Preventing claims is the best way to control the cost of workers’ compensation. These tips are designed to help you eliminate or reduce the impact injuries have on your employees and company.
Post a Safety Statement On Your Bulletin Board
Let everyone see that safety is important to the leadership of your company. If you don’t have a safety policy, develop one. Some companies use a safety committee to develop the document. Others use a statement issued by senior management. See the Appendix of this book for sample language.
Assign the Responsibility for Safety to One Manager
There must be one person in an organization accountable for safety and loss control. This individual is the “go-to” person in the organization for safety issues and concerns. Everyone is responsible for safety. The safety manager coordinates and leads.
Lead By Example
If your company’s policy requires a hard hat, be sure you wear yours. If you have stretch breaks for workers, be out there with everyone else. Employees watch the boss and follow his or her example.
Supervisors and managers must show that safety is important in the organization.
A regular walk-through tour looking for problem areas keeps folks on their toes. Have a checklist of items that have been trouble areas in the past. Work to improve your operation’s safety record. The results of all inspections should be reviewed by senior management.
Hold Safety Meetings
Keeping safety in front of your people is important. Get your employees together once a quarter for a meeting on a safety topic. Keep it short – you can get a powerful message across in fifteen minutes if you prepare. Use your insurance company–they have videos and programs ready for such meetings. Hold them to a strict schedule though.
Encourage Employees To Shape Up
Healthy employees have fewer strains and sprains. People who are in shape have fewer accidents. The advantage of lower health insurance premiums can also follow. Some companies hold aerobics classes. Some have “Lunch and Learn” programs on nutrition or exercise. I know of one company whose president takes a two mile power walk at lunch – everyone is invited to join him.
Provide Employees Info Regarding Your W/C Premium
Most employees have no idea how much their employer pays for workers’ compensation. Post your premium on the employee bulletin board. Another way to get the word out is to divide your total workers’ compensation premium by your total payroll. The result is the amount you pay for workers’ compensation for every dollar of payroll. If the number is less than five cents multiply the numbers by 100. Three dollars per 100 dollars of payroll may be easier to grasp than three cents on the dollar.
Some employers treat workers’ compensation as an “employee benefit” by including workers’ compensation information in benefit statements distributed to all employees. The point is, the more spent on workers’ compensation, the less that is available to pay for other benefits.
Part of your insurance premium pays for loss control services. Take advantage of what your insurer offers. Ask your carrier to set a schedule of inspections, perhaps quarterly. See what other services your insurer provides – videos, safety posters etc.
Use the resources offered by your insurer and agent.
Find Out What Services Your Other Insurers Offer
Your workers’ compensation insurance company will offer safety inspections. Don’t forget to use the resources of your auto insurer, liability carrier, and property insurance company. While what they offer may not be directed toward employee safety, the results will prevent accidents. For example, recommendations that reduce your risk of fire in your plant also reduce the risk of an employee being injured in a fire.
For many companies, the risks of a severe injury are greatest from a car accident. Your auto insurance company will be glad to offer help.
Check Employee Driving Records
Employee injuries from auto accidents are covered by workers’ compensation. Auto insurance companies have proven time and time again that drivers who have had accidents and tickets have more accidents. What else can you learn from a driving record? Do you really want to hire a bookkeeper who has three tickets for driving an unregistered car? Have “new hires” go to the local police department for a copy of their driving record. Many insurance agencies also offer motor vehicle records as a service.
Obviously, major violations are a red flag. The real issue comes down to minor violations and accidents. To me, you look at the total person. We all know people we would never let drive our cars who have never had a speeding ticket. Conversely, I am a fairly safe driver and put 35,000 miles a year on my car. There is a speeding ticket on my license from two years ago – should that red-flag me?
I recommend that you require either a copy of an applicant’s driving record or obtain permission to run the Motor Vehicle Record (a service your agent / insurer should offer). Use judgment in the selection process with MVR info as part of your info. Consider requesting MVRs every six months on your drivers. Make it a part of your employee handbook too. Include a statement like, “If you drive for the company, your motor vehicle record affects our insurance program. We may periodically review your driving record for accidents and violations. A poor driving record may be cause for disciplinary action.”
Note: Some insurers and agents will not provide copies of driving record for fear of violation of privacy issues. Get written permission from all employees to review driving info. Consider including such in a statement signed at the time you are interviewing new employees.
Set Up a Bonus Program for Those With No Accidents
This doesn’t have to be too complicated. Have a simple certificate made up – you may be able to use your word processing software. Give an award every time an employee drives 20,000 miles with no accidents. When an employee hits 100,000 give them a gift certificate to a local restaurant. Recognize achievement and you reinforce the behavior.
Have Disposable Cameras In All Vehicles and All Locations
Buy a carton of disposable cameras. Have them available and encourage their use. Any time there is an accident, the scene should be well documented.
Hold A Driver Rodeo With Awards
This can be fun. The idea is to build teamwork and let your drivers show off their skill.
Divide your drivers into teams. On a Friday afternoon clear the cars out of your parking lot (or borrow someone else’s).
Using saw horses or other barriers set up an obstacle course. Speed is not the measure here! Have them try the course in reverse.
Set up a place to parallel park. Points are awarded for centering the vehicle and deducted for distance from the curb.
Place five eggs on the ground in a line, each egg about three inches apart – while one team member directs from outside the truck, another drives. The driver moves forward and must break the first egg but no more. Do the same event but have the participants back up to the eggs.
Have a ten-question test for each team member. Include company safety policy and traffic laws in the quiz.
Have your drivers compete with drivers from other businesses. Make it fun.
Send Your Employees to a Defensive Driving School
Any way you can remind your employees of the importance of safety will help prevent accidents. The defensive driving classes are a proven tool in reducing accidents. Your automobile insurance company may even put a class on for you. Invite employee family members to attend. Consider it an employee benefit.
Encourage Seatbelt Use
For all the reasons we all know… riders and drivers should wear seatbelts. Remind your people. Require compliance. Jump up and down while screaming it. This one act is the single most effective action anyone can take to minimize injuries in an auto accident.
Have Basic Safety Equipment In Your Vehicles
A first aid kit, blankets, road flares and the like can help keep your people safer. A fire extinguisher is also a good idea. Train your people to use the equipment too.
Have a Local Garage Perform Vehicle Safety Inspections
Periodic inspections can uncover potential problems. Worn tires, old shocks, low fluid levels if corrected can prevent accidents. Breakdowns can also expose your employees to the perils of standing on the side of the road.
Safety is a part of every employee’s job description.
Have at Least One Person on Each Shift Trained in First Aid
Better yet, train your whole crew. The Red Cross, for a modest fee, will do an in-house first aid class for your people and their families – another employee benefit. CPR classes can be held too.
Teach the Use of Fire Extinguishers
Many fire departments, for a small donation, will put on demonstrations at your location. Your employees will enjoy the chance to try out an extinguisher. Tie the whole thing together by offering home fire extinguishers to employees who attend the sessions. Better yet, have a safety rally with contests. Some companies have held such events at company picnics – train and have fun at the same time!
Be Aware of Workplace Violence Issues
Every year one million workers are assaulted by disgruntled customers or fellow workers. Violence costs American companies over $5 billion annually.
Domestic violence spills over into the workplace too. Be aware of what is going on with your employees. If you think there is a problem, there probably is. Get the employee help. Pay for it yourself if necessary.
Be aware of employees that have restraining orders against a spouse or former lover. This can be a touchy subject. However, we’ve all heard the horror stories… Protecting an employee’s privacy is important. So is protecting your employees.
Make it known that you’re supportive of victims and understanding of domestic violence. Such will make employees comfortable talking with you. Your receptionist needs to be trained to react to potential dangers.
Consider Security Cameras for Loss Prevention
Video recording technology is amazing now. With digital cameras and storage on hard drives, the systems are quite practical and useful. The cost has come down dramatically.
Work with a professional contractor when installing surveillance. They can help with the legal and privacy issues.
One of my clients installed a system in one of his locations. The first week the system was active, an employee claimed to have fallen off a ladder. A review of the tape revealed no accident. The employee decided not to file a workers’ compensation claim and quickly left the job. That system paid for itself with just that one incident.
Display Emergency Phone Numbers
Place emergency phone number stickers on the phones. Include emergency and non-emergency numbers for the police and fire departments. Don’t forget about Poison Control as well. The national hotline of the American Association of Poison Control Centers is 1-800-222-1222. All these numbers are available in the front of most phone books.
Have Your Insurer Inspect Your Site for Ergonomic Issues
Repetitive motion injuries can be avoided with properly designed work areas. Insurance company loss control specialists are trained in such issues. Use the resources available.
See the Appendix of this book for more info on ergonomic standards.
Ergonomic Issues Are The Fastest Growing Area Of Workers’ Compensation Claims. Plan To Prevent Losses.
Encourage Use of Telephone Headsets
More ergonomic tips… An added benefit here; people are more productive using headsets! Get several sample models that work with your phones – over the ear, over the head, two ear pieces. Let employees select the model they are most comfortable with.
Implement Stretching Programs
If your employees work at computers for extended periods, encourage stretch breaks. See the Appendix for a list of stretching exercises that can help prevent fatigue and repetitive motion injuries. Your insurance company can help too. We have used several computer programs that “pop-up” at set intervals to remind workers to stretch.
Regularly Review Workstation Setup and Design
Your workstations are one of the largest causes of repetitive motion/ergonomic problems. Keyboards should be at the correct height. Computer monitors should be properly adjusted and at the correct height. Chairs should be adjustable to assure proper positioning. Monitors should be directly across from the keyboard – not at a diagonal.
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