MEMIC Safety Blog

Winter Slip/Fall Injuries - Are Your Employees Protected?

The winter months are more than just creeping up on us- as of this weekend, they’re here. Old Man Winter will once again blow his arctic breath creating beauty beyond words and hazards unseen.  We’ve all heard stories, some more horrifying than others, of folks doing the dance on black or snow covered ice. Results of a slip and fall on ice can vary from minor bumps and bruises to more serious injuries including brain trauma. 

 

I once had a friend who had a slip and fall on ice injury that began as a hairline fracture in the upper arm. Unfortunately, her symptoms worsened into a pain so excruciating that she wanted to amputate the arm.

 

Slip and fall on ice injuries are more common with older people (that would be many of us!) and often have devastating consequences. A study was completed by the American Geriatrics Society in which slip and fall incidents of two groups of older people were tracked. One group wore their usual winter footwear while the other group wore ice grippers. The results, released in the June 2005 issue of the Journal of American Geriatrics Society, found that the number of slips and falls outdoors was significantly reduced in the group wearing the device.  Further, none of the falls of those wearing the grippers were serious.

 

One slip and fall on ice injury can cost an organization thousands of dollars in workers’ compensation costs not to mention the human suffering element. Many organizations are addressing the risk by implementing Ice Gripper Programs and offering gait stabilizing devices (ice grippers/cleats) to employees with the greatest slip/fall risks during work hours, such as those that work in the community or run errands for the organization.

 

Many local businesses, as well as on-line vendors, sell a wide range of types and styles of gait stabilizing devices. The average cost of a good pair of ice grippers is about $20, a very small investment to protect the health and well being of your employees.     

 

If my friend had been wearing ice grippers would she have fallen? Maybe, but it would have been less likely. The bottom line is she wasn’t wearing grippers - she did fall, and the results have tragically impacted her work and family life.   

 

Are you prepared to protect your employees from slip and fall on ice injuries?

The Big Chill Approaches

The temperature atop Mt. Washington in the White Mountains of New Hampshire hit 25 degrees below zero last Monday. And, with wind gusts over 100 miles per hour, the wind chill stood at minus-65 to minus 70 degrees. The scary part, pointed out by the weather observers stationed there, is this – it’s not even winter yet!

Yes, it’s been getting colder for the last few weeks but one thing is for sure -- it's going to get colder. Maybe not Mt. Washington cold, but definitely colder. It's a fact of life that many workers have to deal with.  For some workers it may be a minor nuisance because they're not out all day. For others, it could cost them a finger or toe from frostbite.  In extreme cases, some workers lives will be threatened.

The amount of protection a worker requires depends on the amount of exposure to the cold. With any employee safety concern, you should evaluate the workplace conditions to accurately assess the situation. From there, proper training should be done for all employees, including monitoring their actions and taking corrective actions when needed. This is your best means of incident prevention.

It’s also useful to contact an expert on the topic. Here at MEMIC, we are fortunate to have a cold weather expert on staff.

Peter Koch, a MEMIC Safety Specialist, has been working with ski areas who are insured with MEMIC for years. Before that, he worked in the ski industry. An obvious exposure these employers are faced with is working in some extreme cold conditions.  Much of the information Peter uses to train ski industry employees can be applied to numerous other jobs that require employees to be outdoors.  Here's a newsletter that Pete put together (Download The Cold Challenge newsletter ). Not only is it useful for supervisors to evaluate their workplaces, but it is also a great safety meeting topic.  And, of course, it is important to note that knowledge of cold weather exposure is equally important for anyone participating in outdoor recreation during wintertime.

There's Nothing Nice About Black Ice

Of all the driving hazards associated with winter, there is one condition that even professional truck drivers’ fear- black ice.  Black ice shows up on pavement when it is least expected.  Dry pavement becomes a shiny, slippery surface in a matter of a few feet, making other vehicles, ditches, guard rails and even buildings an unavoidable target.  Many who walk away from such an accident will say, "It happened just like that."

Has this ever happened to you?  I can personally attest to an increased heart rate due to black ice as I was traveling down the road.  I have also witnessed several accidents that involved personal injury to other drivers due to black ice.  Strange as it may be, for some reason going off the road due to deep snow does not instill the degree of fear that black ice and icy roadways does.  Maybe it is because snow is obvious, but that thin layer of frozen water is not as obvious, and can affect you in a split second.

The way to keep yourself and others safe during this most hazardous of conditions goes right back to driving basics: 
• Maintain an appropriate speed
• Keep a proper distance between you and the car in front of you
• Simple braking and steering techniques
These are just some of the things you can do to keep your airbag where it belongs – inside the dashboard!  Click here for more tips to driving safe on the icy roads.

In addition, there is one more valuable resource when it comes to driving on icy roadways -- the news.  Most of the population has to commute for work or school and the local news, whether it is television or radio, may give you some information you did not know the night before.  While we all feel the weatherman is never right, he or she may be just the person to pass on some valuable roadway information.  Happy motoring!

Flu Season: Reason for Concern

Every year about this time, we start seeing family and co-workers become ill with influenza. The flu is a rite of passage for many of us. A few miserable days home in bed followed by several days of the blahs. But what are the implications to a business’s bottom line?

Based on government health statistics, American employers get 70 million “I’m home sick with the flu” calls annually, costing an estimated $10 billion in sick leave.

And did you know some become ill and don't recover? The Center for Disease Control estimates that about 36,000 people die from complications of the flu, usually the oldest and youngest among us, and those with health conditions.

Because the flu is spread through common interaction, as an employer you need to think of ways to protect your employees from a potential bout, and ways to prevent a flu outbreak in your workforce

Knowing how to fend off the flu is not complicated. In fact, a coworker, Peter Koch, sent along a great website link that offers Flu 101 reminders on symptoms, incubation period, and hygiene tips to combat it: Influenza Season Is Upon Us.

Employer tips for fighting flu outbreaks

• Offer free flu shots during work hours. Vaccination is the best line of defense against the flu.
• Enhance nightly cleaning during flu season.  
• Provide boxes of tissues in work areas and hand sanitizers in bathrooms. 
• Investigate if hands-free automatic faucets make sense for your business.
• Advise employees to stay at home when they’re sick.