Maine Occupational Research Agenda (MORA) Meeting

Maine Occupational Research Agenda (MORA) Meeting
Minutes

Bureau of Labor Standards

Third Floor Conference Room

March 10, 2004

Staff Present: Desi-Rae Grady, Terry Hathaway, Lynne Lamstein, & John Rioux.

Members Present: Peter Doran (MIOHE), Sharon D’Orsie (USM), Ron Dyer (DEP), Ruth Lawson-Stopps (Occupational Health Associates), Carol Eckert (MIOHE), Saskia Janes (Maine Public Health Association), Jonathan Lepoff (Consultant), Jeff Levesque (Maine Workers’ Compensation Board), Kim Lim (Bureau of Labor Standards), Dwight Littlefield (Maine Bureau of Health), Ivan Most (Strategic Occupational Health), Jonathan Torres (WorkMed), & Leslie Walleigh (Workplace Health).

Members Absent: Brad Brown (Bureau of Insurance), Valerie Carter (Bureau of Labor Education), Peter Crockett (MLGH), Denise Dumont (U.S. HealthWorks), Heather Mason (Maine Safety Council), Steve Minkowsky (Maine Workers’ Compensation Board), Louise Morang (MAOHN), Pat Philbrook (Maine State Nurses Association), & Phyllis Wolfe (BIW).

Ivan Most, Chair, opened the meeting at 9:00 A.M.

Approval of February 11, 2004 Minutes. Peter Doran made a motion to accept the minutes as amended. Jonathan Lepoff, seconded. Vote, unanimous.

Ivan reminded folks to contact Norm Anderson at the American Lung Association of Maine regarding their comments on his draft of the "White Paper on Work- Related Asthma in Maine".

Ivan Most suggested an agenda item to highlight research in the state regarding occupational health. Students could talk about their work. This would heighten awareness of what is happening as well as its importance when applying for grants. We would have the support of the health community in the State. Also, students could become involved in networking.

Operative Document Discussion. As Heather Mason was absent, Ivan Most led the discussion. MORA members were given a draft of the "MORA Operative Document". At this time, this is an internal document. Members discussed the vision statement, mission statement, organization description, market analysis, goals, and objectives. Ivan Most will be responsible for writing the situation analysis. Terry Hathaway will make the changes and attach the latest draft to these minutes.

At the April meeting, MORA will group objectives under the goals in the Operative Document and then a work plan will be set up. Definitions were clarified for goals and objectives. Goals are what are to be achieved (quality). Objectives are more specific and measurable (quantitative).

Ivan Most suggested a "Parking Lot", which consists of issues for later discussion. The "Parking Lot" issues are:

Ø Approval Process for Research Presentations to

MORA (Policy and Procedure)

Ø Only Research Priorities

Ø Define "Friends of MORA"

Ø Define "Workplace"

Ø Process to Add New Priority Items and Getting Rid - Should We?

Update on Prevention Data Advisory Group - John Rioux. John Rioux summarized the last meeting, held on February 18, 2004. The members were to rank the " Parking Lot" issues, so that Bill Peabody can put them in order. The next meeting of the advisory group will take place on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 at 9:00 AM as a member of Dirigo Health Services will be present. The meetings of the Prevention Data Advisory Group are the third Wednesday of each month. The approved minutes are on the Bureau of Labor Standards’ web site, www.maine.gov/labor//bls/aboutbls.htm <http://www.maine.gov/labor//bls/aboutbls.htm> . Also accessible are the approved MORA minutes as well as the approved minutes of the Commission on Safety and Health in the Maine Workplace. Mr. Rioux asked if there was any objection to sharing MORA’s draft minutes with the Prevention Data Advisory Group; he will also check with them to see if they want to share their draft minutes with MORA. Mr. Rioux added that the advisory group meetings are public, so anyone can attend.

Open Forum - Exchange on Conferences, Research, Doctoral Thesis, Etc. Ivan Most suggested this as a regular agenda item. Any member may make an announcement regarding what is going on that may be of interest to MORA.

MORA Contact	Title of Event	Sponsoring Organization	Location & Date
Ivan Most	Indoor Air Quality Seminar Audience: Researchers Subject: Asthma Indicators		UNE, Biddeford May 19-20, 2004
Sharon D’Orsie	Potluck Supper for Joint Meeting of AIHA and ASSE in Maine	Students at CMMC & USM	CMMC, Auburn April 28, 2004
Lynne Lamstein	One-Day Program on Workplace Violence	Maine Dept. of Labor & Maine Safety Council	Holiday Inn by the Bay May 3, 2004
Ron Dyer	Toxicity in the Workplace	North East Waste Management Officials Association (NEWMOA)	Region 1 March 11, 2004
Ivan Most	Tox Center		USM
Ruth Lawson-Stopps	Human Resource Conference	Law Publishers	Samoset May 5-7, 2004
Jeff Levesque	Workers’ Comp Claims	Both OSHA and Maine Department of Labor have requested a listing of all claims for the previous week for targeting

Jeff Levesque suggested Bill Coffin, OSHA, should be invited to a future MORA meeting.

Kim handed out a one-page summary on the "Impact of Domestic Violence" report. Members received a copy of the study. It was suggested that if MORA was going to endorse something, then it should be discussed with members at a meeting. If that’s not possible, then send an e-mail to members. Another suggestion was that the Chair, Ivan Most, be contacted if a MORA member has an issue that cannot wait until the next scheduled meeting.

Budget for 2005 Conference Development. Kim Lim has submitted the grant proposal to NIOSH. $7,000 is available from the last symposium. If the grant is not accepted, UNE will "pro bono" the management fee at cost. The dates are May 25-26, 2005. The focus is special population priorities. In September 2004, NIOSH will hold a conference on special populations. Kim Lim will provide MORA with more information. If anyone has any ideas for speakers for the 2005 Conference, please let Kim know.

A conference committee was set up. The members are Desi-Rae Grady, Kim Lim, Lynne Lamstein, and Leslie Ingraham, UNE.

Report on Meeting with Bill Peabody - John, Ivan, and Ruth. This meeting came about as a result from John Rioux’s presentation regarding the status of the Commission on Safety and Health in the Maine Workplace. Mr. Peabody is supportive of MORA. As a result of meeting with Mr. Peabody, a letter was written to the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Labor, regarding the roles of MORA, the Commission on Safety and Health in the Maine Workplace, and the Occupational Safety and Health Data Collection and Injury Prevention Work Group. Jeff Levesque made a motion to send the amended letter to the Commissioner. Jonathan Lepoff, seconded. Vote, unanimous.

Next Meeting. The next meeting of the MORA Steering Committee will be held Wednesday, April 14, 2004 from 9:00 AM to Noon in the Third Floor Conference Room, Bureau of Labor Standards.

Following is the agenda for the next meeting:

I. Approval of March 10, 2004 Minutes	Ivan Most	1:00
II. Doctoral Thesis	Mike Shelton	14-20
III. Brief on MPHA	Marilyn Tipton	Tent.
IV. Asthma White Paper	Norm Anderson	15-20
V. Conference 2005 Planning	Kim Lim, Desi-Rae Grady, & Lynne Lamstein	30
A. Review of Special Populations
B. Timeline
VI. Operative Document Completion	Ivan Most	60
A. Group objective
B. Work Plan	All
VII. PDAG Update - Dirigo Data	John Rioux
VIII. Open Forum	All
IX. Next Meeting - May 12, 2004 - Agenda

Adjournment. Chair Ivan Most adjourned the meeting at 11:40 AM.

Respectfully submitted,

Terry M. Hathaway