G&M Today Issue 2 - Page 1
The law and Private Medical Insurance
With the Implementation of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, businesses small and large have to reassess their risk strategy for their employees. The act which became law on the 6th April 2008 states that a company or organisation may be guilty of the offence if the way that its activities are managed or organised causes a death and amounts to a gross breach of a relevant duty to the deceased.Prior to the act, a company or organisation could only be convicted of manslaughter if a “directing mind” at the top of the company such as a director was also personally liable. In reality the way medium and large organisations are structured, decision-making can be fragmented. A director makes a blanket directive and this in turn is interpreted by middle management. This had the result of the law failing to provide proper accountability and protection for victims, in some cases.
The new law takes a wider viewpoint on the organisations structure and as a result is better placed to provide clearer accountability.
Though as with many laws where its effects can be seen as limited, this law provides protection in the work place never before seen.
What does this mean in practice?
The new legislation means that employers now have a greater “duty of care” and need to do even more to protect their employee’s welfare. Now its not just a case of ensuring that a piece of machinery has the relevant guards and the operator has been sufficiently trained, Employers now need to make sure that their staff are fit to undertake the tasks required.
It’s not all bad news, on the plus side, some Health insurance policies now offer improved employee benefits, for example the Elite products from General & Medical Healthcare provide routine eye checks ensuring that the employee has good vision plus it can also pick up other health issues that may also be treated under the health insurance and all of the schemes offered by General & Medical provide stress counselling.
In a modern world it is important that the employee is protected whilst ensuring organisations are able to manage the risks efficiently and maintain a healthy long-time serving employee base.
Scientist closer to botalism cure.
A micro gram is lethal; a gram can kill thousands and the US government has spent billions into research into how to develop it (Agent X) and stop it. The public become victims due to bad food hygiene, yet despite all this the rich and the famous inject it into the skin to decrease the appearance of wrinkles. The Botulinum Toxin that causes Botulism and is injected as Botox’s days could be numbered as United States Military scientists believe they may have found a cure for the toxin.The toxin was originally used in the 1950’s by the Ophthalmologist Alan Scott to treat eye disorders such as excessive blinking. Originally known as Allergen, Botox through Opthalmological treatment showed cosmetic application possibilities when frown lines were noticeably reduced. The toxin has also been used to treat migraines.
Of the three kinds of Botulism: Infant, Food and Wound borne, Food botulism is probably the most common with symptoms showing after 12-36 hours and include: a dry mouth, blurred vision, difficulty swallowing or breathing, diarrhoea and vomiting. The toxins attach to proteins in human nerve cells inhibiting communication between muscle cells causing paralysis and in respiratory organs this can be lethal. The new antidote which effectively tricks the toxin into not attacking the human cells is, scientists estimate about five years away. Scientists are continuing their tests amid great optimism.
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