MARYLAND MANUAL 43

Law. The Commission consists of four members appointed by the
Governor for terms of six years. The Chairman, who is designated
by the Governor, has administrative supervision over the agency. The
remaining three Commissioners hear cases. Hearings are held
throughout the State in contested cases. The Commission is responsi-
ble for the determination of what occupations are covered under the
law. It receives reports of accidents, and adjudicates claims for
compensation arising under the law. Investigations are made of
companies and firms which fail to carry insurance under the terms of
the Act. The Commission also has the authority to promulgate safety
rules and regulations for insured firms and industries. Through the
Safety Department, periodic examinations and inspections are made
of the various industrial plants to determine what safety precautions
are being taken. The Commission may require any plant or industry
under the jurisdiction of the Act to take necessary steps to correct
any unsafe condition or practice which may exist. The Safety De-
partment sponsoifs a Safety Conference in cooperation with the vari-
ous industries of the State for the purpose of encouraging safe work-
ing practices and safe working conditions (Code 1947 Supp. Art.
101, sec. 1-131).

In recent years many important changes in the Workmen's Com-
pensation Act have been made by the General Assembly. Among the
most important of these have been the increase of temporary total
disability payments from $20.00 to $26.00 a week; the increase of
permanent total disability awards from $6,000.00 to $7,500.00; the
increase of total benefits to dependents from $5,000.00 to $7,600.00;

the increase of the amounts payable under permanent partial disa-
bility from $25.00 to $28.00 per week; the broadening of the law in
hernia cases, the establishment of a Second Injury Fund, and removal
of the limitation as to the payment of medical expenses.

Medical Board for Occupational Diseases

The Medical Board for Occupational Diseases was established in
1939. The members of the Board are appointed by the Governor,
with the approval of the Senate, from a list of nominees submitted
by the Deans of the Schools of Medicine of the University of Mary-
land and The Johns Hopkins University and by the Council of the
. Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland. Each agency submits
a list of three persons, two of whom are experienced in occupational
diseases, and one of whom is an experienced roentgenologist. Each
appointee to the board must be a licensed physician in good profes-
sional standing, two of whom shall have had at least five years prac-
tice in the treating, diagnosis, and care of industrial diseases, the
third member having been trained in roentgenology and having
had five years practice and experience. The term of each member
is six years. The Chairman of the Board is designated by .the Gov-
ernor. The Board hears and adjudicates all claims for compensation
for disability caused by an occupational disease as defined by the
law. The decisions of the Board are subject to review by the In-
dustrial Accident Commission (Acts 1949, Ch. 464).