Workplace safety is one of most businesses main goal to maintain as keeping the workplace clear of any incidents that businesses are liable for means less costs and insurance premiums to deal with.
Work injuries are all too common in the workplace. Just this year alone, workplace injuries will cost businesses over $59 billion, and that number continues to increase every year. Among the list of top workplace injuries, the “usual suspects” always rank near the top. These being accidents caused by falling, mishandling of objects, and auto incidents always rank near the top. Improper machine use, slip and trip, and awkward posture also cause thousands of injuries a year. The other injury type that has come on of late is overexertion. Overexertion injuries cost $1 billion every week in treatment alone, and ergonomics, the study of how to improve workplace efficiency, is dedicated to stopping these injuries.
Many define work injuries as specific physical damage to a worker while on-site or completing a task at work. This is an important definition as it can be very unclear whether a worker deserves workers comp. or not based on his injury.
While we list the top-10 types of work injuries, there is a root cause for all work accidents. The number one reason for work injuries is negligence from a worker or employer. Many injuries can be avoidable if the worker pays more attention to certain surroundings in the work environment. Or, if employers paid attention to their worksites and their worker’s health and safety. Another way injuries can be avoided is more employee training. With more safety training and knowledge on how to use machinery/handle objects, employees’ jobs are a whole lot safer. Employers should invest the money into this training. While it may not be a profitable payment, they save hundreds of thousands on fewer workers comp claims and lower insurance premiums. Additionally, employees have more job training and can work more efficiently with greater output. This is an obvious win-win.
View our Work Injury Infographic
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For more information, contact a Risk Advisor at 914-357-8444.
Returning to the office has proven to be challenging for employers. Organizations of all sizes are struggling to determine which employee health screenings they can execute without infringing on their employees’ rights. From scheduled questionnaires to employee temperature checks, employers are working hard to adapt to this new normal.
Employee health screenings need to be voluntary. Hourly employees should be considered on the clock if they are waiting in line for testing and while the test is being administered. If an employee is sent home because they are ill they should be paid for the time out of work, if possible. If the employee refuses to take the test or respond to the survey, it is within your rights as an employer to send them home without pay.
Temperature Checks
Before COVID-19, temperature checks were considered to be a part of a medical exam. Employers need to follow the following rules to ensure that employee health screenings are minimally invasive and confidential.
Health screenings are voluntary but a necessary way for employers to best protect the entire workforce. Reassure your employees that these screenings are completely private and confidential. If your business does not have an on-site nurse, determine which employee will be responsible for taking the other employees’ temperatures.
Employees should be considered on the clock while waiting in line for and while the test is being administered. If an employee is sent home ill they should be paid for the time out of work if possible. If the employee refuses to take the test, it is within your rights as an employer to send them home without pay.
Additional Safety Measures
Cloth-Face Masks
Cloth Face masks are not appropriate substitutes for workers who must wear N94 respiratory masks or medical/surgical face masks. A cloth face mask should cover the nose and mouth to contain the wearer’s potentially infectious respiratory droplets. Cloth face masks will not protect the wearer from airborne transmissible infectious agents due to their lack of seal or inadequate filtration. (Click here to view the CDC Recommendations for Masks and Cloth Face Coverings)
Provide employees with guidelines of when they can and cannot take off their masks. For example, some office employees may not be required to wear their mask at their desks, but do need to wear them in common areas while food service employees may be required to wear their masks their entire shifts. Make sure to express these guidelines and requirements to your employees. Address any concerns they may have regarding the new policy. Post these new guidelines and rules throughout the business in places where employees can see them.
Keeping a minimum 6-ft distance between workers
Employees should keep a minimum of 6 ft away (two arms lengths away) from each other. Workspaces should allow employees to sit a comfortable distance away from other employees. If needed, consider rearranging the workspace and adding additional protective barriers for employees. Businesses considering to reopen should consult the“Reopening the workplace during a pandemic” decision chart released by the CDC.
Keep Common Areas and Surfaces Clean
While returning to your office space, be aware of how often you’re cleaning. You might be questioning if you’re cleaning enough. Wiping down shared areas multiple times a day with the proper cleaning products is one way to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Clean AND disinfectfrequently touched surfaces daily. This includes common areas, tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
If these surfaces appear to be dirty, wash them with soap and water before using chemical disinfectants. The EPA releasedthis list of common household disinfectantsthat will help prevent the spread of COVID-19
Still want more info on how to carefully reopen your business in a Post-COVID19 world? Contact A Risk Advisor at 914-357-8444.
Workplace Violence can be difficult to identify because it is more than homicides or physical assaults. This can be non-violent offenses like stalking, threatening words or other menacing contacts. Workplace Violence is defined as any physical assault, threatening behavior or verbal abuse that occurs in a work setting.
These forms of non-physical and physical violence affect approximately 25 million people a year. When not properly addressed workplace violence can result in a major decline in employee morale, management efficiency, and productivity. There is a cost impact as well, like lost wages, higher benefit payments and greater usage of sick time.
Workplace violence can be divided into 4 categories. However, most people affected by workplace violence are usually subjected to more than one category of workplace violence.
In all of the four following types of workplace violence events, a human being or hazardous agent commits the assault:
Type I – Criminal Intent
The perpetrator has no legitimate business relationship to the workplace and usually enters the affected workplace to commit a robbery or other criminal act.
These incidents are normally between employees who have face to face contact and exchange money with the public, work late at night and into early mornings or work alone. While the perpetrator maybe pretends to be a customer of the establishment, the person has no legitimate business relationship to the workplace.
Type II – Customer/Client/Patients
The perpetrator is either the recipient or the object of a service provided by the affected workplace or the victim. For example, the assailant is a current or former client, patient, customer, passenger, criminal suspect, inmate, or prisoner.
Type II events involve an assault by someone who is either the recipient or object of a service provided by the workplace or victim. These events involve assaults on public safety and correctional personnel, municipal bus or railway drivers, health care and social service providers, teachers, sales personnel, and other public or private service sector employees who provide professional, public safety, or administrative or business services to the public.
Type III Worker/worker
The perpetrator has some employment-related involvement with the affected workplace. For example, an assault by a current or former employee, supervisor or manager.
Type III events generally involve threats of violence resulting in fatal or nonfatal injury to another worker. Commonly found in type III events are the individual may be seeking revenge for what is perceived to be unfair treatment by another coworker, a supervisor, or a manager.
Type IV Personal Relationship
The perpetrator has some employment-related involvement with the affected workplace but is not employed at the workplace. Rather, the agent is known to or has a personal relationship with, an employee.
Most Type IV events involve domestic or romantic disputes in which an employee is threatened in the workplace by an individual who has personal relationships outside of work.
Prevention
If there are one or more of the following factors present in the workplace, employers should consider the workplace to be at potential risk of violence:
Exchange of money.
Employees required to work alone at night and during early morning hours.
Availability of valued items, for example, money and jewelry.
Guarding of money or valuable property or possessions.
Employees perform public safety functions in the community.
Employees work with patients, clients, passengers, customers, or students known or suspected to have a history of violence.
Some employees have a history of assaults or have exhibited belligerent, intimidating, or threatening behavior to others.
Many workplaces are at risk for workplace violence, but certain workplaces are recognized to be at significantly greater risk than others. Therefore, every employer should perform an initial assessment to identify workplace security factors that have been shown to contribute to the risk of violence.
If you have any questions on what workplace violence is and how your organization may be at risk, contact a Risk Advisor by clicking here or by calling at 914-357-8444
Accident Intervention Plans are meant to reduce the risk of incidents occurring on the job more than once. If an employee is injured repeatedly on the job, then putting your plan in action may be long overdue.
The focus of an Accident Intervention Plan is two-fold. The first part of the program Program is to identify why accidents and incidents occur. Then determine what needs to done to prevent future accidents. The second part of the Program provides the means to discuss accidents and incidents. These discussions with all employees should include “Repeat Offenders” or Accident Risks. The Accident Intervention Plan provides an opportunity for repeat offenders to change or modify their behavior to potentially reduce the risk of another incident.
A plan should be in place before repeat accidents occur. This isn’t always the case because no one plans for repeat accidents to occur.
These plans need monitoring by the entire management staff. When a small group of employees are onboard with the plan, there is potential for failure. Moreover, your plan needs support from the entire organization.
Your employees’ safety is the responsibility of your entire organization. The first time an injury occurs, file a report and take steps to ensure the elimination of the cause of the incident. Your organization may have a few employees that are Repeat Offenders. These are employees that find themselves injured on the job multiple times.
Who are the “Repeat Offenders”?
Repetitively Tasked Employees
Employees who have a higher degree of potential risk associated with their jobs. A warehouse worker that repeatedly lifts heavy boxes.
Repeat Injury Employees
An injured body part that is still weak from the initial injury can lead to reinjury of the same area.
Referred Injury Employees
An injury that starts in one part of the body (like the foot), can lead to injury in other areas. A foot injury can cause a change in weight distribution that can lead to posture changes causing lower back and also spinal pain.
Random Injury Employees
There are no apparent patterns detectable in their accident repetition.
If you still need more information on accident/incident plans and other ways that a strong safety management plan can help your organization reduce commercial insurance premiums contact a Risk Advisor at 914-357-8444 orContact Us
Every year, an estimated 800 deaths and 18,000 injuries cripple the workforce solely as a result of workers operating machinery.
Since the Industrial Revolution, the momentum behind increased production and productivity has come from one main source: machines. They have allowed for the advancement of business, but have also provided one of our current era’s biggest dangers. However, there are a few easy ways to combat these costly injuries. The main way to halt machine injuries is to install machine guards that protect workers from dangerous machines. Other solutions: detailed operating instructions on machinery, more in-depth training, and safe practice by superiors to show proper operating techniques.
Machine injuries are one of the top ten reasons for employee injuries every year.
Machines are prevalent in almost every sector and style of business, so they are not likely to disappear anytime soon. These guards and other techniques are crucial steps towards limiting one of the biggest detriments in the workplace. When determining which machines to upgrade, it is important to think about the probability and severity of potential injuries that could stem from the machine. In addition, any machine that even offers a potential for injury should be equipped with guards. Aside from wanting to keep employees safe, employee injuries also are very costly to a company. Taking the proper steps to ensure a safe workplace helps solve both of these issues.
Although more expensive, machine guards and an expanded training program should be a net positive investment in the long run. There is a larger up front expenditure, but more money will be saved in the long run as less employees are injured. Increased savings in medical bills, lawsuits, insurance premiums, and attorney’s fees should more than makeup for the initial payment for guards and training. With more and more companies buying into the idea of safer equipment and advanced training, it is highly likely that the majority of machine injuries dissipate and the workplace becomes much safer as a result.
For more information contact one of our Risk Advisors or call 914-357-8444
Over a decade ago in May of 2008, a Crane collapsed in NYC that killed 2 construction workers. The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times both profiled the company owner Mr. James Lomma of NY Crane & Equipment Corp and the assistant district attorney, Eli Cherasky spoke on the matter saying “They were killed because a wealthy man was concerned about the bottom line and nothing else.”
We’re still talking about this accident today because of the effect it had on one construction business. Your safety policies may not be the strongest because you believe that this will not happen to your business. Like all risks, there is the possibility this could happen to you, but you have the opportunity to learn from someone else’s expensive mistake.
5 Critical Tips On Avoiding a Very Expensive Education On Safety:
Hire a site safety coordinator. Senior management and your new site safety coordinator need to have a concise safety plan that needs to be implemented company-wide.
Budget for committed resources for safety in every new project. Safety does pay a dividend although many don’t bother to understand or calculate it.
Offer a team bonus if your team achieves certain safety goals and enforce penalties for violations. You win as a team and you lose as a team while on a worksite.
Start every project by reviewing your previous numbers and creating new safety goals based on past experiences. Learn from your past mistakes instead of making the same ones.
Call in a professional. A professional may cost money, but an accident or claim could put you out of business.
If you understand the cost of loss, insurance claim or injury to your profit margins then it is much easier to commit a fraction of those management resources to safety. Its not just good business, it is the right thing to do for your community and your employees.
Are you ready to implement a plan but don’t know where to start? Request A 5 Minute Call with one of our Risk Advisors at no cost 1.914.357.8444
Just like poor training or unwarranted spending, poor floor protection is a culprit that results in huge costs every year, no matter how unsuspecting it may seem. Every day, 25,000 slip, trip, or fall at work. This adds up to around $70 billion in claimed payouts every year. Luckily, there is a solution for bare floors or rubber mats that aren’t getting the job done.
The new Pig Grippy floor mat is a new product that is much more effective than preexisting options.
They are the first adhesive-backed floor mat that doesn’t come out of place and can be used for twelve weeks straight. These new mats also absorb water in a matter of minutes to eliminate slips. This is another perk over normal rubber mats that allow water to sit.
Many injuries occur every year as a result of slipping or tripping. It is very important to invest in a product that can mitigate these injuries. Anything that can be used to help limit these types of injuries should be implemented, creating a safer working environment. Pig Grippy mats are an extremely effective way to control falls and slips. With its non-slip coating and longer surface, Pig Grippy mats are the clear choice for all locations with potential injury possibilities.
Pig Grippy mats can reduce slip and fall claims by 90%. That equates to 22,500 less daily injuries and a yearly aggregate saving of $63 billion. It is clear to see how big of an impact these new mats can make. Imagine how much safer the workplace would be and how much more profitable a business could be by just implementing this small change. Not to mention, employee satisfaction would increase since they know their management is looking out for their best interest; this, in turn, would boost morale and efficiency. It is hard to believe, but one small product change can single-handedly decrease injuries, increase profits, and improve employee satisfaction.
New York State (NYS) has once again increased its protections against workplace discrimination and harassment by updating and expanding its Anti-discrimination laws. Under a new law enacted on Aug. 12, 2019, certain provisions that were added by the state’s 2019 budget in 2018 are expanded so that they cover not only sexual harassment but also all other types of unlawful employment discrimination. New employee notice requirements apply as well.
The new law also makes all employers in the state (not just those with four or more employees) subject to all provisions of the NYS Human Rights Law (HRL) starting on Feb. 8, 2020. A variety of other changes will make it easier for individuals to hold employers liable for harassment and discrimination.
Action Steps For Employers
Employers in NYS should become familiar with the new law and begin providing written copies of their sexual harassment prevention policies and training program information in English and each of theiremployees’ primary languages. Employers should also monitor the NYS Department of Labor’s (DOL) website for model foreign-language notices.
Identifying Unlawful Workplace Harassment
The new law expands the NYS HRL’s current definition of unlawful workplace harassment effective Oct. 11, 2019. Specifically, harassment will be considered an unlawful discriminatory practice when it subjects an individual to inferior terms, conditions or privileges of employment because of the individual’s opposition to or participation in any proceeding involving unlawful workplace harassment or because of the individual’s membership in one or more of the following protected categories:
Age
Creed
National origin
Gender identity/expression
Sex
Predisposing genetic characteristics
Marital status
Race
Color
Sexual orientation
Military status
Disability
Familial status
Domestic violence victim status
Changes to Recently Added Provisions on Workplace Sexual Harassment
Topic
Effective
Law Changes
Written policy on sexual harassment prevention
Oct. 9, 2018
Employers must have a written sexual harassment prevention policy and distribute it to employees.
Aug. 12, 2019
Employers must provide the above policy in English and each employee’s primary language and both at hire and again every year when training is provided.
Training programs on sexual harassment prevention
Oct. 9, 2018
Employers must provide annual, interactive sexual harassment training to all employees.
Aug. 12, 2019
Employers must provide written copies of the training program information in both English and each employee’s primary language and both at hire and again every year.
Nonemployee claims
April 12, 2018
Nonemployees may fileworkplace sexual harassment claims against an employer.
Oct. 11, 2019
Nonemployees may file any type of unlawful workplace discriminationclaim against an employer.
Contractual arbitration requirements
July 11, 2018
Employers are prohibited from including mandatory arbitration requirements for sexual harassment claims within any written contract.
Oct. 11, 2019
The above prohibition applies for any type of unlawful workplace discrimination claim.
Nondisclosure conditions in claim settlements
July 11, 2018
Employers are prohibited from including nondisclosure conditions in any agreement to resolve a sexual harassment claim, unless the complainant prefers to include one.
Jan. 1, 2020
The above prohibition applies to agreements to resolve any type of unlawful workplace discriminationclaim. Also:
If a complainant prefers to include a nondisclosure condition, it must be written and provided in both English and the complainant’s primary language.
A nondisclosure condition is void if it restricts a complainant from participating in any local, state or federal agency investigation or from filing or disclosing facts necessary to receive public benefits.
Any agreement that prevents disclosure of facts related to a future discrimination claim must include notice that it does not prohibit the employee or applicant from speaking with law enforcement, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the NYS Department of Human Services (DHS), any local commission on human rights or an attorney.
For more information contact one of our Risk Advisors or call 914-357-8444.
There have been some recent trends in new pieces of personal protective equipment, or PPE. For example, equipment is becoming more personalized and comfortable. New respiratory devices are being produced that allow users to have facial hair, and equipment is becoming more lightweight and breathable. In addition, there is a lot of exciting news regarding future breakthroughs in PPE in the next couple of years. One potential breakthrough will be the use of “smart” equipment that can monitor the body for temperature, fatigue, and different chemical levels in the body. These are just a few examples of long term terms safety solutions in the workplace.
PPE is the main protection separating people and dangerous working conditions. As equipment gets better, workers will be able to withstand tougher conditions while being more protected than in the past. These advancements don’t just help workers though. A business will run much more efficiently through the use of advanced equipment. Workers will be less affected by outside elements and can focus more intently on the job at hand. With fewer costs associated with worker injuries from poor equipment, a company will additionally profit more from better equipment.
There are a few main impacts of advanced protective equipment. To start, using this equipment in real scenarios will allow more data to be acquired which will further improve the equipment. Next, companies should have fewer claims filed for worker’s comp with improved equipment. Since the equipment is better and more personalized, employees should be injured less on the job. Fewer injuries mean fewer payouts to employees and decreased future insurance premiums. This relates back with increased efficiency to result in more profit for companies that are willing to invest in this new equipment. It may seem like investing in new technology comes with a hefty cost, but in the long run, the choice to use better protective equipment will yield more profit and safer employees.
