Work Injury Prevention Programs

Injury prevention programs have led to a significant reduction in workplace injuries while contributing to improved productivity, reduced turnover, improved OSHA compliance, reduced worker’s compensation claims and premium rates, and higher employee satisfaction.  The costs of a worker injury can be devastating to individuals families and affect businesses on multiple fronts.  In 2009, worker’s compensation benefits paid totaled $58 billion, and indirect costs have been estimated at 1.1 to 4.5 times the direct cost.

Indirect Costs of Worker Injury

  • Wages paid to absent, injured workers
  • Time lost due to work stoppage following injury
  • Administrative time processing injury-related tasks
  • Employee training and replacement following an injury
  • Productivity loss due to new employee training
  • Replacement cost for damaged material and equipment

Source: OSHA Injury and Illness Prevention Programs

Injury Prevention Programs: Effective and Scalable

As of 2012, 34 states, and countries around the world, have instituted required or incentivized injury prevention programs.  The results of state programs are remarkable; work injury rates have been reduced by as much as 60 percent.  Participating businesses have reported additional benefits and some have even encountered more sales opportunities due to their commitment to safety.

 Despite the evidence, many businesses are slow to adopt injury prevention programs.  The perception that implementation will be costly and burdensome, particularly for small businesses, can be difficult to overcome.  The reality has been quite the opposite.  Injury prevention programs are scalable when business owners focus on basic tenets: leadership, participation, hazard identification and prevention, training, and continuing improvement.  The effect on the bottom line is also a positive, due not only to reduced workers compensation premiums and payouts, but also indirect morale, productivity, company image, and process improvements.

Mandatory Policy or Incentivized Benefit?

In a 2012 OSHA white paper, the effect of state programs was reviewed and the results are of interest to businesses considering an injury prevention program.  Incentivized programs in Colorado, Massachusetts and North Dakota resulted in noticeably higher effectiveness compared to mandatory programs in other states.  By providing a worker’s compensation premium reduction incentive,  states reduced work injury by at least 20%, compared to mandatory programs with  10-20% reductions.

In addition to the basic principals of injury prevention and company-wide safety commitment, these results may be a factor to consider for businesses seeking to maximize the effect of injury prevention programs.  Employees who believe their management team cares about safety risks are more motivated, aware, and productive, leading to advantages above and beyond cost benefit.  Anyone who has held a management position knows that while blunt force may get the job done, it often comes with costs ranging from employee resentment to undermining the system.

Incentivize to Promote Safety Culture Investment

Incentivized programs may help to avoid unintended indirect costs while still reaping the benefits.  By incentivizing safety initiatives, employees are more likely to perceive safety as a culture as opposed to a business owner’s cost saving agenda.  Further, incentives will help to communicate safety as a company value with a higher purpose than simply complying to policy. Providing incentives for safety could be based on Key Performance Indicators constructed from hazard assessment initiatives and include cost savings sharing.  Employees that are motivated by incentives will perceive safety not as a management priority but as a mutually beneficial investment.

Integrate Ergonomics into Shipyard Health & Safety

The shipyard environment is complex and unique.  Workers often perform awkwardly positioned tasks in unique and varying environments and have a history of forming musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Nonadjustable work stations, enclosed or confined spaces, and diverse repair activities can be job requirements which contribute to health and safety risk.

Ergonomics is the study of efficiency in work environments.  Shipyards that have systematically addressed ergonomics in the work environment have been effective at reducing injury and reducing MSDs.  As a result, many companies have recognized the value of integrating ergonomics into existing safety and health programs.  Companies invested in safety policy should take general steps for initiating ergonomical improvements in the work environment, and always remember that each work environment will have different needs and limitations to consider.

Shipyard Work Environments and MSD Injuries

Shipyard Work EnvironmentA shipyard is composed of three main work environments.  Shop work, with conditions similar to manufacturing and maintenance; and Yard and Vessel work, where tasks include assembly, welding, and repair. Shoulder stress, lower back strains, and symptoms including numbness, pain and swelling can indicate a work environment for which ergonomic improvements can reduce work injuries.

In addition to reduced worker’s comp and lost worker time, ergonomic risk management initiatives can improve morale, reduce absenteeism, and increase production efficiency.

General Steps for Systematic Improvement

Integrating ergonomics into a health and safety plan can follow the following process.

OSHA Shipyards Ergonomics Report
OSHA 2008 PDF Report
  • Providing Management Support
  • Involving Employees
  • Providing Training
  • Identifying Problems
  • Implementing Solutions
  • Addressing Injury Reports
  • Evaluating Progress

These general initiatives can lead to programs and activities across departments to accomplish injury prevention goals.

Equipment Solutions and Guidelines

Ergonomics solutions can be implemented site-wide and evaluated on a task basis for unique work hazards.  Consider three equipment options and related ergonomic guidelines.

  •  Standing Platforms: Provide stability and reduce shoulder and neck fatigue, particularly for overhead work.  Ideally workers should operate with hands between waist and shoulder height.  Lightweight platforms can be utilized site-wide.  
  • Racks and Shelves: For staging, moving, storing materials, tools, equipment.  Wheeled racks simplify maneuverability.  Position between knee and shoulder.
  • Tractor Trailers: Reduce trips between work areas for transport handling and time savings.  Avoid load shifting or tipping by considering stability and balance.

For details about Systematic Improvement Measures, additional Equipment Solutions and Guidelines, and a complete summary of Shipyard Ergonomics and MSDs, view the Ergonomics for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders report online at OSHA.gov.

Ergonomic Assessment at your Shipyard

OSHA recommends setting up a plan for achieving the cost, efficiency, and morale advantages associated with ergonomics process improvement.  In unique and varying shipyard environments, operational or safety teams may need assistance to develop a plan and engineer custom equipment.

Ergonomic improvements have resulted in an 80% accident rate reduction on some shipyards, and are accompanied by operational and morale benefits that can be of great value.  OSHA provides free consultation services, and workplace access specialists also assist with recommendations and equipment design.  Contact Innovative Access Solutions to get started designing custom access equipment to meet your ergonomic safety program equipment needs.

Work Zone Awareness Week Emphasizes Highway Safety

National Work Zone Awareness week is wrapping up today after five day of events and outreach initiatives to spread the word about an important work safety agenda.  Work Zone Safety refers to construction and maintenance on highways and roads, encompassing a wide range of individuals, from pedestrians and drivers to road workers, municipal employees and law enforcement.

Work Zone Safety: “We’re All In This Together”

National Work Zone Awareness Week is a collaboration between the Federal Highway Administration and ATSSA with support from organizations including Associated General Contractors and WorkZoneSafety.org, to bring awareness to the risks involved in  highway work zones.  In 2010, 576 workers and motorists were killed in highway work zones, a marked improvement over a 10 year period as informed drivers and state awareness programs are helping to increase safety.   With road construction beginning to ramp up after the winter months, National Work Zone Awareness Week serves to remind us of the importance of caution when traveling through work zones.

Work Zone Construction Safety: An Important Agenda

National Work Zone Awareness Week was initiated in 1999 and has coincided with a reduction in work zone crashes and fatalities each year since 2002.  While there is always room for additional construction safety measures and caution in work zones, statistics support the effectiveness and importance of the campaign.

  • Crashes in work zones caused 720 fatalities in 2008, a 39 percent decrease from 2002, when 1,186 work zone fatalities occurred
  • In 2010, 576 workers and motorists were killed in highway work zones
  • Approximately 85% of work zone fatalities are drivers and their passengers
  • 18%of work zone crashes injure construction workers, and 8% cause fatal injury
  • 38% of highway contractors had motor vehicles crash into their construction work zones during the past year
  • 45% of all work zone fatalities for 2010 were 35 years old or younger

Highway Safety Equipment and Work Zone Safety Initiatives

Since National Work Zone Awareness Week kicked off in 1999, innovation and technological developments have helped to manage injury risk associated with automobile crashes in highway work zones.  Manufacturers such as Trinity Highway Products and Energy Absorption Systems produce highway crash cushions, crash rated traffic barrier, and shadow vehicle attenuator trucks to absorb and manage collision impacts.  Highway safety equipment contractors such as Site-Safe Products specialize in work zone safety on highways across the country.

Crash Cushion Attenuator
Highway Crash Cushion
TMA Truck
Attenuator Truck

But the most important initiative for accident prevention is driver awareness.  Products such as RoadQuake Rumble Strips help to alert drivers when workers are present.  Always be mindful of work zone signage, put away any distracting devices, slow down, and observe posted speed limits when workers are present.

As National Work Zone Awareness Week reminds us, highway safety will help protect not only your family, but also the families of construction workers and municipal representatives operating in work zones.

Slip & Fall Injuries in Truck Transportation [Infographic]

The National Bureau of Labor’s 2011 Census of Occupational Injuries brought to light a theme that occupational safety management professionals have observed for years: Slips & Falls are a leading cause of occupational injuries.  Combined with Roadway Incidents, the two categories make up over a third of all fatal occupational injuries. Trucking, Transportation & Warehousing is the industry sector with the most fatal work injuries and a Top 3 work injury rate.  Safety professionals in these industries should consider leading fall protection risk areas and consider mitigation tactics for each.

Sounds easy, right?  Have a look at our premier infographic ‘Slips & Falls in Trucking’ to see this concept illustrated for painless consumption.

Protect Workers from Falls for Risk Management ROI

Fall protection is a topic that small business owners often overlook. It may seem taxing to invest in equipment that provides safety features such as three points of contact, slip resistant flooring, and safety guardrails, but a reassuring way to look at it is as an ROI investment. The potential for employees to fall and injure themselves, particularly at heights greater than 4′, is a significant cost management risk which can be mitigated at marginal investment cost. Consider the following risk factors associated with failing to protect your employees from injuries resulting from falls.

  • Workers Comp Claims: The cost of broken bones is one of the most expensive worker’s compensation claims.
  • Insurance Premium Rates: When an employee is injured at work, Workers Comp premium rates may  increase as your claim risk factor is increased.
  • Lost Time: In addition to monetary costs associated with injuries and insurance claims, lost time while an employee recovers may lead to staff shortages.

Build Culture: Safe Workers Work Harder

Another factor to consider is employee morale. Small businesses must function as a well-oiled machine to meet the demands of a growing customer base. Even the slightest hit to morale resulting from an injured co-worker can affect performance, quality and timelines. Research has shown that a safe working environment supports optimum productivity and employee satisfaction. Taking steps to protect employees that work at heights will provide risk management benefit and support your goal of attaining high productivity.