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The first quarter of a new year gives businesses an opportunity to review the previous year and find ways organizations can be better Safety Fanatics. In 2017, Missouri Employers Mutual’s most common causes of workplace injury (lost-time only) remained consistent with previous years. Now is a good time to take a look at the most common claims and work toward prevention.
Claim causes vary whether you’re slicing the data by number of claims or claims costs, but the top three are the same:
- Strain or injury by (33%)
- Slips, trips and falls (28%)
- Struck or injured by (17%)
While motor vehicle accidents (MVA) did not make up a large portion of total claims, this category did make up a significant portion of claims costs, indicating the high severity levels so common with vehicle incidents. MVAs are the cause of just six percent of lost-time claims, but resulted in more than $24 million in costs in 2017.
Resources to Help
These causes of injury account for more than 80 percent of our total claims in quantity and cost. Remember the importance of proper safety training. WorkSAFE Center provides comprehensive workplace safety resources at your fingertips. Check out our valuable resources including:
- Slip prevention
- Construction slips, trips and falls
- Hand and power tools
- Defensive driving guidelines
- Healthcare safe lifting
- Post offer employment testing
New Hires Bring New Injuries
New hires, employees in their first year on the job, pose an increased risk of injury. According to data from the Department of Labor, only 23 percent of employees are in their first year on the job, yet over 40 percent of injuries happen in the first year for MEM policyholders. In 2017, MEM’s average new hire lost-time claim costs were $49,000. Compare this to the average entry level salary of $33,845 for a roofer or $23,751 for a home health aide.
If you think the financial cost of a new hire lost-time claim seems devastating, imagine being a family member of one of the 28 new hires insured by MEM who didn’t make it home from their new job during the last five years.
MEM wants to make sure every employee makes it home from work safe each night. Keep your employees on the job—productive and injury-free. For more work safe tips, download our 6 Secrets of Injury-Free Workplaces.