Post Accident

Cost Control and

Accident Prevention
1 Post Accident Cost Control and Accident Prevention

2 Accident Prevention—Your Safest Bet

3 When an Accident Happens—Important Elements of Cost Control

4 Preventing Slip, Trip and Fall Accidents

5 Overexertion Injuries—Not to be Underestimated

6 Advocate the Mechanics of Machine Safety

7 How Amerisure® Can Help

Post Accident Cost Control
and Accident Prevention
How employers can minimize the cost of manufacturing injury-accidents
and work to prevent them from occurring in the first place.

Quick question

What’s the best way to minimize the cost of an injury? The answer is to prevent it from
occurring in the first place. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work that way. The simple truth
is that workplace accidents will happen. What happens next, however, can significantly
impact the productivity and profitability of any company—large or small.

In Zywave’s 2013 Workers’ Compensation and Safety Survey of

more than 3,100 employers, 53% said they are very or somewhat
concerned about post-accident cost control, while 50% claimed
they are very or somewhat concerned about risk control in the form
of accident prevention.

Given this preoccupation with minimizing costs in the aftermath of an

accident—and to a slightly lessor extent its prevention—employers
should become familiar with accident prevention and fundamental
post-accident cost controlling measures, while exploring the
essentials of accident avoidance.

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August 2013
Accident Prevention—Your Safest Bet
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, last year in the United States 6 million workers suffered
non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses. As intimidating as this number is, the vast majority of these
events could have been prevented with a healthy dose of knowledge and planning.

The key to avoiding an accident is to stay one step ahead of it and the elements of accident
prevention listed below can help. By incorporating them into your operation, you could be one step
closer to maintaining an accident-free workplace.

Accident Prevention Plan/Safety Program – This is an Occupational Safety & Health

Administration (OSHA) requirement. It must contain details of specific plans and management
activities designed to prevent workplace accidents and injuries including the implementation of
investigations, correction of hazards, use of Job Safety Analysis, safety audits and inspections.

Worker Safety Training – In general, a well-trained employee is a safe employee. By

providing workers with initial safety orientation training followed by job specific safety training,
you’ll help them understand workplace hazards and avoid potential injuries and accidents.

Engineering Safety Controls – This approach completely eliminates specific workplace

hazards by the safe design of a facility, processes and equipment. A machine guard that
provides a physical barrier between a worker and the hazard of moving machine parts is
a prime example.

Administrative Safety Controls – When engineered safety controls are not possible, resort
to administrative controls. These include equipment operating and maintenance procedures,
and limits on who is allowed to operate equipment.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – PPE is designed to reduce worker exposure to

hazards when engineering and administrative controls are not adequate. Examples of PPE
include hard hats, safety glasses and gloves.

Substance Abuse Testing – Drug testing has become an important safety issue in the
workplace. The purpose of this testing is to reduce the impact from drug use including
tardiness, absenteeism, turnover, attitude problems, decreased productivity and hazardous
behavior.

Safety Audits – Conducting periodic reviews of your safety program will help ensure the
plan is up-to-date and effective.

Workplace Safety Inspections – A detailed inspection of the workplace can identify

hazardous conditions. Such conditions can also be identified through employee reporting,
pre-startup checks and informal walk-throughs. Potential hazards should be immediately
reported and addressed.

These eight components of accident prevention apply to virtually any industry segment across the
country. To gain further insight on the importance of cost control within the manufacturing sector
specifically, it’s important to consider three of the more common accident events: slips, trips and falls,
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overexertion and machine operation. August 2013
When an Accident Happens—Important Elements of Cost Control
The annual price tag for occupational injuries and illnesses in the
United States has been estimated at $250 billion.1 This figure alone is
a call to action for accident cost control.

When an accident occurs, the manner in which you react plays a

crucial role in controlling injury related costs, maintaining productivity
and protecting the health and well being of the injured employee.
While the individual needs of your company will likely vary, the
following core guidelines will help enhance your response to a
workplace accident:

Attend to injured personnel immediately: Call 911 to help ensure appropriate first aid and
medical care is provided.

Facilitate an accident investigation: This action is important in order to preserve evidence,

capture accurate witness accounts and protect other employees in the workplace.

Facilitate medical case management: Quality managed medical care will help ensure the
best possible recovery for the patient while helping to minimize costs.

Request a dedicated claims manager: A single point of contact will help add efficiency to
the handling of the claim, which can reduce claim costs.

Help your employee make a rapid return to work: A pre-established early return-to-work
program is highly recommended. Return-to-work options for an injured employee include
shorter working hours, transitional work and job modification. Returning an injured worker to
active employment can be highly beneficial in promoting a full recovery.

Another important component with respect to managing an accident

involves staying in touch with the injured employee. This can go a long
way in showing that your company cares, and that he or she is a vital
part of your operation. It can also help bolster morale in the wake of
a workplace mishap. Of course, as previously expressed, the most
effective way to manage an injury is to prevent it from happening in
the first place.

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August 2013
Preventing Slip, Trip and Fall Accidents
Slips, trips and falls are a common threat to workplace safety and can
result in head injuries, back injuries, broken bones, cuts/lacerations
and sprained muscles. The causes are equally varied and include wet
or greasy floors, dry floors with wood dust or powder, loose flooring or
carpeting, uneven walking surfaces, clutter, electrical cords or cable,
ramps without skid-resistant surfaces, metal surfaces and more.

Although the controls needed to prevent these hazards are for the
most part obvious, they’re often ignored. Given the serious nature of
slip, trip and fall injuries, however, all workers should adhere to the
following five safety precautions:

1 Reduce wetness in slippery areas.

2 Wear proper footwear for better traction.

3 Maintain a clean, well-organized work area.

4 Keep hallways and walkways clear of obstacles.

5 Report unsafe work areas to a supervisor—including areas with poor lighting.

Another important element of accident prevention is communication. For example, urge your workers
to report even a minor fall. It could prevent someone from experiencing a more serious injury down
the line.

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August 2013
Overexertion Injuries—Not to be Underestimated
Overexertion injuries are common within manufacturing environments and are typically related to pulling,
lifting, pushing, holding, carrying and throwing activities. Injuries generally involve the back, shoulders
and legs, and fall into two categories: sprains (stretching or tearing ligaments) and strains (stretching or
tearing tendons or muscles).

In most cases, proper body mechanics will remove the overexertion injury risk. This is especially
important with respect to pushing and pulling. Proper technique will not only minimize the chance for an
acute muscular strain injury, it will also decrease the overall wear and tear to the musculoskeletal system
that occurs on a daily basis. Additional recommendations to prevent overexertion injuries include:

• Require workers to request assistance when moving heavy objects

• A cart or hand truck should be used to shift anything that cannot be moved with ease

• Utilize mechanized handling equipment when available

• Workers should never bend or twist from the waist when lifting

• Limit the amount of weight a worker can carry

• Require workers to take periodic breaks to stretch and rest muscles

• Maintain clear pathways to avoid tripping

• S
 trongly advise workers to report any signs of discomfort to avoid the possibility
of a full-blown injury

Overexertion injuries can be prevented, and the best advice is

perhaps the easiest to execute — the demands of the job must match
the capabilities of the worker.

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August 2013
Advocate the Mechanics of Machine Safety
When used properly, machines in the workplace can be of tremendous value. But the misuse of heavy
machinery can result in accidents and injuries of the most serious variety. It should go without saying
that all mechanical hazards must be controlled or eliminated. The majority of machinery hazards occur
in these three areas:

The Point Of Operation – This is where work is performed on the

material, including cutting, shaping, boring or forming of stock.

Power Transmission Apparatus – Components of the mechanical system

transmitting energy to the part of the machine performing the work (i.e.,
flywheels, pulleys, belts, connecting rods, couplings, cams, spindles,
chains, cranks and gears).

Other Moving Parts – This includes all parts of the machine that move
while it is functioning.

Extreme care is required when working with heavy machinery. The following safety tips will help
promote machine safety in the workplace:

Unless fully trained, do not permit a worker to operate machinery – Operating

machinery without proper training can put a worker and others at serious risk for an injury or
fatality.

Ensure proper machine guarding – This will help protect workers from hazards imposed
by rotating parts, flying chips and sparks.

Order workers to wear the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) –

Whether operating heavy machinery or working in the vicinity of an operating machine, PPE
is an absolute must.

Instruct workers to never interfere with operating machinery – Touching or in any

way interfering with a machine in motion can result in a serious injury or fatality.

Direct workers to stay clear of loading zones while machines are unloading –
Machines can be unpredictable on occasion. Instruct workers to maintain a safe distance
when a machine is unloading a truck.

The rule of thumb for preventing mechanical hazards is to remember that any exposed machine part,
function or process that may cause injury must be safeguarded at all times.

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August 2013
How Amerisure® Can Help
Amerisure Mutual Insurance Company’s goal is to provide you with focused and effective programs
that enhance your ability to recognize and prevent specific types of claims before the accident
occurs. Our Observational Safety Program builds on proven techniques, technical data and loss
prevention strategies from a variety of effective safety tactics. Visit www.amerisure.com/Tips.aspx
for a menu of free downloadable Observational Safety Program brochures, that when combined with
management commitment and return-to-work programs, can result in claim reduction and overall
claim cost control.

Amerisure Mutual Insurance Company, a stock insurer, is a property and casualty insurance company
with experience insuring American businesses for more than 100 years. The Company and its
affiliates target mid-sized commercial enterprises in manufacturing, construction and healthcare
through strategically located Core Service Centers across the United States. To learn more about
Amerisure, visit www.amerisure.com.

These instructions do not supersede local, state, or federal regulations. This document is for general
information only and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon for, ergonomic, training
or medical advice in any particular circumstance or fact situation.
1
J . Paul Leigh, professor of public health sciences at UC Davis and author of the study, A
Multidisciplinary Journal of Population Health and Health Policy

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August 2013