Top 5 injuries in the workplace
Despite all the Safety Training and preventative measures that your company takes, injuries on the job still do occur. Even the companies with the best safety records still are prepared for a workplace injury now and then. As disconcerting as this sounds, not only is the injury something that needs to be dealt with, but the costs involved with these minor injuries is also of great concern for the company.
According to a recent study done by Liberty Mutual Group, Inc., over 70% of the workplace injuries that occur in the workplace are minor injuries that do not need clinical intervention. The top 5 injuries that make up that 70% are:
1- Struck by Object
Injuries caused by falling objects ranks 5th on the list. Something as simple as a box on a shelf that falls onto an employee while they are retrieving it can cause injury. This injury needs to be dealt with properly, and sometimes this costs the company far more money than necessary.
2- Bodily Reaction
Fourth on the list are injuries caused by reaching too high, climbing, standing, or bending to pick up a heavy object. Common workplace occurrences, which lead to medical costs. According to the Liberty Mutual study, this category alone contributed $5.28 Billion to the overall costs of Workers’ Comp.
3- Fall to Lower Level
Who would have guessed that tripping and falling would cost companies in the U.S. over $5.35 Billion dollars in 2011 alone. Simple things like a poorly lit stairway, uneven floors or carpeting all contribute to this total.
4- Slips
Slipping on a wet floor, sugar granules in the kitchen, in rain or snow conditions outside, etc. add up to a whopping $7.94 Billion in the Liberty Mutual study.
5- Fatigue
In physical labor trades, injuries from pushing or pulling, lifting or carrying lead to more statistics. This injury category is responsible for a chart-topping $12.75 Billion dollars, and comes in at Number 1 on the list.
How do you combat these high costs and frequency of injuries? Our telephonic Nurse Triage service provides a medical call center of RNs to speak with injured employees over the phone at the time of incident. The nurse will gather information about the employee, and triage the injury. If a clinical referral is needed, the nurse will facilitate the referral to a nearby clinic. If the injury can be treated with First Aid or Homecare, the RN will give care advice and be available for up to three more calls if needed. All documentation at the time of incident is distributed to the company’s desired distribution list. This helps ensure all documentation is filed in a timely fashion to avoid penalties and report claims that do occur as soon as possible.
Please contact us to learn how we can customize a solution for your company!