This is the final piece in our four-part series of SFM blogs recapping our June 2024 webinar, Driving Safety, An SFM webinar for policyholders .

The fundamental workers’ compensation issues associated with unsafe driving were outlined in several portions of SFM’s webinar.

But what about the legal consequences?

Tom Davern, Senior Defense Counsel at SFM’s in-house law firm, who has nearly 20 years of experience in the field, examined several legal aspects of a driving incident for employers to consider, including so-called vicarious liability, which means that that the vehicle’s legal owner is legally responsible for the alleged negligence of an allowed driver.

Highlights of Davern’s portion of the webinar also include:

• Liability of the driver and lawsuits
• No-fault laws
• Negligence and its implications
• Specific examples

You can also view the complete recording of webinar , and be sure to check out previous blogs in our series:

• Part I: Safe driving data
• Part II: The work comp claims process following a driving incident
• Part III: Managing safe driving at work

Lastly, you can find previous SFM workers’ compensation webinars on our website.

This is the third in a four-part series of SFM blogs recapping our June 2024 webinar, Driving Safety, An SFM webinar for policyholders .

Employers know that save driving is important, but how can they convey that to workers and ensure those practices are put into place?

Answering that question during SFM’s safe driving webinar was Jason Clausen, Loss Prevention Specialist.

“Managing your driving exposure has similarities to other hazards you manage in the workplace, but the consequences of a motor vehicle accident can be significant,” said Clausen, who is also a reserve deputy sheriff in Iowa. “It is common knowledge that driving is hazardous and even the safest drivers can have a bad day on the road. Knowing how to create a driving program, set expectations, provide training and uphold your safe driving expectations goes a long way in helping reduce the risks while driving.”

Clausen’s presentation touched on eight key points regarding managing safe driving for the workplace:

• Organizational commitment to safe driving
• Having written policies and procedures in place
• Selecting safe drivers
• Creating signed agreements for safe driving
• Ensuring strong processes for vehicle selection, maintenance and inspection
• Establishing a crash reporting and inspection process
• Crafting a disciplinary action system
• Providing driving training

Meanwhile, he also talked about specific scenarios, safe driving techniques, modern tools for safety and more.

Check out the complete recording of webinar , and keep an eye out for other blogs highlighting sections of the presentation.

• Part I: Safe driving data
• Part II: Work comp claims process following a driving incident 

Lastly, you can find previous SFM workers’ compensation webinars on our website.

Sometimes, it’s best to start with the basics. From a workers’ compensation perspective, that starts with avoiding common injuries.

While employers may fear a catastrophic injury at work, but helping prevent the everyday incident is just as important. Plus, cutting down on common injuries will help reduce claims and improve your bottom line.

Here are three featured resources for avoiding common injuries.

1. Lift safely (5-Minute Solution)

This resource gives you a quick reference on the four keys to lifting items in a safe manner. It also comes with three bonus tips to keep employees safe.

For more information, see our blog Safe lifting techniques for preventing injury.

2. Dude, focus! (poster)

This poster generates awareness of the hazards of using a device or being distracted while walking or working and promotes safety. See the poster in the SFM Resource Catalog.

Looking for more in-depth information on limiting workplace distractions? Check out our blog, Constant distraction can harm employees’ well-being.

3. General housekeeping (SIT)

This Supervisor Initiated Training (SIT) helps you address specific safety issues, including the importance of maintaining a tidy workspace. Download it now.

For more ways to keep your employees safe, search our resource catalog.

This is the first in a four-part series of SFM blogs recapping our June 2024 webinar, Driving Safety, An SFM webinar for policyholders .

What does the underlying data say about dangerous driving?

As part of SFM’s safe driving webinar, Abby Halland, Senior Business Intelligence Technical Analyst, broke down the workers’ compensation costs of dangerous driving, as well as public perception regarding certain unsafe activities.

Pulling information from SFM’s own database and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, Halland discussed:

• Claims costs for motor vehicle crashes
• Litigation figures for claims involving crashes
• Cultural perceptions of risky driving behavior

See her portion of the webinar here:

Interesting findings from Halland’s presentation include:

• Claims from crashes are 2.5 times more expensive than all other claims
• Crashes are litigated 40% of the time, compared to 15% for other types of claims
• A survey by AAA found 30% of drivers used a handheld device while driving and 50% drive 15 mph or faster on the freeway

“It’s key that we review ways in which to reduce the occurrence of these claims and mitigate the severity,” Halland said.

Check out the complete recording of the webinar , and keep an eye out for other blogs highlighting sections of the presentation.

Lastly, you can find previous SFM workers’ compensation webinars on our website.

Preventing hand injuries in the workplace is vital for a number of reasons.

In 2021-22, there were nearly 240,000 cases of hand injures that resulted in employees needing days away from work, according to the National Safety Council , with another 455,000 days away, restricted or transferred cases.

The two primary causes of hand injuries stem from hand tools and machinery.

Cuts, lacerations and even amputations can have a major impact on productivity and workers’ compensation.

In the manufacturing industry specifically, most modern equipment has safeguards to prevent against hand injuries. Still, they continue to happen.

“Sometimes, people ask, ‘Why would they stick their hand into a piece of equipment when they know it’s dangerous?’ We need to change the question from, why would they stick their hand in there to why can they stick their hand in there,” said Mike Fetting, SFM Loss Prevention Specialist. “One is too many.”

Consider your risk tolerance for using unguarded machines – it should be zero. If you’re unsure of how to guard your machine, you can see the Occupational Safety and Health Administration machine guarding eTool referenced below or ask your SFM contact.

The other key is observation, coaching and enforcement to ensure employees are not removing or disabling guards.

Another critical factor is using Lockout/Tagout when removing a guard for servicing, cleaning, setup, clearing, etc. SFM offers a useful 5-Minute Solution on Lockout/Tagout.

SFM has compiled two resources about hand safety to help employers prevent hand injuries in the workplace. They are specific to two industries in which hand injuries often occur:

• Construction
• Manufacturing

Employers should also note that the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has a Machine Guarding eTool that focuses on recognizing and controlling common amputation hazards associated with the operation and use of certain types of machines.

Tips for safe tools and gloves

In addition to maintaining proper safety protocols regarding machines, employers should also do research about gloves and safe tools, Fetting said.

“Not all gloves are created equal, for both chemicals and lacerations,” he said. “Selection is important, but it can be tricky finding the perfect combination of protection and dexterity.”

Fetting recommends contacting glove manufacturers directly to determine the best glove for your operation.

Likewise, ensuring employees have the proper tools for their job is also important. Having the correct safety knife can make a big difference. The safest either have concealed blades or are fully automatic retractable smart knives. Some manufacturers also offer safety training videos for employers to peruse and share with employees.

Lastly, employers in some industries may want to consider if an item needs to be cut at all. If can be ordered to size, that may be a safer option.

Conclusion

Preventing hand injuries in the workplace, especially for companies in certain industries, and maintaining high safety standards should be paramount for all employers.