"Workplace
safety." Does this term immediately bring thoughts of Workers'
Compensation or OSHA to mind? Today, workplace safety is about much
more than just avoiding accidents. Companies are focusing on a new
wave of safety issues-not only to comply with legislation, but to
create safer, happier environments for their employees and customers.
This article reviews three of the "hottest" safety issues-ergonomics,
workplace violence, and drugs in the workplace-and what you can do
to lower healthcare costs, reduce workers' compensation claims, and
increase productivity.
Ergonomics is
the science of fitting the job to the worker. If you have a mismatch
between the physical requirements of a job and the physical capacity
of the worker, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and cumulative trauma
disorders (CTDs) result. Another problem, repetitive motion injury
(RMI) results when you do not match the physical requirements of the
worker to the work environment.
Why do ergonomics matter?
1. Repetitive stress injuries and illnesses
cost private-sector employers more than $60 billion annually in workers'
compensation claims. Injuries cause an estimated $100 billion in lost
productivity and turnover every year.
2. RMIs and CTDs are the fastest growing workplace injuries in the
United States. The incidence of these injuries has jumped 770 percent
over the past decade! It's not just a big-company problem; mid-size
companies have the worst injury rates.
3. A company concerned with ergonomics promotes the well-being of
its workforce, and is perceived as caring about its workers.
How can I diagnose potential problems?
1. Look at injury and illness logs for patterns that may indicate
repetitive traumas or point to other potential MSD culprits.
2. Look for areas of high employee turnover, long or repeated absences,
many redo jobs, or lagging production.
3. Observe employee behavior. Are people wringing their wrists or
stretching their backs? Do they look uncomfortable or awkward when
completing certain tasks?
4. Get employees' input on workplace design and activities that cause
them pain or fatigue.
What
can I do to make my workplace safer?
1. Train employees in basic ergonomic principles to help them identify
the source of their discomfort. You may end up shifting workers into
different positions, or start cross-training efforts to prevent RMIs.
2. If you're going to invest in new equipment, make sure it is easily
adjustable to meet the size of the people that might use it, and train
people how to use it effectively.
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Ergonomics
On A Budget
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Use
a rolled-up towel for lower back support.
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Empty
boxes make decent footrests.
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Folded
tissue paper, or a rolled-up washcloth makes a low-cost wrist
rest.
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Don't
throw away last year's phone book! Instead, tear off the cover
and tape it to the top of your computer
screen to form a glare shield. Use the rest of the book to
raise the monitor to eye level.
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Vary
tasks for workers-either rotate positions or schedule a variety
of tasks throughout the day.
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Place
computer keyboards below waist level.
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Encourage
employees working at computers to break every 20 or 30 minutes
and focus on a distant object, at
least 20 feet away, for 20 seconds, to rest their eyes.
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Encourage
short rest breaks for workers doing repetitive tasks.
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Creating an ergonomic work environment is not a one-time event. Keep
basic ergonomic principles in mind as you design new job tasks or
purchase new equipment. For companies who've made the commitment,
the resulting decreases in injuries and workers' comp costs far outweigh
the expense incurred. And, once you resolve to make your workplace
safer, your employees will thank you.
Drug use in this
country is increasing, and the number of functional addicts is growing.
The result is an increase in accidents and violence in the workplace.
Drug abuse is becoming even more of a problem for small and mid-sized
companies. As large companies develop more strict drug testing policies,
drug-using workers detour to smaller companies bringing with them
all of the problems associated with drug use.
Why
should I worry about employee drug use?
1. Sixty-five percent of all on-the-job accidents are directly related
to an employee's use of drugs or alcohol-either at work or prior to
starting their shift.
2. Substance abusers are absent three times more often, use 16 times
as many health care benefits, and are six times more likely to file
a workers' compensation claim than non-abusers.
3. You are liable for an employee's actions. So, if an employee on
drugs or alcohol causes an accident and you did nothing to discover
or stop the problem, then you could be charged with "negligent hiring."
4. Drug sales have moved from the street into the workplace. As employees
need cash to "feed their habit" they turn to selling drugs to their
coworkers. (Some companies are even working with police to set-up
undercover drug stings in their own offices!)
5. Young employees are more comfortable using drugs and are likely
to continue their habit as they leave college and enter the workforce.
How
can I diagnose potential problems?
1. Look for changes in employees' attitudes and behaviors. Is an employee
who was once very cheerful, now moody and irritable for most of the
day?
2. Examine your accident logs and injury reports. Does a particular
name show up repeatedly?
3. Have you noticed a decrease in productivity from a previously productive
employee?
What can I do to make my workplace safer?
1.
Follow state laws containing guidelines for workplace drug screening.
These laws offer protection against discrimination lawsuits for employers
who follow the guidelines.
2. Institute a drug-free workplace program.
3. Establish a
zero-tolerance policy.
4. Make drug testing a part of your hiring process.
Test only those applicants to which you've extended a conditional
offer of employment, to protect yourself from ADA legislation. Test
the applicant immediately after making the offer to prevent him/her
from getting drugs out of his/her system.
5. Educate your supervisors and employees on the program and teach
them how to spot potential problems.
6. Conduct sporadic drug testing to support your zero-tolerance policy.
If employees are able to predict when testing will occur, they can
stay clean for a few days in order to pass the test. If a test comes
back positive, decide whether you will immediately terminate the worker
(as 25% of companies do), or offer counseling or a treatment program
first.
7. Address and document problems and work-related conduct which negatively
impact on-the-job performance. Make sure you document only performance
related issues to prevent any claims of discrimination.
8. Follow-up. If job performance does not improve after problems have
been addressed, offer treatment or terminate the employee.
Any step you take to prevent drug and alcohol abuse in your company
is a step in the right direction. The costs you incur in setting-up
programs to protect your employee's safety will be worth the money
you save in workers' compensation costs and health care benefits.
Ultimately, you will be protecting yourself from liability issues
if one of your workers injures himself or others on the job.
Did you know that
homicide is the second leading cause of fatal occupational injury
in the US? Here's a scary statistic; approximately 1 million persons
were assaulted while at work or on duty each year between 1987 and
1992! Workplace attacks range from simple assault to aggravated assault,
robbery, and rape. And, incidences of domestic abuse are being carried
over into the workplace. Approximately 74 percent of battered woman,
who are employed, are harassed on the job-where coworkers can be caught
in the middle of violent attacks.
Why
should I worry about workplace violence?
1. Workplace violence costs money due to increased sick days, absenteeism,
health care costs, and decreased productivity.
2. Many people believe violence is propagated by "violent" people
who suddenly explode. This is a myth. Violence is situational-in most
cases "normal" people simply escalate their actions in response to
the environment.
3. Employers may be liable for "negligent retention" if they keep
a violent person on the job who has threatened other employees.
4. Workplace violence creates a tense work environment which can increase
turnover.
5. Domestic violence costs $3 to $5 billion annually in health care
costs and lost productivity. Victims of domestic abuse miss 175,000
days of paid work every year.
How
can I diagnose potential problems?
1. Look for departments with high turnover. Can the turnover be attributed
to a particular employee causing problems with coworkers?
2. Has anyone in your workplace demonstrated signs of extreme rage
when confronted with a problem? Some people may not be able to cope
with set-backs without becoming angry-situational pressure can push
those employees out of control.
3. Look for changes in behavior. Employees may stop taking personal
calls for fear of talking to an abusive spouse, or may start showing
up late for work for unexplained reasons.
What
can I do to make my workplace safer?
1. Adopt a zero-tolerance policy regarding workplace violence. Require
all incidents to be reported to management and make it clear that
no threat will be tolerated.
2. Become an "activated witness" by learning what to look for, then
addressing the problems you discover. Too often, people choose not
to see problems, in the hope that they will go away. Teach your employees
to be activated witnesses as well.
3. Educate your workforce. You can do this unobtrusively by holding
seminars during lunch, distributing information with paychecks, or
simply hanging up a poster by the time clock or in the break room.
Include places employees can go, or numbers to call, such as a community
sponsored crisis center or abuse hotline, where they can get help.
4. Start an employee assistance program where employees can receive
counseling, talk through problems with coworkers, or get help leaving
a violent relationship. You may be able to team-up with other companies
in your area to share the cost.
5. Make counseling services an additional benefit in your compensation
packages .
Having a workforce
that is aware of what to look for in order to prevent workplace violence
will greatly benefit your organization. Once everyone realizes that
violence escalates due to situational pressures, you may all approach
work a little differently. Encouraging workers to talk through their
differences, seek out help when needed, and help each other find solutions
to problems will make your workplace happier, healthier, and safer.
Workplace
safety is no longer just about eye wash stations and caution signs
on wet floors. It is an ever broadening concern facing all businesses
every day. To operate profitably and minimize liability, start with
the internal policies that affect your biggest asset-your workers.
Make sure you have created a safe, comfortable environment in which
your employees will be happy to come to work each day. Give employees
what they need to be productive. Help those who may not be meeting
their goals reach them. By taking steps such as these, you can transform
workplace safety form a liability into a source of competitive advantage.
Sources Tyler, Kathryn, "Sit Up Straight." HR Magazine, September
1998 Gangemi, Robina, "Ergonomics on the Cheap." Inc. Magazine, May
1996 Mills, Ami Chen, "Ergonomic Regs Don't Sit Well with Small Biz."
Inc. Magazine, May 1997 Woodward, Nancy, "Domestic Abuse Policies
in the Workplace." HR Magazine, May 1998 Fenn, Donna, "Workplace Safety:
Preventing On-the-Job Violence." Inc. Magazine, June 1996 Bahls, Jane,
"Drugs in the Workplace." HR Magazine, February 1998 Bahls, Jane,
"Dealing With Drugs: Keep It Legal." HR Magazine, March 1998 OHSA
Website.
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