Important takeaways from recent studies and reports

Strategies to reduce costs and risks of musculoskeletal disorders

A report by the Northeast Business Group on Health (NEBGH) urges employers to look at their own experiences with claims, disability, workers' compensation and health risk assessment data to best prioritize program selection and implementation to better manage MSDs. It addresses several strategies to mitigate cost and health issues and suggests using onsite ergonomics training, online courses on the subject and workplace redesigns. It also suggests new approaches to treatment, such as online pain education, direct access to physical therapy by bypassing physician referrals, and directing employees away from "unnecessary diagnostic imaging and expensive visits to specialists." Finally, the report examined ways to ensure that if surgery is needed, that the care is performed in an efficient and cost-effective way.

Obesity and worker productivity by occupational class

The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine has published a new study, "Impact of Obesity on Work Productivity in Different US Occupations: Analysis of the National Health and Wellness Survey 2014-2015", which examines the impacts of obesity by different occupational classes on work productivity and indirect costs of missed work time.

BMI results were as follows:

• Protective Services: 38% overweight, 39% obese
• Transportation: 38% overweight, 36% obese
• Manufacturing: 35% overweight, 30% obese
• Education: 31% overweight, 30% obese
• Healthcare: 31% overweight, 30% obese
• Construction: 38% overweight, 29% obese
• Hospitality: 32% overweight, 27% obese
• Arts: 34% overweight, 26% obese
• Finance: 36% overweight, 25% obese
• Computer: 36% overweight, 25% obese
• Legal: 38% overweight, 24% obese
• Science: 37% overweight, 21% obese

The researchers concluded that there was a positive association between work productivity impairment and increases in BMI class that varied across occupations. Obesity had the greatest impact on work productivity in construction, followed by arts and hospitality, and health care occupations. Work impairment was least impacted by increases in BMI in Finance, Protective Services, Computers, Science, and Legal. It was estimated that the indirect costs associated with the highest BMI group in construction was $12,000 compared to $7,000 for those with normal BMI.

Would your floors pass the slip and fall test? 50% fail

Half of the floors tested for a slip-and-fall study failed to meet safety criteria, suggesting that many fall-prevention programs may overlook the effects of flooring selection and ongoing maintenance on slip resistance, according to a study by CNA Financial Corp.

Given the high frequency of slips and falls, these findings underscore the need for attention to floor safety and regular surface resistance testing to avoid fall accidents and related injuries.

Fatigue costs employers big bucks

Key findings from a recent study on fatigue by the National Safety Council (NSC) include:

• More than 43 percent of all workers are sleep-deprived, and those most at risk work the night shift, long shifts or irregular shifts. As employees become tired, their safety performance decreases and their risk of accidental injury increases.
• Missing out on sleep makes it three times as likely to be involved in an accident while driving. Also, missing as little as two hours of sleep is the equivalent of having three beers.
• Employers can see lost productivity costs of between $1,200 to $3,100 per employee per year.
• The construction industry has the highest number of on-the-job deaths annually. In a 1,000-employee national construction company, more than 250 are likely to have a sleep disorder, which increases the risk of being killed or hurt on the job.
• A single employee with obstructive sleep apnea can cost an employer more than $3,000 in excess healthcare costs each year.
• An employee with untreated insomnia is present but not productive for more than 10 full days of work annually, and accounts for at least $2,000 in excess healthcare costs each year.

Experts say employers can help combat fatigue by offering breaks, scheduling work when employees are most alert, and promoting the importance of sleep.

Workers welcome employers' help in dealing with stress

Workers want their employers to offer assistance in coping with work-related stress, according to a new report from the American Heart Association's CEO Roundtable.

The report also concludes that employees think more highly of employers offering resiliency programs. Valued programs include methods for dealing with difficult people, improving physical health, remaining calm under pressure, coping with work-related stress and accurately identifying the causes of work-related problems. It also includes actionable strategies for effective workplace resilience programs.

Supportive communication and work accommodation help older workers return to work

While early supportive contact with injured workers and offers of work accommodation are important to all injured workers, a recent webinar hosted by the Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) and presented by Dr. Glenn Pransky, founder of the highly acclaimed, but now-defunct Center for Disability Research within the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety, noted that these two strategies are particularly effective with older workers.

His research involved workers' comp cases in New Hampshire related to low back and upper extremity problems. Negative responses, including lack of support, anger, disbelief, blaming the worker, or discouraging the worker from filing a claim resulted in significantly longer disability, and the effect was especially strong among older workers.

Click to hear the DMEC webinar

Loss control rep visits cut lost-time injuries in construction

Visits by insurance loss prevention representatives to construction job sites can lead to fewer workplace injuries, according to a study by a Center for Construction Research and Training supported research team at the University of Minnesota. One contact was associated with a 27% reduction of risk of lost-time injury, two contacts with a 41% reduction of risk, and three or more contacts with a 28% reduction of risk, according to the study. The study also found that these visits are often low cost and that the reduction in lost-time injuries reduced workers' comp costs.