Is Your Company in Jeopardy Due to These Common and Costly Workplace Injuries?

Injuries cost businesses around $170 billion per year, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the worst part about it is many workplace injuries are preventable.

According to a study from Travelers Insurance, the top cause of on-the-job injury is handling materials, considered an activity that might involve lifting, filling or transporting something. Slips, trips and falls are the next most common ways of getting hurt, followed by being hit or colliding with an object.

These kinds of injuries don’t just happen to blue collar workers at industrial job sites. In fact, manufacturing and retail workplaces report the most material handling-related injuries. Even though sprain, fracture or puncture wounds are among the most typical injuries, critical injuries like amputations, dislocation and electric shock are often reported.

The true costs of injuries

The costs of an injury can be devastating for any business, and small businesses are particularly vulnerable. While workers’ compensation and insurance pick up some of the cost of an injury, there are many costs that aren’t picked up.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has said the average industrial injury causes a worker to miss about eight or nine days of work. But the costs to a business don’t stop there. The injury investigation, any damaged machinery, training of a replacement and legal fees can all add to total costs. The National Safety Council has found that for the average injury, these costs equal around $30,000.

Injury prevention

All companies should have an injury prevention program in place. Such a program doesn’t just prevent accidents, it also can boost workers’ morale, reduce turnover and elevate productivity.

Injury prevention starts with the hiring process. Make investigating applicants’ attitudes about safety a top priority. Let applicants know the importance of safety during the interview.

An injury prevention program should also be solidly based in education and training. Let workers know about the proper way to safely perform their job. This includes discussing the importance of ergonomics and use of safety measures, like fish-eye lenses for seeing around blind corners. Keep in mind that the conversation about safety should be a two-way street, with employees collaborating and taking leadership roles with respect to safety.

Companies should also be performing regular safety audits. A top-to-bottom evaluation includes equipment checks, hazard analyses and a safety review of standard procedures. The audit should always include feedback from employees.

Once an audit is complete, it is crucial to follow up on any actionable items that were identified. This involves repairing or updating equipment, adding safety measures or altering procedures.

Injury prevention is an active daily responsibility, and even after new safety measures are put into place, it is important that safety personnel review and re-evaluate those changes on a regular periodic basis.

At Career Concepts, the safety of our contingency workers and clients is our top priority. If your company is looking to outsource any part of its injury-prevention program, from hiring to training, contact us today.