Comments on: Top 10 workplace injuries that affect the bottom line

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 23:48:04 +0000

Many of you point out good things for creating a safe work environment. Although all of them have good points, I would like to suggest that a safe work environment comes first from hiring the right people, doing background checks and encouraging company buy in from all levels within the company. Any safety program needs honest reporting and supervisors and managers need to be held accountable for accurate reporting. A good employee should want to be safe at all times.

By: The Top Safety Stories of 2009.5! | SafetyNewsAlert.com | Occupational safety and health news for workplace safety professionals.

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:00:57 +0000

[...] Top 10 workplace injuries that affect the bottom line AKPC_IDS += "3161,"; [...]

By: Workplace Injuries

Workplace Injuries — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:49:11 +0000

[...] Top Workplace Injuries [...]

By: Dean Caudle

Dean Caudle — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:04:54 +0000

Prediction: People know how to maxamize the workplace catagories. I think we will start to see more repeatative motion injuries because this is the most difficult to underatand and easiest to report. I have the same experience as J. Paterson; further, if you ask staff to report near miss events you should see a reduction in serious incidents. If you reward near miss reporting you will help to drive the behavior changes we all need.

By: Cherene

Cherene — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 16:42:21 +0000

Bob, I like your idea. My biggest concern as I started reading your response was that it would discourage the reporting of injuries but I think you answered that. Thanks for sharing.

By: Grandmaster of Safety Troy Bonar

Grandmaster of Safety Troy Bonar — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:08:49 +0000

I have seen an increase in claims in the last 3 months, we projected that it would happen with the downturn of economy. We have reported most of the claims to the fraud division after an investigation showed cause for further information. The ones that were real where minor incidents. We have also noted an increase in violence and confrontations in the workplace which in all cases personnel were dealing with economic and personal issues off the projects and taking it out on thier fellow employees. We have taken many new approaches to this sudden increase including more of a hands on and personal approach. We are encourageing management and our safety personnel to contact each supervisor either on the phone or in person when applicable and discuss concerns and offer to give them the support they need. We are also encouraging management and supervisors to get out of the office and visit with employees on the floor or in the field to give employees more support and make themselves available for questions and concerns. People need some encouragement during these difficult times. I consult with many different industries and have found all of them to be experiencing similar issues.

By: Nichols

Nichols — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:02:26 +0000

We have a maintenance manager who took the initiative in his department to improve the safety of our entire plant. He introduced a quarterly review for everyone who works for him. The receive points based on several different areas of performance, one of which is safety. They are required to find and report a least 1 hazard per month, if they do not then they loose points. Ultimately the points they earn during the year determines how much of a bonus they are eligable for at the end of the year. The quarterly review helps them to keep track of how well they are doing.

By: J. Peterson

J. Peterson — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 02:19:08 +0000

I do not agree with the incentive programs. I worked for a large (4000 employees plus) corporation in which there was an incentive program started. It was found that injuries were still occurring but because of peer pressure they were not being reported. A good example of this is I went into a department and seen an employee with a cast on his arm, upon asking what happened he informed me that he had a motorcycle wreck. Later that week his wife (my wife’s second cousin) told me that he had fallen at work but did not want to affect his department’s safety incentive bonus so he reported it on his health care fraudulently.
A further look into our health insurance revealed our health insurance costs went up almost the same amount our worker’s comp ccosts injuries went down.
I will stand by the thoght process that you must change behavior and get buy in at the lowest level if you want true reductions in costs, claims frequency and claims severity.

By: Bob Shew

Bob Shew — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 22:26:54 +0000

I initiated an incentive program in an effort to reduce injuries in a major hospital maintenance department. Every month we would have a drawing for cash prizes. If someone was injured in a shop, the entire shop would be ineligible to win for the month. A large individual prize would be awarded at the end of the year, everyone without an injury for the year was eligible. To encourage reporting injuries I didn’t count an injury unless it resulted in a loss workday. The success was overwheling as injuries were reduced 80%. A win win for everyone.

By: K. Hill

K. Hill — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:48:45 +0000

I see it affecting claims because employees facing lay off will be more apt to report a fraudulent claim that cannot be proven it was not work related. Then they hire the attorney that will go after a nice settlement for them. I feel that to many employees abuse the system and it has been my experience that the insurance carrier doesn’t do enough to fight for the employer. How many times have you heard, “It will just be cheaper to settle”, then look at your renewal rates. Work Comp claims can leave a bad taste in your mouth.

By: Charles Crayton

Charles Crayton — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:44:20 +0000

Identifying high risk elements of the job and emiminating those high risk elements is a win for the employee and employer.
Eliminating workplace stress factors is a key to eliminating Injury & Illness cases

By: Patti

Patti — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:03:00 +0000

I guess I was disappointed that this is old information (2006). Is there anything more recent?

By: K. Hamm

K. Hamm — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 19:00:49 +0000

It will be interesting to see how (or if) the downturn in the economy affects W.C. claims. If nothing else, additional stress can cause carelessness.

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:30:31 +0000

Mandatory stretching has reducd our muscle strain injuries dramatically.