There are no Accidents WorkSAFE Week 2012, June 11-15
More than 100,000 workplace injuries occur every year in Missouri. Needlessly 116 MissouriANS died on the job in 2011.* * Missouri Division of Workers Compensation
Missouri Employers Mutual encourages employers and employees across Missouri to take time each day during WorkSAFE Week to promote safe work practices, provide safety training and promote a safety culture. Can you believe that there are more than 100,000 workplace injuries in Missouri each year? In 2010, those injuries lead to the death of 140 Missourians. Analyzing these accidents has uncovered the following trends. Vehicle accidents remain the number one way to die on the job. Falls are all too common in construction. And Missouri s harsh winters cause endless slips and falls across all industries. With today s economy, most Missouri employers have already streamlined their businesses. Accidents put even more financial stress on Missouri employers by adding to operating costs and overhead. Injuries may lead to lower production, poor public relations, employee dissatisfaction and higher turnover. Legal liability and fines are a distinct possibility after an injury. Knowing all of this, it should be no surprise that safety provides a competitive advantage in today s marketplace. Remember that just because your company doesn t have injuries doesn t mean that you don t have risk. Act now WorkSAFE Week provides an excellent opportunity for you to let your employees know how important they are to you and your business, and demonstrate your commitment to workplace safety. Besides the moral and legal obligation, a commitment to workplace safety is simply good business sense. The time you spend promoting workplace safety will help reduce your exposure to injuries that work against the success of your company. There are no accidents Business owners, company leaders and internal management must understand that all workplace accidents have an aspect of preventability. WorkSAFE Week resources provide direction in identifying the preventable aspects and working to eliminate future incidents.
DAY 1 THERE ARE NO ACCIDENTS All work-related injuries and fatalities are preventable. Unfortunately, they usually happen time and time again. The word accident implies that nothing could have eliminated the situation and is nothing more than an excuse. If Missouri business owners fall victim to the attitude accidents happen, they have enabled complacency within their workplace. Accidents cost Missouri companies money, resources, time, personnel and production. Often families pay the price, as well. When we talk to our customers about their risks, we commonly hear the following excuses: We ve never had accidents before. We re just too small for a safety program. We re just too busy right now. Safety is common sense, isn t it? I can t afford to bring people in for safety meetings. I can t afford safety at the moment. My employees know what to do. Safety gear just gets in the way. When you don t take time for safety, chances are you ll soon be making time to handle an injury.
Risky acts that lead to injuries. Smoking in a dynamite factory. Running with scissors. We all know and understand that these are unsafe acts. But do they really cause accidents? Or, do they cause injuries that are unforeseeable and avoidable? Here are some common and avoidable workplace injuries: Vehicle crash fatality due to the lack of seat belt use Lawn care employee refuels a mower while smoking or the engine is hot Employee falls from the top rung of a step ladder Part-time employee falls on ice at the front door Warehouse employee trips over a discarded pallet Use your crystal ball: past incidents How can you forecast the accidents your company WILL have in the future? The best predictor for future incidents in your company is past incidents. Scrutinize your company s accident and damage records. Look at workers compensation insurance information. What past incident history do you have? What types of accidents are prevalent in your industry? Do the equipment and tools you use present specific risks? With careful scrutiny and intentional safety training, you have the ability to make your workplace safe. Past data will help you focus your safety program on future injury prevention. Do the above examples really cause accidents? Or are they foreseeable and avoidable incidents that result in injuries? Safety Meeting Talking Points Let employees know that you care about their safety. Talk with employees about how all accidents have an aspect of preventability. Discuss common causes of accidents in your industry. Discuss unsafe acts that commonly injure employees. If employees see an unsafe act or situation, they must take action to prevent injuries. Let employees know you support taking action to remove hazards. Encourage employees to report hazards, maintenance issues or co-worker safety concerns.
DAY 2 SEAT BELTS AREN T OPTIONAL MEM encourages 100% participation by 100% of our customers. If an employee doesn t wear a seat belt and is injured in a wreck, could those injuries have been prevented or reduced? Were the injuries foreseeable and preventable? Is it reasonable to assume that a company driver could be injured in a vehicle collision? It s the employer s moral and financial responsibility to require seat belt use for all occupants of vehicles operated on company business. Because injuries off-the-clock increase absenteeism, health insurance and overtime costs, it s good business to encourage seat belt use outside of work, also. Crash facts: Vehicle crashes are the most common work-related fatality. 1, 2 Crashes represent 42% of fatalities handled by MEM. 32,788 people died nationwide in 2010 in vehicle crashes. 3 819 people died in Missouri vehicle crashes in 2010. 4 The estimated economic loss to Missouri for crashes in 2009 was more than $3.3 million. 4 In 2009, every 3.7 hours a person was killed or injured in a Missouri commercial vehicle wreck. That s more than 100 deaths and 3,500 injuries. 4 An unrestrained driver in a 2009 Missouri traffic crash: had a 1 in 2 chance of being injured. 4 had a 1 in 30 chance of being killed. 4 A restrained driver in a 2009 Missouri traffic crash: had a 1 in 8 chance of being injured. 4 had a 1 in 1,336 chance of being killed. 4 Sources: 1 Misssouri Division of Workers Compensation 2 Bureau of Labor Statistics 3 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration 4 Missouri State Highway Patrol
Use these statistics to drive home safe driving and seat belt use. Refer to MEM s www.worksafecenter.com for fleet safety resources and a sample seat belt policy. Seat belts help drivers maintain control of vehicles during crashes. They can also reduce injuries. Seat belts can also help prevent fatal contact with interior components of the vehicle and help prevent ejection. Employers must take action to reduce the likelihood that an employee will be injured in a vehicle crash. Require that all employees that drive for the company sign a written seat belt policy. Train employees in safe driving practices, including seat belt use. Reward employees that wear seat belts. Discipline employees that fail to wear seat belts. Safety Meeting Talking Points You are four times less likely to be injured when you wear a seat belt. 4 You re 45 times more likely to be killed in a crash when you re not wearing your seat belt. 4 We want to keep you safe, so we re requiring seat belt use for anyone in a company vehicle or on company business as a driver or passenger. Vehicle crashes are the most common way to be killed on the job, and we want to do everything possible to reduce the possibility of a terrible incident. Our number one goal is to avoid crashes by following the rules of the road. These include maintaining proper following distances, eliminating distractions (cell phone use and texting), maintaining a reasonable speed and scanning ahead. If a crash does occur, we want you to have the full protection that the vehicle can give you. During the meeting, distribute the written company seat belt policy and require employee commitment and signatures.
DAY 3 ESTABLISH SAFETY RULES If you haven t established and committed to safety rules, you can t expect your employees to be engaged in safety. How does an employer know that an employee understands company safety rules? If an employee is new to the industry, how could they possibly know how to protect themselves unless you instruct them? If they re seasoned employee,s how do you correct unsafe habits? Can you hold employees accountable or set expectations if you ve never established what s right or wrong? Written safety rules help prevent accidents by establishing guidelines. Formal safety rules share the responsibility of a safe work environment between employee and employer. Document safety expectations and require employee signatures on an annual basis. Enforce the rules when unsafe behaviors are discovered, and reward employees when they re working safely. How can safety rules benefit my organization? Losses will be reduced or even eliminated. Employees will be productive. Your management team will be focused on business and not on accidents, covering shifts, paying overtime and interviewing new-hires. Expenses on damage, medical bills and lost productivity will trend downward, improving your bottom line. Let your employees know that you care about their safety by expecting them to follow safety rules.
Keep it simple Write safety rules that address the most dangerous hazards fi rst. Which hazards are most likely to hurt your employees? Which safety rules would have the most impact on your work-related injuries? Consider: Driver safety rules Machine safety rules Slips, trips and falls Personal protective equipment Safe lifting and back injury prevention We encourage all of our customers to develop written safety rules. MEM has created sample safety rules for your use. Sample safety rules for your organization can be downloaded at www.worksafecenter.com. Check out our safety policies video on the WorkSAFE Center YouTube channel for more seat belt policy information. safety Meeting Talking Points Let employees know you care about their safety. Employees must know that they share the responsibility for their safety. Explain to them that unsafe work is not allowed. Let them know that safety helps protect them and their coworkers, and makes the business more successful. Distribute company safety rules to employees. Make extra copies of safety rules available. Review and discuss each safety rule with employees, and require signatures.
DAY 4drUGS DON T WORK HERE! Assuming that drugs and alcohol aren t a problem within your organization is risky. It s even riskier to know you have a problem, and fail to address it. The vast majority of drug users are employed, and when they arrive for work, they don t leave their problems at home. Employees fall prey to binge drinking, alcoholism, methamphetamines, marijuana and heroin. Drug and alcohol use often develops into an addiction that affects all aspects of a person s life, including work. Employers are caught in the middle, managing accidents, injuries, damage, production problems, theft and crime on their property. Family, physical and behavioral problems are brought to work. Co-workers report being in danger; being injured; and having to work harder, re-do work or cover for the user. Individuals who can t adhere to a drug-free workplace policy seek employment at firms that don t have one, and the cost of just one error caused by an impaired employee can devastate a small company. Substance use on employees off-duty time can affect safety when they re on duty. It can slow reaction times, increase production errors, lower company morale and increase the potential for civil litigation. It can also cause fatigue, and result in crimes like theft and abuse within your company. Employers have the right to expect that their employees remain free from affects of drugs and alcohol while on duty. MEM recommends that all Missouri employers adopt a drug- and alcohol-free workplace program that includes at a minimum post-incident testing. Best practices recommend that post-offer, random and reasonable suspicion testing be performed, as well. Watch our safety policies video on the WorkSAFE Center YouTube channel for more drug and alcohol-free workplace information.
Work-related drug and alcohol facts (OSHA. gov) 75% of drug and alcohol users are employed. 4% of education and public administration employees are illicit drug 80% of heavy alcohol users are employed. users. 90% of drug and alcohol users work for small businesses. 15% of installation, maintenance and repair employees reported 9% of Americans have worked with a hangover in the past year. heavy alcohol use in the past month. 3% of Americans report using drugs before work. 8-10% of all post-incident drug/alcohol tests are positive. 3% report working under the influence of an illicit drug. The National Safety Council states that 39% of work-related traffic Jobs with the highest rates of drug use are the same as those at crashes are drug- or alcohol-related. a high risk for occupational injuries, including accommodations, 30% of all 2009 fatal Missouri crashes were alcohol-related. food services and construction. The Bureau of Labor states that up to 20% of all work-related 8% of illicit drug users are employed full time. fatalities in the U.S. are drug- or alcohol-related. Safety Meeting Talking Points Make a copy of the drug- and alcohol-free workplace policy available to employees. Drug and alcohol use will not be tolerated and can threaten the health and safety of co-workers. Read the drug-and alcohol-free workplace policy and require that all employees sign the policy. When an employee is impaired by the use of drugs or alcohol, it threatens the safety of everyone at a worksite. Encourage employees to set a good example for others by working drug- and alcohol-free. Encourage employees to seek help if they need it. If you directly observe drug-free workplace policy violations or obvious on-the-job impairment you believe poses an immediate danger to any employee on the job: o DO NOT DELAY or ignore the situation. o ACT to prevent the employee from committing the unsafe practice, if at all possible. o NOTIFY your supervisor or foreman immediately. o BE WILLING to risk being wrong. When your safety and that of your co-workers is on the line, it is better to be safe than sorry. All workplace drug and alcohol concerns will remain confidential. Download a sample drug-free workplace program at www.worksafecenter.com and have it reviewed by your legal counsel.
DAY 5dOCUMENT EXPECTATIONS There should be no unwritten safety rules. All expectations must be clearly documented, and employers must never condone unsafe acts. Safety rule enforcement is a key aspect of creating a safe working environment. Employees must know that unsafe acts will not be tolerated. When management permits an unsafe act, they set a bad example and teach younger employees that it s OK to work in an unsafe manner. It s in the best interest of the company to have written and signed safety rules, especially if an accident happens. Proper documentation reduces the confusion and he-said/she-said instances in the event that the issue is taken to civil or criminal court. Document every instance of disciplinary action, no matter how small. Keep all enforcement documentation readily available for incident investigation purposes. Type a narrative and maintain it in the employee s personnel file. Send an e-mail to yourself. Maintain it in a disciplinary action file. Large, three-ring binders of safety and employment policies with a single signature page in the back make documentation easy for safety and HR personnel, but difficult for employees. Large, difficult-to-read employee manuals with a single signature page stating I have read and fully understand the contents of this employee manual won t help prevent accidents. They also won t help in a court of law. Attorneys ask, When was the last time anyone actually read and fully understood this huge manual? Safety rules that could save lives or prevent injuries should require a signature on each page.
Documentation=Protection Proper documentation of safety rules and policies can help reduce company liability after an accident. Examples of recommended rule documentation include: Signed and dated seat belt policy. Signed and dated company safety rules that address most hazardous job duties first. Signed and dated company drug-free workplace policy. Signed and dated disciplinary action policy. Remember that documentation must also be accompanied by employee training and rule enforcement. Employers should provide safety training on a regular basis to refresh employee knowledge and understanding of safety rules. Many companies conduct safety training on a monthly basis. Many construction companies have weekly safety meetings. Require new signatures on each safety rule or policy on an annual basis. Safety Meeting Talking Points Thank employees for participating in the safety meetings. Tell them that their safety efforts ensure the success of all employees and the company. Remind them why documentation is necessary: it helps create safe working environments by holding both employers and employees responsible for safety. Let them know that extra copies of all company safety rules will be provided for future reference. Remind them that the company expects safe work and that employees should follow documented safety rules. The company doesn t prefer disciplinary action, but will take action in order to create a safe workplace.
SAMPLE SEATBELT POLICY recognizes that seat belts are extremely effective in preventing injuries and loss of life. (Company Name) It is a simple fact that wearing your seat belt can reduce your risk of dying in a traffic crash by 45 percent in a car and as much as 60 percent in a truck or SUV. We care about our employees and want to make sure that no one is injured or killed in a tragedy that could have been prevented by the use of seat belts. Therefore, all employees of (Company Name) must wear seat belts when operating a company-owned vehicle, or any vehicle on company premises or on company business; and all occupants are to wear seat belts or, where appropriate, child restraints when riding in a company-owned vehicle, or in a personal vehicle being used for company business. All employees and their families are strongly encouraged to always use seat belts and proper child restraints whenever they are driving or riding in any vehicle in any seating position. Employee Signature Date / /
SAMPLE ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE POLICY (Company Name) is a drug-free workplace. The use of illegal drugs and alcohol is inconsistent with the behavior expected of employees. The use of illegal drugs and alcohol, and misuse of prescribed and over the counter drugs subjects employees and visitors to unacceptable safety risks that undermine the company s ability to operate safely, effectively and efficiently. (CEO s Signature)
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