Loss Prevention and Employee Safety Management Robin S
Loss Prevention and Employee Safety Management Robin S. Weltens Director of Loss Control MHA Solutions December 4, 2017
Loss Prevention and Employee Safety Management Loss Control Management Cost Containment Employee Education Documentation Loss Analysis and Measurement Employee Safety and Regulatory Management
Loss Control Management Loss Control Organization Management support and accountability Employee Safety Plan? Employee Safety and Health Committee?
Loss Control Management Enforcement of Procedures Are safe work practices clearly communicated to Employees (signed off)? Are safe work practices enforced consistently? Are enforcement actions taken and documented in writing? Progressive discipline?
Cost Containment Medical Management Program Medical Review Panel Modified Duty/Return to Work program Employee Health Program
Medical Review Panel Reasons for Creating Panel: Increased costs of medical care Serious consideration given a treating physician's medical report by the MWCC
Medical Review Panel Criteria to Use in Selecting a “Panel” doctor: Agreeable to see employees within 24 hours of injury. Prompt reporting. Oriented to returning employee to work as soon as medically advisable. Willing to make necessary referrals to other Panel physicians. Accessible to appropriate representatives of the hospital and insurance carrier.
Modified Duty/Return to Work Benefits of a Modified Duty program Provides an opportunity to demonstrate a high level of concern for employees Ensure appropriate medical care Control the cost of work-related injuries Needs to be progressive Don’t restrict to one department
Employee Health Program Statistics show that healthy employees lead to lower healthcare costs for employers as well as fewer missed hours for the employees. -In house program -Promote healthy lifestyles Diet and Exercise Smoking Cessation Annual physicals
Employee Education SAFETY Training Specialized Safety Training Employee Training Guide Management Training ORIENTATION Annual Retraining SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE Orientation
Loss Analysis and Measurement Loss Control Trending/Benchmarking Areas to track: Current and historical data on: Medical only costs First-aid costs Lost time costs and days Type of injury Date and time of injury Type of accident Date reported Location of accident Costs and type of treatment Claims reserves and payouts
Employee Occurrence Report Occurrence is defined as any hazardous event involving an employee during the normal work routine. This will include all injuries, accidents where there is a potential for injury, and exposure to hazardous substance or infectious
Employee Occurrence Report Who should report? Any employee involved in an occurrence must report the occurrence to management immediately or as soon as practicable following the event, not to exceed the end of their current shift. Responsibility for Completing the EOR? Responsibility for completing the Employee Occurrence Report will be determined by the individual facility’s policies and procedures. However, we suggest that the involved employee complete at a minimum the section of the form pertaining to a description of the incident and any injuries.
Employee Occurrence Report Insurance Company Study • Analyzed 78, 000 workers’ compensation claims closed • Findings: • Reporting a claim 11 -20 days after an injury increased costs by 29% • Reporting a claim 21 -30 days after an injury increased costs by 39% • Reporting a claim 31 days or more after an injury increased costs by 48%
Employee Occurrence Reporting Process Employee Occurrence Report Provides employee’s statement Initiates benefits Initiates Employer’s First Report of Injury Tolls the statute of limitations Triggers the OSHA 300 log Initiates the accident investigation Provides a trail for tracking and trending losses
Accident Investigation Effective accident investigation: Prevents accidents from recurring Improves health and safety management Fulfills legal requirements Determines the cost of an accident Complies with applicable safety regulations Facilitates Worker’s Compensation claims management
Accident Investigation An accident is any unplanned, undesired event that results in personal injury or illness, property damage, environmental harm, or disruption of a normal activity, Accidents are usually caused by one or more hazardous (unsafe) acts and or conditions. Unsafe act – act of employee Unsafe condition –unsafe situation allowed by employer
Purpose of Accident Investigation The primary purpose of accident investigation is to find the “Root or Primary Cause”, correct it and prevent reoccurrence.
What Causes Accidents? 95 -98% of all illnesses and injuries occur as a result of unsafe behavior of employees Causes of Accidents/Unsafe Acts Failure to follow instructions Violation of safety rules Using defective tools or equipment Placing oneself in unsafe position or posture Improper handling of material Unsafe storage of materials Operating at unsafe speed Failure to “lock out” equipment before beginning repairs Failure to wear proper protective clothing (PPE)
What Causes Accidents? Indirect causes of accidents/Unsafe Conditions: Equipment-related error mechanical failure, defective equipment) Poor layout or design Material handling or repetitive-motion activities (improper lifting practices, twisting motions, unsafe posture) Conditions related to the work area (wet/slippery floors, weather conditions) Causes inherent to the task performed Causes inherent to the individual (preexisting medical condition, not physically fit)
Fundamental/Root Cause Insufficient engineering and purchasing controls Inadequate standards for hiring, placement, and upgrading of workforce Lack of or inadequate supervisory training of employees Lack of proper procedures Inadequate job instruction Failure to enforce job procedures Lack of or inadequate Personal
Who should do the accident investigation? In most cases the supervisor should investigate the event. Other members of the team can include: Employees with knowledge of the work Safety officer Risk Manager Safety Committee member What accidents should be investigated? Just the serious ones?
Accident Investigation Steps in an Accident Investigation In the event of an injury, two primary concerns must be dealt with before a formal investigation can proceed. The care and treatment of injured employee or patients, and eliminating or controlling a hazardous condition takes precedence and should proceed as soon as qualified personnel are onsite. Secure the physical evidence Interviewing witnesses
Interviewing Witnesses should be kept apart and interviewed as soon as possible after the accident. Witnesses should be interviewed alone, not in a group.
General Interview questions of witnesses Where were you at the time of the accident? What were you doing at the time? What did you see, hear? What were the environmental conditions (weather, light, noise, etc. ) at the time? What was the injured worker doing at the time? In your opinion, what caused the accident?
Interviewing Do’s Put the witness, who is probably upset, at ease Emphasize the real reason for the investigation, to determine what happened and why Let the witness talk, you listen Confirm that you have the statement correct Try to sense any underlying feelings of the witness
Interviewing Do Not’s Intimidate the witness Cast blame Interrupt the witness Prompt the witness Ask leading questions Show your own emotions Jump to conclusions
Documentation Do you have internal forms? Where does the investigator get the forms? Who does the documentation go to forwarding to the claims staff? What timeframes are in place for completing the investigation? Any timeframes for follow-up for correction of hazards?
What Can A Supervisor Look For? ? ? Liquid substance or objects on floor Slippery floor (heavy wax) Type of shoes Anything being carried Anything out of the ordinary Any unsafe acts or behaviors
Why Investigations Fail Jump to conclusion Preconceptions Do not properly identify the real root cause Limit corrective action to direct causes (immediate) or weak solutions “told employee not to do that again …” “retrained employee …”
Senior Management Safety Responsibilities Publish a safety policy that provides team members with direction Establish realistic goals and provide resources to help ensure success Assign responsibilities, delegate authority, and define accountability measures Require prompt and accurate reporting of accidents and injuries Establish response mechanisms to
Supervisor Safety Responsibilities Identify risks, hazardous operations and dangerous chemicals Enforce safety rules and report unsafe equipment and conditions Ensure workers promptly report accidents and injuries Conduct periodic safety inspections within the department Accomplish job hazard analysis on tasks and processes Encourage safe work behavior by being an example Correct unsafe behaviors but recognize and
Accident Investigation Summary Understand the total cost of your accidents. Don’t overlook near misses. They are always an accident waiting to happen. Know the components of an effective accident investigation and make sure to use them Get to the Root Cause to prevent future similar events. Always incorporate Corrective Action Plans into your processes. Eliminate similar occurrences in the future. Keep your employees, guests and other witnesses involved in all aspects of the accident investigation process.
Accident Investigation All accidents are important. To get the most constructive use of data garnered during investigations, supervisors should: -Avoid blaming employees -Secure management support for all investigations and corrective action processes -Develop a standardized investigation process that includes training supervisors to conduct prompt, thorough investigations and educating all employees on theory of accident causation and the importance of and processes for reporting all accidents. -consult risk management, human resources and legal counsel when developing policies on site investigation, evidence preservation, interviewing, and report writing. -Use root cause analysis methods to effectively and efficiently identify all basic causes and corresponding
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