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The Division of Workers' Compensation explained that medical providers are required to bill using standardized paper billing forms effective Oct. 15, 2011.

The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Occupational Safety and Health Division proposed amendments to rules regarding general industry and occupational health.

Some medications designed to help cancer patients may cause cancer and other irreversible harmful effects to health care workers exposed -- even after low level exposures.

The Workers' Compensation Board issued a bulletin addressing the treatment of an exacerbation in workers with injuries that are covered by the medical treatment guidelines.

A searchable database is aimed at curbing the prescription drug problem in New Jersey.

Workplace injuries related to crimes are 10 times more likely to involve a fatality than injuries due to other causes, according to NCCI. The average severity for those injuries is second highest for both indemnity and medical with only motor vehicle accidents higher.

Falls from elevations by roofers cost an average of $106,000 per claim while falls by carpenters cost an average of $97,000 each. The numbers are included in a new presentation from OSHA.

One of the emerging cost drivers in the workers' comp system is repackaged drugs, mainly dispensed through physicians' offices. Estimates put the cost at between $700 million and $1 billion annually.

The Department of Labor and Industries adopted rules establishing a statewide medical provider network and expanding Centers of Occupational Health Education.

More than 4,500 workers die on the job every year while another 4.1 million suffer a serious job-related injury or illness. Many of these incidents are avoidable, according to OSHA.

"Standard & Poor's Rating Services remains bearish on this line as a significant number of negative factors have created adverse market conditions surrounding the workers' compensation industry in the U.S.," says a new report. "All signs are pointing to more unprofitable years ahead."

"Prescription drug abuse is the fastest growing drug problem in the United States," says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The increase has been "driven by increased use of a class of prescription drugs called opioid analgesics."

U.S. businesses spend more than $1 billion on occupational skin disorders, one of the most frequently reported occupational illnesses. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has released a guidance to help employers reduce the physical and financial suffering caused by skin contact with chemicals in the workplace.

The Division of Workers' Compensation proposed a rule amending the definition of "affiliated self-insurer."

Safety and wellness programs are generally separate within an organization. Combining them could improve the overall health of employees and help reduce workers' comp costs, suggests recent research.