Would you like to reduce overhead costs?
In these economic times we are all looking for ways to cut our costs. Some can be done for little or no money, but just prevention.
Decrease overhead costs by reducing workplace injuries
Workplace injuries continue to be a major concern for businesses, both large and small. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, more than 4 million non-fatal injuries and illnesses occur each year.
These injuries account for approximately $20 billion in workers’ compensation costs per year.
In addition to the direct costs associated with workers’ compensation, there are also indirect costs (decreased productivity, lost work days, training new employees) that also affect the bottom line. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that musculoskeletal disorders (back pain, neck pain, headaches) are costing American companies an estimated $61.2 billion (direct and indirect costs) each year.
These figures are staggering and should be taken seriously by employers. Workers’ safety should be a top concern for all businesses no matter what the size of the company. Focusing on reducing injuries and providing a safe working environment will reduce costs and improve employee morale.
When designing a worker safety program, the first step to take is to consider the risk factors that lead to injury.
There are two types of risk factors involved: work-related and personal.
Work-related risk factors include poor posture at workstations, repetitive motions, lifting excessive loads and exposure to extreme temperatures. Personal risk factors include smoking, poor nutrition, physical inactivity, stress, obesity, lack of sleep/fatigue and muscular imbalances in the body. The more factors present, the more likely the worker will become injured.
The next step in designing a worker safety program is to try to reduce as many of these risk factors as possible.
Work-related risk factors can be addressed directly by the employer, whereas personal risk factors are tougher for the employer to address, but can be addressed creatively. For example, employers could offer wellness programs to their employees.
The wellness programs could consist of the employer paying a portion or all of a gym membership (to reduce inactivity and obesity), offering workshops on how to eat healthy and how to prepare healthy meals (improve nutrition and reduce obesity), offering smoking cessation programs (reduce smoking), providing health insurance that covers chiropractic care (reduce stress and muscular imbalances), and encouraging the employees to take mini-breaks throughout the day (to reduce stress and fatigue). A mini-break is a two to four minute break designed to give the employee a chance to relax his/her muscles and perform a few stretches. These mini-breaks should be taken once every hour.
A study conducted by National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety concluded that “short, strategically spaced rest breaks can reduce eyestrain and musculoskeletal disorders without decreasing productivity.”
Next, the employer should address the work-related risk factors that he/she has direct control over.
Injuries can be reduced by providing an ergonomically-designed workstation. The goal of ergonomics is to fit the job or workstation to the employee. The purpose of this article is not to discuss all the details of setting up an ergonomically-designed workstation, although this next section will discuss some of the basics.
The most important step when designing an ergonomic workstation is to consider the type of job being performed. For a worker who sits all day, it is important to make the workstation adjustable to his/her needs. Chairs should be able to adjust up or down and recline, monitors should be able to tilt and be raised or lowered, and footrests should be provided for shorter employees. If the employee is required to use the phone frequently throughout the day, headsets should be provided to reduce stress on the neck and shoulders. Lumbar support cushions should be provided for the chairs in order to reduce the amount of stress placed on the low back. The use of chairs that have the low back area cut out should be discouraged since they provide no low back support. Items that need to be used frequently should be placed closer to the employee.
For a worker who stands or lifts all day, it is important to consider his/her technique and posture. Workers should be taught to bend at the knees when lifting, keep the object close to his/her body, and avoid twisting while carrying the object. Lumbar support belts should be worn when lifting heavy loads, but should not be worn all day long to avoid muscle-reliance on the belt. Workstations that a worker stands at for prolonged periods should be at an ideal height (i.e. waist level) for the worker in order to reduce stress on the low back and shoulders. If floors are concrete, rubber mats should be provided to stand on to reduce stress on the lower back, hips, knees and feet.
The final consideration of a worker safety program is a well- designed stretching routine.
Stretching improves flexibility, reduces muscular tension, and increases blood flow throughout the body. The stretches should be designed to counteract the posture or activity performed for the majority of the day. For example, a worker who bends over a conveyer belt all day should be encouraged to perform stretches that extend his back (bending backward). Workers who slouch at a computer all day should be encouraged to perform stretches that squeeze the shoulder blades and open up the chest. For a comprehensive stretching program, an employer could consult with a professional who has a background in exercise or rehabilitation.
In these tough economic times, most, if not all, companies are looking for ways to cut costs and reduce overhead. Rather than cutting jobs, employers should consider reducing injuries. A few simple changes could make a huge difference in a company’s bottom line.
DR. JARRETT KAMINSKY is the owner of Professional Chiropractic Associates in Scranton. He graduated from Palmer College with a Doctor of Chiropractic degree and from Penn State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise and Sport Science. He is certified through Southern California University of the Health Sciences in Functional Medicine.
Contact the writer: dr.kaminsky@live.com
These injuries account for approximately $20 billion in workers’ compensation costs per year.
In addition to the direct costs associated with workers’ compensation, there are also indirect costs (decreased productivity, lost work days, training new employees) that also affect the bottom line. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that musculoskeletal disorders (back pain, neck pain, headaches) are costing American companies an estimated $61.2 billion (direct and indirect costs) each year.
These figures are staggering and should be taken seriously by employers. Workers’ safety should be a top concern for all businesses no matter what the size of the company. Focusing on reducing injuries and providing a safe working environment will reduce costs and improve employee morale.
When designing a worker safety program, the first step to take is to consider the risk factors that lead to injury.
There are two types of risk factors involved: work-related and personal.
Work-related risk factors include poor posture at workstations, repetitive motions, lifting excessive loads and exposure to extreme temperatures. Personal risk factors include smoking, poor nutrition, physical inactivity, stress, obesity, lack of sleep/fatigue and muscular imbalances in the body. The more factors present, the more likely the worker will become injured.
The next step in designing a worker safety program is to try to reduce as many of these risk factors as possible.
Work-related risk factors can be addressed directly by the employer, whereas personal risk factors are tougher for the employer to address, but can be addressed creatively. For example, employers could offer wellness programs to their employees.
The wellness programs could consist of the employer paying a portion or all of a gym membership (to reduce inactivity and obesity), offering workshops on how to eat healthy and how to prepare healthy meals (improve nutrition and reduce obesity), offering smoking cessation programs (reduce smoking), providing health insurance that covers chiropractic care (reduce stress and muscular imbalances), and encouraging the employees to take mini-breaks throughout the day (to reduce stress and fatigue). A mini-break is a two to four minute break designed to give the employee a chance to relax his/her muscles and perform a few stretches. These mini-breaks should be taken once every hour.
A study conducted by National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety concluded that “short, strategically spaced rest breaks can reduce eyestrain and musculoskeletal disorders without decreasing productivity.”
Next, the employer should address the work-related risk factors that he/she has direct control over.
Injuries can be reduced by providing an ergonomically-designed workstation. The goal of ergonomics is to fit the job or workstation to the employee. The purpose of this article is not to discuss all the details of setting up an ergonomically-designed workstation, although this next section will discuss some of the basics.
The most important step when designing an ergonomic workstation is to consider the type of job being performed. For a worker who sits all day, it is important to make the workstation adjustable to his/her needs. Chairs should be able to adjust up or down and recline, monitors should be able to tilt and be raised or lowered, and footrests should be provided for shorter employees. If the employee is required to use the phone frequently throughout the day, headsets should be provided to reduce stress on the neck and shoulders. Lumbar support cushions should be provided for the chairs in order to reduce the amount of stress placed on the low back. The use of chairs that have the low back area cut out should be discouraged since they provide no low back support. Items that need to be used frequently should be placed closer to the employee.
For a worker who stands or lifts all day, it is important to consider his/her technique and posture. Workers should be taught to bend at the knees when lifting, keep the object close to his/her body, and avoid twisting while carrying the object. Lumbar support belts should be worn when lifting heavy loads, but should not be worn all day long to avoid muscle-reliance on the belt. Workstations that a worker stands at for prolonged periods should be at an ideal height (i.e. waist level) for the worker in order to reduce stress on the low back and shoulders. If floors are concrete, rubber mats should be provided to stand on to reduce stress on the lower back, hips, knees and feet.
The final consideration of a worker safety program is a well- designed stretching routine.
Stretching improves flexibility, reduces muscular tension, and increases blood flow throughout the body. The stretches should be designed to counteract the posture or activity performed for the majority of the day. For example, a worker who bends over a conveyer belt all day should be encouraged to perform stretches that extend his back (bending backward). Workers who slouch at a computer all day should be encouraged to perform stretches that squeeze the shoulder blades and open up the chest. For a comprehensive stretching program, an employer could consult with a professional who has a background in exercise or rehabilitation.
In these tough economic times, most, if not all, companies are looking for ways to cut costs and reduce overhead. Rather than cutting jobs, employers should consider reducing injuries. A few simple changes could make a huge difference in a company’s bottom line.
DR. JARRETT KAMINSKY is the owner of Professional Chiropractic Associates in Scranton. He graduated from Palmer College with a Doctor of Chiropractic degree and from Penn State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise and Sport Science. He is certified through Southern California University of the Health Sciences in Functional Medicine.
Contact the writer: dr.kaminsky@live.com
posted by Ergonomic Partners @ 7:55 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home