How much in extra sales do you need to make to cover the cost of workplace accidents? Workers’ compensation insurance covers medical and wage losses but does not cover all accident costs.

Indirect costs include:

• Administration expenses to handle claims
• Customer service delays
• Damaged material or customer property
• Lost sales or technical skills
• Personal impact on...Full story

A comprehensive, informative occupational safety and health program should include 10 sections. Below are guidelines to develop a plan for your workplace.

Section 1: Employer Information

• Basic information about the company and the type of business you conduct.
• Company name.
• Primary business address, city, state, and ZIP.
• Contact information (phone numbers, email, social media sites).
• Type...Full story

Not all safety audits need to be done every month by the same people or take an entire day. A layered audit involves more people working at different intervals. This is a suggested method for creating a layered safety audit.

Shift Team: more frequent – one area

Frequency: Daily

Participants: Safety team member,...Full story

There are many ways to track claim losses for your business: accident investigations, incident rates, claim costs, and claim frequency, among others. Tracking losses helps identify the strengths and weaknesses in your business, and where you should concentrate to reduce your risks and costs.

Preventing accidents from happening at all is...Full story

A formal safety committee should be appointed to assist management on matters relating to the control of accidents, injuries, and incidents. To maintain continuity and control, the safety coordinator should be assigned as a permanent staff consultant to the safety committee. Note that committees do not dictate policy nor relieve...Full story

Identifying and offering transitional work after an injury or illness benefits both the injured worker and the employer. An Early Return to Work program can lead to:

• Better health outcomes for injured workers.
• An earlier return to full-time duties that is more challenging and fulling.
• Prevention of interruptions to salary and a return...Full story

Summer is the time when teachers and support staff begin a nearly three-month break from the rigors of their jobs. Summer is also a time when custodians are busy with additional cleaning to prepare the building for the upcoming school year.

During this time period, custodians’ tasks include increased heavy lifting...Full story

The population of the United States continues to get older. About 29% of the U.S. is age 55 or older, and many are working for more years than earlier generations did. As they age, workers face new health and workplace injury risks, especially strain and soreness, and they are more...Full story

Organizations often have friendly competitions between staff members. These friendly competitions can often end in serious injuries for the participants. Some organizations have gone so far as to ban employees from participating in these types of competitions. Some common injuries that can occur during these activities include:

• Twisted knees and ankles...Full story

Food service employees are involved in specialized activities that put them at greater risk for specific workplace injuries. Below are some suggestions to help you avoid hazards found in food service areas:

General Kitchen Rules

• Be aware of the location of the nearest fire extinguisher; it may come in handy. Read the...Full story

When working in places we are employees are not familiar with, the potential for injury increases. When alone, response time can be delayed, and the seriousness of injury can increase. When we are both alone and in an unfamiliar place, the result of an injury can be catastrophic.

The potential of...Full story

On average, trays of bread weigh between 12 and 30 pounds. Attempting to lift several trays at a time, combined with the tray size, can increase stress on the body. As noted by the chart, this makes body position and the following techniques very important to follow.

• Get a good grip...Full story

35,000 people died each year from auto accidents over the past decade.

Of the top seven automobile accident causes, situations related to snow, ice, and wet roads rank fifth.

Keep tires properly inflated, windshield de-icer full, and the vehicle in good operating condition. Pack emergency blankets, gloves, clothing, water, and medication if...Full story

According to the National Highway Transportation Association distracted driving accidents result in over 3,000 deaths, 280,000 injuries, and $129,000 billion in losses every year on average.

Taking your eyes off the road for 5 seconds at 55 mph means that you are driving blindfolded in a 2 ton vehicle for the...Full story

Any building located in an area with below freezing weather and snow is subject to damage from frozen pipes, water leaks, or roof collapses. Damaged buildings can interrupt business and daily life! Practical steps can be taken to reduce the risk for damage from cold weather.

Key Practices

• Plan: Time is critical....Full story

People work around forklift trucks every day. They can become second nature, and it’s easy to not pay attention to horns or flashing lights. Lift trucks can kill or seriously injure those driving or near a forklift. One mistake can cause a serious injury or worse.

Safe operation of the lift...Full story

Box cutters, knives, and other sharp tools that are used for cutting can cause painful injuries. While most cuts require only medical treatment, a serious and deeper laceration can damage a ligament or tendon and cause a much more serious injury. When you think about it, laceration prevention is pretty...Full story

The increase of strain risk on the work floor or the office isn’t just a matter of the weight being lifted or task being done. You can reduce strain risk by paying attention to the following factors:

Manage Repetition

Try to eliminate redundant lifts or movements by planning how you will complete...Full story

Many serious injuries can be prevented by wearing common personal protective equipment. PPE is available to cover and protect every part of the body. Having PPE and using it correctly is not optional — it is a requirement to use many kinds of equipment and to work with chemicals and...Full story

Slips, trips and falls are among the leading cause of workplace injuries in schools. Two of the most common causes of slips, trips and falls are slippery walking surfaces and uneven walking surfaces. You can prevent slips, trips and falls by following some basic safety measures.

Prevention Requires Teamwork

Safety is everyone’s...Full story