WORKERS ' COMPENSATION and energies . Providing supervisors with knowledge and skills through training is critical to the success of any program .
A solid OSHA program integrated into your daily operation and led by competent supervisors is just the beginning . Successful safety programs focus on being proactive instead of always reacting to issues . Accident investigations provide an excellent source of information on real or potential issues present in the workplace .
INVESTIGATE ALL INJURIES AND ILLNESSES Workers ’ compensation is designed to recompense employees for injuries or illnesses they suffer in the course of their employment . This should not come as a surprise , but increasing numbers of claims drive up workers ’ compensation costs . To reduce those costs , you must simply reduce your accidents , and the ability to reduce accidents is significantly enhanced when those accidents are fully investigated instead of simply being reported .
Accident reports are historical records only citing facts , while accident investigations go deeper to find the root cause and make improvements . Businesses that stop rising workers ’ compensation costs have an effective accident investigation process that discovers the root cause of the problem . Unless the root cause is discovered , recommendations for improvement will remain fruitless . Again , training proves beneficial because a supervisor skilled in incident analysis is a better problem solver for all types of production-related issues , not just safety .
All accidents should be investigated to find out what went wrong and why . Some may suggest investigating every accident is a bit over the top and only those accidents that incur significant costs are worthy of scrutiny . But ask yourself this question : If you only investigated serious quality concerns instead of every little deviation , would your quality program still be effective ? Companies with solid quality programs investigate and resolve every deviation from quality standards .
If your emphasis is only on those incidents that have to be recorded on the OSHA 300 log , you close your eyes to the biggest accident category : first aid-only incidents . Many companies get upset about recordables or lost time accidents because of the significant costs involved , but they don ’ t realize that the small costs and high numbers of first aid-only incidents really add up .
Statistics show that for every 100 accidents , 10 will be recordable and one a lost-time incident . If you investigate only recordables or lost time accidents , 89 go unnoticed . Would you consider a quality program that allows an 89 % failure rate successful ? Reducing serious accidents means you must reduce your overall rate of all accidents – including first aid-only incidents . That only happens when every incident is fully investigated to find the root cause and remedial actions are identified and integrated into the daily operation .
TRAINING AND AUDITING FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT The final steps focus on training and auditing your program for continuous improvement . Training plays a significant role in safety and in reducing workers ’ compensation costs . The goal of training is to develop competent people who have the knowledge , skill , and understanding to perform assigned job responsibilities . Competence , more than anything else , will improve all aspects of your business and drive down costs . Supervisors must have the knowledge and ability to integrate every safety program into their specific areas of responsibility . Every employee must know what is expected of them when it comes to implementing safe work procedures . Once the programs are developed and implemented , they must be reviewed on a regular basis to make sure they are still relevant and effective .
This might require a significant change in how you manage your safety program , but if your workers ’ compensation rates are high , it may be time to make this leap .
TANGIBLE BENEFITS
1 . Studies indicate there is a return on investment and that companies see direct bottom-line benefits with a properly designed , implemented , and integrated safety program .
2 . A competency-based safety program is compliant with OSHA requirements and therefore reduces the threat of OSHA fines .
3 . A competency-based safety program lower accidents , and fewer accidents lowers workers ’ compensation costs . When incidents do occur , a competencybased safety program fully evaluates the issue and finds the root cause to prevent reoccurrence and provides a workplace that is free from recognized hazards .
4 . A safer workplace creates better morale and improves employee retention . Auditing keeps your programs fresh and effective and drives continuous improvement .
5 . A competency-based program produces people who are fully engaged in every aspect of their job and are satisfied and fulfilled , producing high-quality goods and services . +
HOW CAN WE ASSIST YOU ?
At Spectrum Insurance Group , we are committed to helping you establish a strong safety program that minimizes your workers ’ compensation exposures .
Contact us today at 715-858-9865 to learn more about our OSHA compliance , safety program , and accident investigation tools and resources .
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