EMPLOYERS
Injury prevention is everybody’s job. But as an employer, you have a special responsibility to keep your workers safe. In 2013, the rate of nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private industry employers to the Bureau of Labor Statistics was 3.3 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers.
INJURY PREVENTION IS A FULL-TIME JOB
Injury prevention is low on most employers’ list of things to do. But there is no topic more important to building a successful workplace. THOUSANDS OF WORKERS are injured on the job every year. Some of these injuries are serious and life threatening.
There are many ways a company can improve its injury prevention program. The increase in work-related injuries creates lower employee morale and retention, lost workdays, higher workers’ comp payouts and escalating health insurance costs. Not to mention, poor OSHA standing and potential litigation.
How can your business improve its injury prevention record?
LESS EXERTION MEANS FEWER CHANCES OF WORK INJURY
WORK RELATED INJURIES BEHIND THE DESK
Even workers who spend the majority of their time behind a desk can develop work-related injuries.
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), including those of the neck, upper extremities and low back, are leading causes of lost workday injury and illness. Exposure to these known risk factors for MSDs increases a worker’s risk of injury.45 This is another area where an athletic trainer’s expertise in injury prevention can pay dividends.
DON’T LET WORKPLACE INJURIES RUIN YOUR BOTTOM LINE
The national annual cost of occupational injuries and illnesses is estimated at around $250 billion.50 Companies that fail to adequately manage workplace safety and health perform far worse financially than those that do according to a recent study.47
An injury prevention strategy can turn this around. More than 60 percent of chief financial officers reported that each $1 invested in injury prevention returns $2 or more. More than 40 PERCENT of chief financial officers cited productivity as the top benefit of an effective workplace safety program.49
Investing in a workplace safety strategy that includes the addition of an athletic trainer can substantially improve your company’s bottom line.
ATHLETIC TRAINERS: REDUCING THE RISK OF INJURIES IN THE WORKPLACE
Companies that employ athletic trainers report a decrease in costs associated with workplace injuries by more than 50 PERCENT.51 The unique combination of an athletic trainer’s skills in injury prevention, rehabilitation, education, and fitness/wellness can reduce workers’ compensation costs while promoting a healthier workforce.
In conjunction with a workplace physician, an athletic trainer can run an on-site clinic, thus reducing lost work spent traveling to off-site rehabilitation.
Athletic trainers are often able to address both work-related and non-work-related injuries on-site, with proper physician referral and supervision. Athletic trainers can play a critical role in prevention of injuries, rehabilitation and general safety in the workplace. Athletic trainers can help employers reach their safety goals and impact their bottom line.
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