Prevention, leadership key for eliminating accidents

by Wes Brubaker

for the Business Journal

Every eight seconds an employee in the United States is injured in a workplace accident.

That's 430 injuries an hour, 10,400 a day and 73,100 a week. Even worse, every two hours an employee is killed.

Undoubtedly, human suffering is the greatest toll in the wake of a workplace accident. However, there are additional costs that come into play. Included with the cost of work comp insurance is wage and productivity losses, medical costs and administrative costs. All in all, Americans paid nearly $128 billion for work-related accidents last year.

Eliminating common accidents.

When you provide safe workplaces and your employees work with their heads in the game, workplace accidents can be eliminated. As reflected in both the national statistics and Missouri Employers Mutual Insurance's statistics, here are the most common workplace accidents and how to avoid them.

?Improperly handling or lifting objects. The back is the most injury-prone part of the body. Any employee can be affected desk employees, laborers, men, women, young and old. There are three factors in keeping backs healthy: practice good posture, avoid repetitive motion and mind the rules of lifting.

First, make sure employees practice good posture while sitting and standing. When the normal curves in the spine are altered by poor posture, the spine becomes unbalanced and muscles and joints have to work harder. Next, any job that requires sitting or standing partly bent over for long periods of time can cause excess stress, general fatigue, tension and weakness.

It's important to shift weight regularly, stretch and adjust work heights. Finally, make sure employees know the rules of lifting: Stand close to the object, place feet shoulder width apart for balance, lift in one motion using the legs, and turn with the feet instead of twisting the back. Don't overdo it. If the load is too heavy, get help or lift the object in pieces.

?Repetitive motion disorders. Repetitive motion claims are on the rise. According to the National Council on Compensation Insurance, carpel tunnel syndrome alone increased 55 percent from 1991 to 1994. Why? Today's highly specialized jobs. With improved technology and the increased speed of assembly lines, employees are working in one place for longer periods of time without taking a break.

To avoid cumulative trauma injuries, encourage employees to change positions often, vary their routines, practice good posture, choose comfortable equipment that adjusts to accommodate different heights, and use exercises to stretch and strengthen overworked muscles.

?Slips, trips and falls. More than 20,percent of the nation's nonfatal accidents in 1996 were a result of slips, trips and falls.

The most critical injuries result from falls from elevations, such as scaffolding, roofs, balconies and elevated platforms. To avoid these accidents, make sure scaffolding and ladders are well-maintained and properly constructed. Fall protection equipment must be provided and used.

Other factors to prevent slips, trips and falls: a tidy work-place, good lighting, slip-resistant materials and warning signs.

?Motor-vehicle crashes. In 1995-1996, motor-vehicle crashes were the most expensive workplace accident. In 1996 alone, they were the leading cause of all work-related fatalities.

Defensive driving training is the best way to teach employees to avoid crashes with other vehicles. These classes teach employees to stay focused on changing road conditions and to recognize hazards in advance and know how to react, using good judgment to decide the safest action.

Safety is a management function.

To eliminate accidents in the workplace, safety should be an integral part of a company's operations. Safety is a day-to-day management function that helps ensure your operations are running cost effectively. An accident-free business eliminates the cost of claims and down time.

To encourage a safety-conscious work force, you should have broad safety measures in place that affect all employees. Here are some of the basics:

?Hazard alienation. Constantly survey the worksite to eliminate potential hazards. Make sure employees are following safety procedures and taking precautions to avoid accidents,

?Provide on-the-job training. Orientation and continuing education programs should be a part of every company's training policy.

?Write a safety policy. A formal written safety policy should be posted where it's accessible to all employees. This policy promises employees you'll provide a safe workplace for them and lets them know you expect safe work behavior in return.

?Designate a safety coordinator. This person makes a conscious effort to coordinate safety policies, safety inspections and safety meetings.

?Hold regular safety committee meetings. Safety committees empower employees to keep a close eye on safety issues. A safety committee meets regularly to address safety concerns and discuss employee suggestions.

?Perform accident investigations. It's important to perform careful accident investigations and carefully track your company's accident trends. This will help you make operational changes or introduce training to help avoid future injuries.

(Wes Brubaker is the loss prevention manager for the central region for Missouri Employers Mutual Insurance. Information in the preceding article was gathered from the National Safety Council's Accident Facts,1998 edition.)

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