• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • WCW HOME
  • Submit a Wire!
  • Advertising
  • Media Partners
  • About
  • Contact Us

WorkCompWire

Your Trusted Source for Workers Compensation News

  • Workers Compensation News
    • Workers Compensation Industry News
    • Association, Rating & Research News
    • Claims, Legal, & Compliance News
    • Legislative & Regulatory News
    • Risk Management News
    • Work Force & Human Resource News
  • Featured Articles
  • Leaders Speak
  • Editor’s Forum
  • People On The Move

NCCI Releases Study on Safe Lifting Programs and Impact on Workers Compensation Costs

March 22, 2011 by WorkCompWire

The aging US population contributes in a variety of ways to workers compensation costs. For one, the workers compensation costs associated with an older workforce differ in structure and magnitude from those of a younger workforce—NCCI has analyzed these cost implications in earlier studies. An aging population also increases employment in industries and occupations that provide services to the elderly. A prominent example is the growth in long-term care facilities.

Previous research by NCCI has indicated that long-term care facilities have injury rates that are materially greater than average, and that back injuries are a major contributor to workers compensation claims. To a large degree, these injuries are incurred by workers while lifting and moving patients. This exposure is likely to increase as this industry expands. Additional NCCI research has identified the increased use of productivity-enhancing processes as a major source of improved workplace safety. The use of powered mechanical lifts in long-term care facilities supports these earlier studies regarding the importance of process innovation on workplace injuries.

This study is a collaborative effort with researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. The objective of this research was to assess the implications for workers compensation costs of safe lifting programs in long-term care facilities. The original intent was to compare facilities with and without safe lift programs, but the survey results indicate that by the end of the survey period, close to 95% of facilities had powered mechanical lifts and close to 80% routinely used them. Therefore, the focus shifted from whether or not facilities had safe lift programs to the implementation of the program.

After controlling for ownership structure and differences in workers compensation systems across states, the statistical analysis performed as part of this study shows that an increased emphasis on safe lift programs at long-term care facilities is associated with fewer workplace injuries and lower workers compensation costs. More precisely, higher values of the safe lift index are associated with lower values for both frequency and total costs. The safe lift index captures information on the policies, training, preferences, and barriers surrounding the use of powered mechanical lifts. The institution’s commitment to effectively implementing a safe lift program appears to be the key to success.

The complete report is available here.

Source: NCCI

Filed Under: Association, Rating & Research News, Risk Management News, Top Stories - Recent, WCW Inner Page Featured - Recent, Workers' Compensation

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Get Our Free Newsletter

Privacy by SafeUnsubscribe

myMatrixx

MedRisk Trends Report

TSG Advisors

Follow Us on Twitter

Tweets by WorkCompWire

Workers Compensation News Topics

  • Top Stories
  • Featured Articles
  • Leaders Speak
  • Editor’s Forum
  • The RxProfessor
  • Industry News
  • Association, Rating & Research News
  • People On The Move
  • Claims, Legal, & Compliance News
  • Legislative & Regulatory News
  • Risk Management News
  • Work Force & Human Resource News
  • Workers’ Compensation

Blogroll

  • Conference Chronicles
  • Managed Care Matters
  • Outlook on Outcomes
  • Work Comp Edge
  • Workers' Comp Insider

Wire Archives

Copyright © 2019 · News Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in