supervision over the agency; the remaining four Commissioners hear
cases. Hearings are held throughout the State in contested cases.
It receives reports of accidents, and adjudicates claims for compen-
sation 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 Depart-
ment sponsors a safety conference in cooperation with the various
industries of the State for the purpose of encouraging safe working
practices and safe working conditions (Code 1951, Art. 101, Sees.
1-13, Acts 1953, ch. 766).

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 $28.00 to $32.00 a week; the increase
of permanent total disability awards from $32.00 weekly payments
to $35.00, and the total amount from $10,000 to $12,500, the increase
of total benefits to dependents from $7,500 to $10,000; the broadening
of the law in hernia cases, the establishment of a Second Injury
Fund, and removal of the limitations as to the payment of medical
expenses. In 1951 the Act included many additional employments;
also, for the first time, Maryland came to be what is known as a
non-scheduled State for Occupational Diseases.

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 Maryland 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
practice 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 Governor.
The Board hears and adjudicates all claims for compensation for
disability caused by an occupational disease. The decisions of the
Board are subject to review by the Industrial Accident Commission.
(Code 1951, Art. 101, sees. 26-28).

Appropriations 1953 1954
General Fund.. $219,702 $243,793
Staff: 57.