November 2014

Sometimes, making smart decisions about workplace safety is all about having access to data: When you understand, for instance, which accidents are most prevalent, it can make it easier to know what types of safety practices you should be focusing on to decrease injuries and reduce risk-related costs. The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) provides some useful statistics about OSHA violations that can aid in determining certain risks your company might be facing. For example, in 2013, the most frequently cited OSHA violations included inadequate fall protection, improper use of scaffolding and ladders, improper use of respiratory equipment, poorly designed electrical systems, workplace truck accidents, and machinery and machine guard violations.

And OSHA isn’t the only place a company can look for insight into accident statistics. Top insurance carriers frequently list aggregate claims data to aid businesses in making risk management decisions. According to a survey of leading carriers nationwide, these are the top-reported worker’s compensation injuries for 2013:

* Overexertion injuries: These are injuries that occur as a result of lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling — injuries that use the big, major muscles.
* Slipping and tripping: Slipping and falling on wet or slippery floors or over objects left lying on the floor was the second most common type of injury.
* Falling from a high location: These include falls from roofs, ladders, scaffolding, stairs and any other high location.
* Reaction injuries: Essentially, these are slips and trips that do not result in falls, but can still result in injury and trauma including whiplash-like symptoms.
* Falling object injuries: This category includes injuries form objects that are dropped or that is dislodged or falls off shelves, equipment or the building itself.
* Walking into injuries: It may be funny when the Three Stooges do it, but at work, walking into concrete, glass, metal or other hard objects can result in broken bones, cuts and other types of serious trauma.
* Vehicle accidents: This includes accidents that occur when employees are driving as part of their jobs.
* Machine and equipment entanglement: These are most common in factories and manufacturing plants where heavy machinery and processing equipment are in use.
* Repetitive motion injuries: Carpal tunnel syndrome is probably the most familiar of these injuries, but other injuries can occur among employees who repeat the same motion over and over again throughout the day.
* Injuries due to violent acts: The number 10 cause of workers comp injuries, most violent acts occur following arguments.

Providing a safe workplace is an important part of reducing risk, as well as decreasing worker absenteeism and keeping insurance premiums as low as possible. It’s also the best way to make sure you stay in line with standards and regulations established by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) and other regulatory bodies. Use these tips to determine where safety improvements can be made in your own company:

* Identify potential hazards. The first step in any workplace safety plan is to identify problems that could cause accidents. Identifying potential hazards requires a team effort so you can benefit from different viewpoints and different experiences. Use what you learn to create a comprehensive safety plan and review it often to make necessary changes.
* Get familiar with the laws. OSHA provides one set of regulations, but your state, locality and even your industry provide regulations and guidelines aimed at helping you keep your workplace as safe as possible. Know which laws apply to you and make sure you adhere to them.
* Meet with your insurer. Make sure your business is properly classified so you’re not paying higher premiums than necessary. Your insurer can also provide you with information about trends in workplace accidents and claims results to help you pinpoint areas where you need to make improvements.
* Establish an emergency response protocol. Develop a plan detailing what to do when an employee becomes injured. Mae sure emergency numbers are handy to all employees, and keep a first aid kit well stocked with supplies. You may also want to provide first aid training to your employees for added protection.
* Follow up. When an accident does occur, review how the issue was handled and identify areas that need improvement to avoid a similar accident in the future. Make changes to your safety protocol, determine if there’s a need for new safety training and keep written records of everything you do during follow-up.

When it comes to keeping your workers safe, forget the snappy logos and pithy slogans, and instead take actions that can result in tangible, risk-lowering results. Make safety a priority for all of your employees and hold everyone accountable for their actions and their roles in safety implementation.

No matter how rigorous you think you are in protecting your business against security breaches or other risks, there’s always room for improvement. Here are six simple steps you can put in place right away that can have a significant impact on reducing your business’ exposure to risk:

1. Have a written code of conduct. Writing down rules and repercussions for poor behavior is the best way to make sure your employees know what’s expected of them, as well as the consequences for risky or inappropriate behavior. Offer a copy of the code to new hires, and whenever changes are made, provide updated copies to all employees. Also be sure to review it frequently so it can evolve as your company grows.

2. Maintain ample office security. Make sure to install adequate locks on doors, windows, desks, file cabinets and individual rooms in your office, and keep a close eye on keys. Make sure employees change passwords frequently and adhere to your company’s BYOD policy (you do have one, right?). Install cameras and motion detectors as needed, and be sure to use adequate lighting in all areas, especially near entrances and exits.

3. Schedule regular security audits. Make time to regularly check documents in your employees’ possession, both at their work station and on their computers. The idea is not to penalize employees, but rather to identify risky behaviors or practices where your company can improve its overall security. Once areas in need of improvement have been identified, devise and implement strategies to overcome these weaknesses ASAP.

4. Shred monthly — or weekly. Pretty self-explanatory; don’t leave sensitive documents around. This includes not only your company information, but information provided by your customers. Put a shredding day on your calendar every month or week, and then be sure to stick to it.

5. Restrict computer access. While all your employees may need to access computers to do their jobs, they probably don’t all have to be able to reach every document or file you have stored on your computer network or in your company cloud. Designating clearance levels lets you decide who has access to what, and can be a powerful step in reducing the risk of security breaches and inadvertent — or intentional — information leaks.

6. Have an emergency plan in place. You and your employees should know what to in case of a fire, theft, natural disaster or other emergency situation to avoid unintentional security breaches. Like the code of conduct, you plan needs to be written down and provided to all employees. Review it at staff meetings to make sure it’s understood.

Some people — managers and business owners included — are just better at managing risk. Maybe it has something to do with personality or natural ability, maybe it has something to do with a more developed skill set or greater understanding of the risk management process — most likely, it’s a little of both. Management consulting firm Accenture decided to explore the question of just what makes a business owner or manager truly effective at handling risk, and here’s what they found:

Top-performing owners and managers:

* rely more on their chief risk officers (CROs) for guidance and advice when developing and maintaining risk management programs and activities
* are involved more with their boards of directors in discussing potential risks and how to handle them
* focus more on emerging risks and strategic risks than day-to-day management of known weaknesses, leading to greater effectiveness and responsiveness when new risks emerge
* are at the head of the pack when it comes to analytics
* excel at recruiting and retaining employees, as well as training them
* face fewer obstacles with regard to board buy-in, employee skill and even budgets

Some of these factors are advantages that not all businesses enjoy. For instance, most managers and even owners find themselves up against budget constraints more often than not, especially where risk management is concerned. But other factors are clearly skills that can be developed and honed. For instance, getting bored buy-in might be easier if you take the time to develop ways to reward your board members in meaningful ways to let them know they’re valued. We’re not talking kickbacks here — just simple ways to let them know you appreciate their time, like a phone call or a thank-you card.

Likewise, learning how to screen employees during the hiring process and implementing effective ways to retain good employees are skills that can be learned. In fact, both of these factors — dealing with the board and handling employees — are people skills that involve a certain degree of insight. If you’re lucky, that insight comes naturally; if not, it’s certainly a skill worth cultivating.