The True Cost of an Injury
Imelda worked on the production line of a light manufacturing facility. Part of her job was to fill a hopper with a liquid product for bottling. The five-gallon bucket she used to lift the liquid into the hopper weighed more than 40 pounds while full. Imelda is only five foot tall, so she needed to lift the bucket over her head. She stood on a round step-stool – the kind with wheels you might use in your own kitchen to reach the upper cabinets.
The Safety Manager repeatedly warned the Production Manager over that line about the use of the step stool and the overhead motion Imelda needed to lift the bucket. The Production Manager, who was compensated for meeting production goals, rejected several solutions offered by the Safety Manager because his manager (the COO) refused to spend any more money on equipment “that did not make a profit.” Sound familiar so far?
The inevitable happened. Her little girl was sick, so Imelda had little sleep the night before and she had to scramble in the morning to find someone who could care for her daughter in the day. Imelda was tired, but her manager frequently reminded her that there were hundreds of people who wanted her job, so she put her best effort to the work. As she poured the liquid into the hopper she moved to step off of the stool, lost her balance and fell. As she fell she put her arm out, so her wrist took the full impact of the fall. The X-rays showed several shattered bones in her wrist.
According to the National Council on Compensation Insurance, the Indirect:Direct ration is 4.5:1. Her employer has spent over $20,000 on Imelda’s injuries in the 90 days since her injury and is still counting. Imelda will be off of work for more than one year. Even if she does not file a lawsuit, the total cost will easily exceed a quarter-million dollars. All because a company officer did not want to spend a couple of hundred dollars on prevention.
The National Safety Council puts the average cost of a minor industrial injury at $3,400. Most minor injuries can be foreseen. Better yet, they can be prevented with a better pair of gloves, a back brace, a decent set of steps or a pair of safety glasses. One cost-effective solution is training. Federal laws require training on initial assignment, then when the assignment, conditions or hazards change.
Don’t care about how much it costs to get an employee well after an injury? How about OSHA citations?
OSHA recently fined a company more than $839,000 for 103 violations at facilities in Illinois, Texas and Louisiana. Even had compliance cost $2,000 per violation, it would have been cheaper than the $8k+ per violation they owe the feds. Amputations and fatalities can bring large fines and criminal charges.
…and lawsuits. A carpenter installing some windows for a company just north of Houston was told to cut some trim using a table saw belonging to the subcontractor. The owner of the saw had removed the guard. “They are such a pain, you know. A guy can get more work done without that stupid thing getting in the way.” A small piece of trim got caught in a spinning blade, forcing the carpenter’s left hand into the blade. Three middle fingers had to be amputated. He filed a $1 million lawsuit just a few weeks ago..
But never mind the dollar cost. The biggest cost is the human one. The family that is forced to survive without one of the parents is a far greater tragedy than a small dip in production.
What is the true cost of an injury? A broken arm, an eye … a fine, a lawsuit, higher insurance … a father, brother or son … daughter or mom.
Author
Richard L. Jessup
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/richardjessup
Safety Photos……… Health and Safety for Beginners………SafetyRich
