Reducing Workers Compensation Claims

making sure employees are aware of the health and safety aspects of their work (e.g. posting information on notice boards, keeping an information file such as COSHH, training, and providing

The risk management program in any business, especially in a health care organization is an integral part of its day to day operation. The purpose of the risk management department is summed up by Kavaler & Alexander (2014), “…a program designed to reduce the incidence of preventable accidents and injuries to minimize the financial loss to the institution should any accident or injury occur” (p. 5). Protecting employees, patients, vendors and visitors is an ongoing process and one that needs to be updated when the healthcare organization has deemed necessary. This paper will demonstrate the importance of presenting the risk management program to new employees, compliance with the standards set forth by the American Society of Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM), propose recommendations or changes needed to further improve the program, as well as examine the administrative process of managing a risk program.

The Company’s goal is to have zero work-related illnesses or injuries. However, in order to attain this goal, it will require a team effort involving both the Company and the employees. Only through such a coordinated effort can this safety plan be established and sustained.

The second accident at the "Timken Steel Faircrest plant" company which a is an employee fall down more than 40 feet which led to several broken bones because of just a small mistake. The problem is when he made a maintenance on a crane he wasn't ware Certified safety harness which it could safe his live from the risk. I used to do a maintenance on more than one cran and my company doesn't allow me to go without waring a Certified safety harness because they have to keep all the employees a way from all the risk and even if they didn't told me to ware it, I will not go up to the cran without it, do the fact that no one knows what will happen and even if I am good at this job, I have to work safely. I agree that this company should teach all

Training should be given in such a way that hazardous situations can be avoided. For example: Lengthening of working day, removal of taking screening breaks etc for meeting deadlines should be avoided. You must ensure that the significant hazards are identified, and that the actual working practices are addressed and if need be, changed so as to reduce any risk. This is both the responsibility of the employer and employee, for example it is the employees responsibility to familiarise themselves with the hazards and risks in their workplace.

Also employers should provide up to date courses on health and safety to ensure that staff know how to keep themselves and others safe in the workplace and any outside visitors or customers that come in and to be able to co-operate with their employers. Also make sure they are following safety rules like using equipment safely, ensuring materials used are properly stored, handled, used and transported, to provide a safe working environment for employers, to provide a written safety policy/risk assessment, also staff should know what to do in case of an accident occurring at work or how to report any safety risks.

The human resources process has to accompany both the employee and employer in regard to safety issues. An employee wants the assurance of safe and healthy working conditions; anything less exposes danger to their own wellbeing. In addition employees must take heed to precautions design by the organization. However an employer wants to avoid expenditures in overhead by cutting cost or corners often putting their employees at harmful risk. In addition, organizations also have a lawful obligation in which they have to provide a safe workplace by preventing accidents, hazards, serious injuries or accident-related deaths. Negligence on either behalf can result in determination, fines, citations, work-related

Despite undeniable efforts investing in safety and health within the workplace, occupational accidents continue to account for injuries and deaths every year (Cadieux et al, 2006). In Quebec alone in the year of 2004, 176 deaths and 128,104 occupational injuries were registered by the National OHS board (Cadieux et al, 2006). In order to improve these rates worldwide, Occupational Health and Safety Management systems are developed and implemented in the workplace.

Unfortunately, being injured at work is something many people face on a daily basis. Sometimes accidents are caused when an employee works in a dangerous environment. Other times, the employee is careless or is not provided with the right safety equipment. Regardless of the cause of the accident it is important that the employee has the tools they need to heal and get back to work as quickly as possible.

Due to the high rate of illnesses, accidents and injuries in the industry, the organization further developed a hazard recognition program. This was greatly supported by the directives and the standards the organization drafted. The organization also set a safety and health program. This mainly depended on the credibility of management’s involvement in the program. This program provided for the inclusion of the employees in the program. The program also provided for the inclusion of the employees in the different decision making processes such as the safety and health decisions. The employees were also to be included in the decisions that involved change in the work site practices and conditions. The program addressed hazards despite failure by the government standard to regulate it (Brain Mass, 2010).

According to the Bureau of Labor, statistics indicate that more than 4.1 million people were hurt or injured on-the-job in 2006 and 5,488 were killed in 2007 (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy, 2010, p. 511). Laws and regulatory requirements are currently in place to standardize and promote workplace safety. Organizations with extensive safety programs have reduced number of accidents, decreased workers’ compensation claims and lawsuits and lesser accident-related expenditures (Gomez-Mejia, et al, 2010, p. 511). This paper discusses the effects of legal, safety and regulatory requirements in

Work related injuries are prevalent and costly. Each year an estimated 270 million workplace accidents occur worldwide. The annual cost of these accidents is $1.25 trillion U.S dollars. Under the Canadian human rights legislation, employers have a “duty to accommodate individuals” as they return to work. Meaning those who are attempting to return to work following an injury or illness via change in job task and or the work environment to enable workers with temporary or permanent disability to perform work productively. In light of financial and legislative realities, organizations develop disability management programs to prevent workplace injury and illness and to accommodate workers in a manner that facilitates early and safe return to work. The goals of disability management programs include promotion of safe workplace; coordinated programming in health, rehabilitation, and accommodation interventions. Disability management programs are most effective when developed and applied using a systems approach. A system approach emphasizes the work and organization context; for instance, the type of work and safety record of the organization, instead of focusing sold on individual employees. Research shows that workplaces with people focused workplace culture, positive safety attitudes, and articulated policies on disability management tend to report shorter absences, lower disability costs, and less frequent absences arising from workplace injury. Organizations heavily

Training of supervisors in how to communicate and demonstrate safety practices to employees (Gomez-Melia et al., 2011).

The recommendation has been made for Verizon to consider developing a safety-training curriculum that will be a win-win for all. “According to Kevin Ehling a district manager for Administaff in Fort Worth, every company, regardless of size should consider a training program that will teach all employees on all levels how to increase job performance.” (Kevin, Ethling, 2009,) In this instance, training all employees on safety practices could eliminate the company’s exposure in many areas. When the employees increase their knowledge in an area, they have been empowered to produce. “In some respects, the potential of 21st century skills lies in the exploration of how digital tools (cameras, presentation software, computing equipment) and online resources can support and enhance traditional subjects, skills and teaching practices.” (Verizon, 2009).

Part of the employer’s responsibility is to control potential workplace hazard and correct hazardous conditions or practices as they occur or are recognized. If an employer effectively identifies these or other red flags, he should begin and keep accurate documentation of the incident, investigate the accident adequately, and provide safety and health training annually.