Employee injuries can happen at any job or to any person. Having the proper forms and paperwork necessary to run a business is crucial. Also, knowing what to do if a situation arises could be the crossroad to saving money and respectability in the long run of the incident itself. Management and business owners need to know that follow up is another crucial step if something does occur.

Employee injury prevention education and training will help prevent situations from rising and will help keep keeping the workplace, no matter where, and all employees safe. Consider the following suggestions to implement or improve occupational injury prevention programs in your business:

1. Get a third party to help you implement your employee safety plan.

2. Encourage your employees to make the necessary behavioral changes to avoid employee injury risks.

3. Use employee injury prevention education and training designed for your industry.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Let an outside company teach you about preventing employee injuries

No matter how a business decides to educate and train their employees about safety knowing what options are out there can help in starting prevention early on. Whether a company decides to use the Internet, books, videos or any other medium to teach their employees of rules, regulations and prevention methods, they should just keep in mind to do this part of the safety process first.

I recommend: Advanced Safety & Health offers a consulting program to help find the right program to fit a company. This company offers programs to help businesses in any industry implement an employee injury prevention program, including on site injury prevention training sessions. Also, American Red Cross is an excellent resource in finding tools and educational methods to teach employees how to prevent workplace injuries and what to do if they happen plus there is other information that is important to a business about workplace injury prevention.

Find employee injuries prevention programs that encourage behavior changes

Employee injury facts prove that many workplace injuries are preventable through behavioral changes. In fact, preventing workplace injuries might be as easy as encouraging your employees to take a break or to sit properly at a computer. Education and training in this area can help you and your employees prevent injuries before they occur.

I recommend: Safety Performance Solutions offers online training that teaches participants why behavior is so important for injury prevention and how to develop practices that increase safe work practices. Future Industrial Technologies teaches employees how to reduce injuries and lower costs with an ergonomics training program.

Prevent employee injuries with specialty training for specialty industries

Workplace injury prevention isn't always a one size fits all program. Some organizations, like the health industry, might need training that's different from the back injury prevention training needed by machinery operators. Find injury prevention companies that specialize in your business for optimal training.

I recommend: Industrial Truck Safety offers thorough and effective forklift safety training to help in preventing employee injury on the job site. EHS Services helps businesses enforce workplace safety regulations designed to keep employees safe.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  States vary in their definition of what is a workplace injury and what is adequate work injury prevention, so be sure to check your state's requirements before taking any drastic steps.

Employee injuries slow down workplace productivity and come with large payouts for injuries. Employees are your company's most important assets and you need them in good physical condition to carry out the daily tasks that are essential to doing business.

Reducing employee injuries should not only be a concern for big business. As a small business, you're required to follow federal and state laws regarding workplace injuries, and unlike large corporations, your budget may be limited when covering losses in staffing and productivity.

Having an employee injury prevention plan reminds workers of safety practices to follow and reduces the number of on-the-job incidents. Though certain industries by nature carry a greater degree of severe injuries and fatalities, office injuries are extremely common. With proper training and education you can make the office safer for everyone.

From year to year, the top list of employee injuries in the workplace remains unchanged. By focusing on the most common causes and their reasons, you can drastically reduce on the job injuries. Reduce causes of office injuries by:

1. Following OSHA regulations about workplace injury prevention.

2. Educating employees on workforce injury prevention

3. Replacing faulty equipment and redesign office space

4. Offering incentives for following work injury prevention

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Know federal and state safety requirements

Most businesses are required to follow regulations created by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Know the safety practices and standards required.

I recommend: The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 can provide the basics of your responsibilities as an employer. As required, print out and post the English or Spanish OSHA poster in a location accessible to employees.

Tailor occupational injury prevention to your employees

Office employees have different safety hazards then those that work outdoors or in factories. Make a safety training manual that addresses their concerns and discuss common causes of office injuries.

I recommend: Consulting firms like WorkSmart can customize training classes for office workers. Safety Star provides printable posters to hang in the workplace to remind workers about occupational injury prevention from strains, trips and falls in the office.

Get rid of faulty wires and unreliable office equipment

Office equipment can cause shocks, fires and shortages. Inspection and proper maintenance of equipment is essential for work injury prevention.

I recommend: The electric equipment safety checklist from PG&E can remind workers of electrical hazards. Occupational Hazards newsletter provides tips on electric equipment safety.

Create customized workstations for each employee using ergonomics

Carpal tunnel syndrome, back injuries and eye strain are often the results of poorly designed offices. Assess office injury and design. Replace items with ergonomically designed equipment for employee injury prevention.

I recommend: Completing the online computer ergonomics course from AllBusiness. Shop for ergonomic office furniture; Ergoware offers proper lighting and height adjustable workstations.

Reward employees for staying safe in the office

Preventing employee injuries requires constant support and encouragement from management. Give employees cash bonuses, certificates and gifts for meeting safety regulations.

I recommend: Remind employees to stay safe with messages on office items from Promos On-Time. Reinforce safety training and employee knowledge by obtaining safety wristbands from the National Safety Council and encourage employees to wear them in June, National Safety Month.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Back sprains are the most common form of workplace injury. Back injury prevention programs should teach employee injury facts. Inform workers how to avoid slips and falls by teaching correct posture and using ergonomics to design safer workstations.
• •  Use training videos and safety manuals to supplement hands-on activities for preventing employee injury.
• •  Have evacuation and emergency preparedness plans in place in the event of fire, medical or weather-related emergencies.

Employee injury prevention is one item that an organization should never overlook under any circumstance. The development and implementation of an employee injury prevention plan is one way an organization can ensure the safety and well-being of its employees. Strict adherence to the federally mandated Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will also help prevent injury in the workplace. Other steps an organization can take is to educate employees on ways to prevent musculoskeletal injuries, identifying ergonomic risk factors and incorporating Psychocalisthenics into the workday.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Employee injury prevention plan

An employee injury prevention plan not only states the organization's safety policy, but also designates a Safety Coordinator who is responsible for organizing safety-training sessions; ensuring fellow employees are following safety procedures; verifying first aid kits are readily available and stocked should an emergency occur; and posting signs required by state and federal safety guidelines.

I recommend: Refer to SafetyInfo for guidelines on completing an Employee Injury Prevention Plan.

OSHA Regulations

The Code of Federal Regulations Chapter 29 Part 1910 addresses Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety standards. Safety regulations addressed include those regarding the use of equipment, noise, materials handling and storage, use of personal protection for the eyes and other areas of the body and emergency plans.

I recommend: Refer to the Code of Federal Regulations Chapter 29 Part 1910 for more information regarding OSHA safety standards.

Workplace emergency preparedness kits

Natural disasters such as storms, earthquakes and tornadoes and power outages can occur at any time, sometimes without warning. Have your organization work with employees in preparing for such an event by creating emergency preparedness kits that include non-perishable food, water, flashlights, radio, batteries and first aid supplies such as bandages, gauze pads, hand sanitizers, ointments and tweezers for employees. Other items that may be of benefit to employees include paper plates, cups, manual can openers and personal hygiene items.

I recommend: Reference the Red Cross website to learn more about workplace emergency preparedness kits.

Musculoskeletal injuries

Musculoskeletal injuries generally involve damage to bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments or nerves. Employees whose job duties involve lifting, typing and repetitive movements are subject to musculoskeletal injuries that result in conditions such as carpal tunnel and bursitis. Training employees on correct lifting and carrying procedures and purchasing ergonomic furniture are some preventative steps an organization can take to prevent musculoskeletal injuries to employees.

I recommend: Refer to Merck’s Online Medical Library for more information on musculoskeletal injuries.

Ergonomic risk factors

Ergonomic risk factors are behaviors of individuals when performing job duties that may lead to injury. Examples of such behaviors include hunched shoulders when talking on the phone, prolonged keying and prolonged sitting. Organizations can help prevent injury by training employees on ergonomics and how they can modify their work processes, purchasing headsets for individuals to use when talking on the phone, assigning a variety of job duties to reduce prolonged keying and ensuring employees have ergonomically designed chairs as well as encouraging walk breaks.

I recommend: Ergoweb outlines steps to identify ergonomic risk factors as well as measures an organization can take to protect employees.

Psychocalisthenics

Psychocalisthenics is an exercise program utilized by organizations that consists of 23 movement and breathing exercises that take 15 minutes to perform and target all muscle groups and in turn energize individuals, improve their health, mental clarity, emotional balance and happiness and agility.

I recommend: Learn more about Psychocalisthenics by visiting Oscar Ichazo’s website. Refer to the Napa Valley Register to learn how Psychocalisthenics benefitted Wine Service Co-Op and its employees.