March 2019

How opioid painkiller use can impact a workers’ compensation claim

Posted on March 27, 2019April 20, 2021 by Patty Busse

Opioid painkiller misuse is now a public health emergency in the United States.

Taking opioid painkillers long term, or in high doses can have a major impact on an injured worker’s recovery and return to work.

“Well-meaning people can fall into this addiction, and into the trap of disability,” said SFM Director of Medical Services Ceil Jung. “The drugs can limit your ability to work, and then you get depressed and it’s a downward spiral.”

Opioid painkiller use tied to delayed return-to-work

Studies have shown that injured workers given high doses of opioid painkillers end up spending significantly more time off work due to their injuries than those who use other types of painkillers or lower dosages.

A 2008 California Workers’ Compensation Institute study cited by The New York Times showed that injured workers receiving high doses of opioid painkillers stayed off work three times longer than those with similar injuries taking lower doses.

A Washington State Department of Labor and Industries study cited by the National Safety Council showed that receiving a one-week supply of opioids, or two or more opioid prescriptions soon after an injury, doubles the risk that a worker will still be off work a year after the injury.

When someone becomes addicted to opioids, they develop a tolerance. This means they need higher and higher doses of the drug to get the same effect. As they take more of the drug, they become more sedated and less able to work.

How opioid painkiller use affects workers’ compensation claim costs

In part because of higher lost wages due to delayed return to work, studies have shown that claim costs for injured workers using opioid painkillers are significantly higher, on average, than those with similar injuries who aren’t using the drugs.

A Johns Hopkins University study cited by Claims Management magazine showed a nine-fold increase in average claim costs associated with long-acting opioids.

Additional claim costs could also include drug addiction and dependency treatment.

Opioid painkiller use could cause workplace safety risks

Opioids can make you less alert and slower to react.

This means employees using opioid painkillers could pose risk to themselves and coworkers if they work in safety-sensitive situations, such as operating heavy machinery, working at height or driving. This could lead to another workers’ compensation claim if an injury occurs.

For more information on opioid painkillers, see our post, Opioids and workers’ compensation: Why employers should care.

For educational and prevention-related resources on prescription drug addiction visit drugabuse.gov .

This is not intended to serve as legal advice for individual fact-specific legal cases or as a legal basis for your employment practices.

Ways to help employees struggling with mental health

Posted on March 13, 2019April 20, 2021 by Sara Goese

The suicide rate among the working age population in the United States rose by 34 percent from 2000 to 2016, according to a 2018 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

Since many adults spend a large portion of their time at work, the CDC has identified the workplace as one of the most important places for suicide prevention efforts.

You may have employees who are struggling with their mental health. Offering assistance and education about mental health can help them get back to a healthy place.

Utilize an employee assistance program

One of the best ways to help employees with mental health issues is to offer an employee assistance program (EAP). Through an employee assistance program, your employees can access services to assist with mental and emotional well-being. Employee assistance programs also offer manager’s assistance lines, which leaders and supervisors can access for guidance when one of their employees is experiencing difficulties.

Sometimes you can also arrange educational sessions at your workplace about mental health through your employee assistance program. It’s important to make those sessions as acceptable and approachable as possible. Many people who experience trouble with mental health don’t want their peers to know, so this may hold them back from attending.

Teach your leaders to watch for signs

When people are struggling with mental illness, there are often changes in their behavior. Teach the managers and supervisors at your company to watch their employees for sudden changes. Things to watch for include:

Changes in appearance
Lack of engagement or passion
Less involvement with the team
Showing up late or leaving early
Increased absences
Struggling to get work done

Not all signs will be obvious. People with mental illness often go through a lot of isolation and shame. They feel like they can’t open up about their difficulties or that it’s something they should figure out how to deal with on their own. As a result, they can be very high functioning and not show signs of struggle. However, if your company works to create an environment where leaders show care and compassion for their employees, people who are going through hard times will feel more comfortable approaching their supervisors to ask for help.

Even if employees aren’t willing to speak up to a leader, they might share with a coworker. Encourage all your employees to speak up if they know someone is struggling. Receiving care and compassion from others can go a long way toward helping someone feel better.

Other resources

There are many organizations dedicated to mental health education and suicide prevention. Websites include:

All of these websites offer resources that you can use to help your employees. It also helps to make these websites and resources easily and discreetly available to anyone who may be seeking help, but is unwilling to speak up about it.

If you have a benefits broker, they can also offer resources and provide human resources guidance.

At some point, everyone goes through a hard time that takes a toll on their well-being, and your employees are no exception. Having resources ready for when those hard times hit can really make a difference.

Prevent late-winter slips and falls at the workplace

Posted on March 7, 2019April 20, 2021 by Patty Busse

As winter ends and spring begins, cycles of melting and re-freezing can lead to dangerously slippery conditions.

Warmer days cause snow and ice to melt into pools and puddles, which freeze up again during the cooler nights.

Black ice is especially prevalent this time of year. This thin, nearly invisible coating of ice is caused when temperatures rise above freezing and quickly drop below freezing.

These conditions can put you and your employees at greater risk for slip-and-fall injuries.

How you can prevent slip-and-fall injuries

So, what can you do to prevent a slip-and-fall injury at work during this time of year?

Follow these tips:

Monitor the weather and changing conditions so you know what to expect.
Shovel and apply ice melt as necessary to keep walking areas clean and dry.
Watch for areas where ice tends to form. Remove ice accumulations promptly and apply additional ice melt to prevent buildup.
Place high-quality, beveled edge mats in walking areas subject to water or snow accumulation. Change mats regularly to ensure those in place are dry.
Make your employees aware of the risk, and ask them to remain cautious whenever walking outside.

Train your employees on fall prevention

There’s a lot your employees can do to avoid slip-and-fall injuries, such as:

Wear appropriate winter footwear.
Footwear should be well insulated and waterproof, and have a nonslip, thick sole and a wide, low heel. Ice grippers can also improve walking on ice or snow.
Use walkways that have been salted or shoveled.
Don’t take shortcuts over snow piles or in areas where snow and ice removal isn’t feasible.
Test your travel path for slickness.
Slide your shoe or boot on a path before proceeding.
Do the penguin shuffle.
Walk flat-footed. Take short steps to maintain your center of balance over your feet. Keep your head up and don’t lean forward. Walk slowly.
Step down, not out.
When getting out of your car, it’s important to step down, not out. To do this, swing both legs out of the door, place both feet on the ground, flat footed. Grab onto the door frame or steering wheel to support you as you stand up. Use at least three points of contact, two feet and one hand. When stepping down from a curb, step flat footed off the curb to minimize your forward momentum. Don’t allow the leading foot to land heel-first.

Find many free winter slip-and-fall awareness and training resources including posters and videos on our winter slips and falls prevention page.