooms and this makes way for issues such as the TV being noisy or a client feeling uncomfortable with his or her roommate.

Private assisted living on the other hand is often referred to as home care. This is different from assisted living facilities which are also establishments that provide a place and a community for people or seniors who can't live independently at home. Private assisted living is just another term for home care set up in which a senior or a person who can't take care of his or herself still stays in the comfort of his or her home but with the support or assistance of a personal caregiver or a private care provider. This type of setup is commonly preferred by families because of its benefits for clients or patients.

Home care provides clients a feeling of independence and dignity. It also gives them the opportunity to maximize their freedom because clients can basically do whatever they want, whenever they want. They can watch their favorite TV shows, cook if they want to, go out in the garden, or eat their favorite cake. This then provides them comfort and happiness because they will definitely feel that even if someone is there to help them in bathing, dressing up or whatever, they are still living normal lives. What's also good about home care or private assisted living is that most caregivers from agencies are licensed practical nurses or registered nurses making them efficient in monitoring the client's health. Care services are also tailored or customized depending on the needs of the client. Family members can actually choose from a wide range of services like companion services, household management, personal care services, medical health care and many more. Last but not least, home care keeps families together.

Help! I Am Locked In A Bad Rehabilitation And Care Center Formerly Known As A Nursing Home

This article might be a little shock to you. After you are shocked, the best thing that you can do for you and for your family is to prepare them and prepare yourself for the future and cover any what ifs that could or might happen.

After doing extensive research on the topic and after being a somewhat-constant visitor to many hospitals, medical centers, nursing homes and a rehabilitation and care center, I have come to the conclusion that nursing homes are not meant for human beings. The only human beings that most nursing homes can benefit are those humans that have absolutely no family, friends, co-workers or connections. And even then, those patients are not helped either but might be the ones that are most taken advantage of.

These are statements in general about various things that can, did and will happen in your local nursing homes, rehab centers and medical centers and hospitals.

1. Nursing homes and rehab centers and some hospitals will insist that patients wear diapers --even when they do not medically need diapers.


2. Nursing homes and rehab centers will present some patients with contracts/policy admissions or enrollment papers that gives the facility practically complete control over all the assets, money an d real estate of the patient. The documents will give mass permission to the facility to investigage into the patient's entire life, financial, social, psychiatric, medical and more circumstances without even asking the patients' permission again. (They get the signature when the patient enrolls and most time the patient has no clue what the enrollment agreement /contract is.


3. Nursing homes and rehab centers, in some and lots of cases, will try to isolate the family members and co workers and friends from their relatives, patients so that the family members and friends are not witnesses to the nursing home lacks and neglects. The really bad nursing homes are those that want the patient to be separate from their immediate family members even from those family members that have been helpful, beneficial and good towards the patient or family member.


4. Nursing Homes and rehab centers, once they get your signature on Medicaid or Medicare applications, and once they get your application almost processed will ignore your requests to go home, to visit out of the nursing homes and your requests to be connected with people.


5. Rehabilitation and care centers that are bad or going bad will keep their public phones -- on the long term floors -- broken or out of order most times. THey know that is the connection with family members, yet the phones are always either busy, broken or both.


6. They will let patients sit for hours and hours in their own urine and excrement, ignoring their pleas for help and assistance.


7. They will let patients wait for hours on toilet bowls, having them wait to have assistance to come off the toilet bowl.


8. They will medicate patients that are witnesses and medicate patients who complain about conditions.


9. They will lie to families consistently and continuously. There was one case where they told the family member that a patient could walk 90 feet, yet when the family member went to watch the patient, the patient could walk only a few feet at one time and no where near 90 feet. They have lied to other patients about whether patients came out of the bed. For example, a nurse will say, yes she had breakfast in the dining room, but the truth is that she had breakfast in bed in her own room, still isolated from the rest of the population in the facility.


10. They will consistently lose patients' clothing, all the time. There are patients wearing other patients' clothing and there are tons of clothing lost for each year.


11. They will ignore your requests for help. They will make fun of patients, mimicking them when they want to do so.


12. They will take money from residents so that they can purchase cigarettes and other health-harming items for patients who are on oxygen, patients who are sick, and for patients who are not allowed out of the building.


13. Some will take your clothing and not issue any receipts.


14. Some will lose ALL the pants and some of the clothing. The method to their madness about them losing the pants, is this: If the resident has many pairs of pants then the resident can tell the place that he does not want to wear diapers. So, those facilities that want to keep residents isolated, will lose the residents pants so that the resident cannot leave his room. YOu are not permitted to leave your room without pants, of course, and it the place consistently loses their pants, the resident becomes more isolated and more unhappy.

How can you protect yourself and your family?

• Put everything in writing. Yes, write all about it. This way no one can say that you said this or said that. Keep documented records of everything that happened or did or will happen.

These are just some of the ways that these facilities are harming people. I will write more articles about this topic, at a future date,

I created this article on May 20, 2007.

Hidden Spy Cameras to Expose Elder Abuse

One of the immutable laws of nature is that only the strong survive. It is just part of human nature that the strong prey on the weak. It has been that way forever. Whether you're talking about human beings by themselves or tribes or countries. With very few exceptions the weak are always targets of the strong.

That is true of senior citizens as well. Seniors are the fastest-growing segment of our population. That is why home healthcare services and nursing homes are thriving. They can hardly keep up. Unfortunately when we put our parents in a nursing home or get a home healthcare service for them so they can stay in their own home, we tend to think that they are safe. I hope I'm not first person to tell you that is not the case.

Predators are everywhere. In nursing homes, long-term care facilities and rest homes seniors, especially seniors with Alzheimer's disease, are targets for predators for elder abuse. It is documented that 4/10 nursing homes and long-term care facilities have some kind of patient abuse. Anything from stealing medications to money-folks will steal anything if they think they can get away with it.

Many seniors bristle at the idea of going to a long-term care facility. They would much rather stay at home. Enter home health care and their providers. Because of the increased demand for these kinds of services and a shortage of qualified workers all too often unqualified and sometimes undocumented workers are in charge of your loved ones healthcare, often alone with them for extended hours. The temptations to steal are just too great.

That is where hidden spy cameras can save the day. There are many Hidden Cameras to choose from too. When are you getting one?

When you need to find out what is going on at your home, office, business or nursing home when you can't be there the alarm clock DVR hidden camera may the answer. Spy cameras keep an eye on your home when you can't be there to watch your kids, your nanny, your spouse, domestic help or repairmen. They are great for home security too.