Every year, the city pays out $140 million in Workers Comp claims. The cost of wage replacement and rehabilitation for injured workers brings the total close to $200 million a year.

Yet, as Lee Clarke, director of DC 37’s Safety and Health Dept. pointed out, “There is no risk management function in New York City. There is no agency and nobody in the Mayor’s office responsible for looking at accidents that occur and studying how they can be prevented.”

A bill to remedy this appalling oversight was introduced April 1 by City Council member Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., chair of the Civil Service and Labor Committee, and 18 other members of the council. The bill provides for city agencies to record and report information regarding workplace injuries and illnesses. It has the support of union officials and public health advocates, including District Council 37.

“From a business point of view, it makes sense to look at the claims and reduce the risk factors that cause injury and illness,” said Ms. Clarke. “From a trade union point of view, collecting the data and getting it into a measurable format means that we could target areas of high risk and reduce the risks to union members.”