By Chris Demeter, Senior Loss Control Consultant

Every once in a while my brother will send me a link to a YouTube video of a workplace mishap caught on film. Most of the videos he sends are involving forklifts. They range from a forklift overturning, an unstable load resulting in losing its load, using a forklift improperly to elevate personnel, and forklifes driving into a racking system causing them to fall like a stack of dominoes. This may be riveting to watch, but there is a good chance someone was seriously injured not to mention the thousands of dollars in damage. To put it in perspective, the average automobile weighs approximately 3,000 lbs. and the average forklift not including the load weighs close to 9,000 lbs. To prevent the forklift from tipping forward while lifting a load, forklifts are equipped with a counterweight in the rear of the vehicle. To accommodate narrow aisle and restricted area operations, forklifts are designed with a tight turning radius. With the tight turning radius, it’s common for the rear of the forklift to strike an object such as a storage rack causing damage. It’s common for the damage to go unreported for fear of an employee write-up.

By Donna Motley, Vice President of Claims

An Occupational Clinic plays a very important role in the world of Workers’ Compensation insurance. An Occupational Clinic differs from an Urgent Care Clinic. The treating personnel at Occupational Clinics, primarily, if not exclusively, treat work related injuries.

Work injuries greatly differ from an injury that may occur at home or result from a motor vehicle accident. Think about machine shops, foundries, stamping plants, etc. and all the equipment utilized to manufacture product within those facilities. Even a restaurant kitchen exposes an employee to more hazards than would be encountered at home. Work injuries can affect virtually every part of the human body (and we have seen it all!).

Occupational Clinic personnel “specialize” in work injuries. We encourage you to develop a close working relationship with your chosen Occupational Clinic. Invite a physician or therapist from your Occupational Clinic to tour your facility so they can see the type of work being performed; so they are familiar with the type of injuries that may occur; and thereby also aid them in determining whether or not the injured worker can return to work with restrictions. Most Occupational Clinics are very familiar with the rules governing Workers’ Compensation and attempt to treat accordingly. The personnel know a disability slip is required for an employee to provide to his employer. Occupational Clinics generally know authorization for testing is required prior to scheduling.

By Travis Halsted, Loss Control Consultant

During our daily discussions within MTMIC’s Loss Control team, we are constantly looking for ways to help our policyholders identify ways to be proactive and compliant with MIOSHA’s standards. One area that comes up quite often are confined spaces. Whether it be construction or general industry,

MIOSHA regularly cites infractions for these often overlooked areas. Through the 10 years I have been involved in workplace safety, I have found the confined space topic to be the most difficult topic to complete, discuss, teach and interpret. Is it a confined space? If so, is the area a permit required confined space? If it is a permit required confined space then am I able to eliminate the need for the permit? These are all great questions and they often leave people with their head spinning. In many cases, the person just ends up not completing the necessary items.

By Chris Demeter, Senior Loss Control Consultant

When is the last time you had to use your first aid kit at home? Of like me, do you know where it is located at? About a month ago my wife was cutting up vegetables for dinner when she calls out “Could you please come in here now”. As I enter the kitchen, she is standing at the counter with a wad of paper towels around her finger. Me being the concerned husband asking the obvious “What did you do”? I cut my finger; could you please grab the first aid kit please? Where is it? It is in the bathroom under the sink. After securing the first aid kit and saving her finger, I ask “what time will dinner be done”? Needless to say, I finished dinner and cleaned up.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) medical services and first aid regulation, 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1910.151(b) states, “In the absence of an infirmary, clinic, or hospital in near proximity to the workplace which is used for the treatment of all injured employees, a person or persons shall be adequately trained to render first aid. Adequate first aid supplies shall be readily available.”

By Donna Motley, Vice President of Claims

I received notice of litigation the other day regarding an injury that allegedly occurred many years ago. The injury did not occur while MTMIC was the Workers’ Compensation carrier, but we currently insure the employer where the employee works. The original injury occurred in 2002. That’s correct – the employee sustained an injury to his foot when he jumped off a truck 17 years ago, and he is now alleging “total disability”. The employee has been working these past 17 years, not necessarily without incident or treatment, but certainly there have been other circumstances in his life that may have had an impact on his feet!

By Travis Halsted, Loss Control Consultant

If you ask any member of our Loss Control Department, what is one of the questions that we hear most often, our answer will be “how do you remember all of these rules”. While our answers to that question may vary, the most accurate answer, is that we take continuing education opportunities in the field of safety items, ergonomics and MIOSHA standards. These classes provide us with knowledge of new standards, changes in current standards, how rules can be interpreted in different manners, risk management efforts and an overall understanding of the current safety world. At MTMIC, we encourage our policyholders to also take part in continuing their education. As we are all aware of the need to manage costs, MTMIC offered this class to our policyholders at no charge to them.

By Donna Motley, Vice President of Claims

A while ago I wrote about the medical profession’s new diagnosis of “Text Neck” – concerns about physical conditions being created by a person’s head being constantly bent forward while using a cell phone. Reading material I have received recently from a physical therapy facility now lists additional “new” diagnoses: Texting Thumb, Selfie Elbow, Text Neck and Tablet Tingling. These are new titles for “overuse conditions” officially titled Trigger Thumb, DeQuervains Tenosynovitis, Epicondylitis and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. All of these conditions relate to straining and overuse of said body part resulting in inflammation.

By Donna Motley, Vice President of Claims

Truly, it wasn’t that long ago everyone was complaining about snow, ice, cold and asking the question “Where is Spring?” As most assumed, we really didn’t have a “Spring”, instead, we went right into summer. That “sudden change” is a stressor to our bodies. Being immediately thrust into heat and humidity can take a toll on anyone. Typically, Spring gives us time to gradually acclimate to warmer weather conditions. Now that the heat has arrived we have to learn to deal with it!

By Ruth Kiefer, ARM, Loss Control Manager

As many of you know, we base our annual safety inspections on injury trends and MiOSHA’s most common cited violations. Last year MiOSHA issued 408 general industry health citations with the average citation being $1,708, that’s $696,911 collected in health citations with regards to general industry.

For general industry Safety violations, a total of 1.38 Million was collected and 543 citations issued. So the average citation issued in 2018 was $2,555. This year MiOSHA broke down the top violations into both Health Violations and Safety Violations. If you are unsure if you have a Health or Safety violation, please ask your Loss Control consultant for more guidance on any of these violations noted below.

Listed below are the 2018 most recent general industry HEALTH violations cited by MiOSHA:

Every weekday MTM loss control representatives work to improve the safety of our member’s shops. Sometimes that work involves safety recommendations, sometimes safety presentations, and sometimes research for a member on a new system, rule, or procedure.

At the annual MTM member’s meeting last October, we had a presentation on “Active Shooter” in the workplace. Given the headlines this topic has garnered recently, it was no surprise that the October, 2018 annual meeting had its largest member attendance in company history.

By Donna Motley, Vice President of Claims

One of the important reasons we stress an injured worker should seek medical treatment soon after an injury is to obtain an accurate diagnosis. what may appear to be a “simple cut or laceration” may actually be diagnosed as a “nicked” or lacerated tendon. An MRI may be required for an accurate diagnosis. 

Tendons attach or connect muscle to bone, which in turn allows for movement at the joint. Tendons control your hand and fingers, wrist, elbows, feet and toes, ankles and shoulders. Tendon laceration will result in trouble in bending or straightening the (attached) body part. These injuries typically require surgery. Hands and fingers should be repaired within 48 hours to prevent scarring. Tendon adhesions can become stuck to nearby tissue, usually requiring a surgical release. Delayed treatment will result in scar tissue and the tendon retracting. Depending on the mechanism of injury, there could also be damage to the bone, nerve and/or ligament.

By Travis Halsted, Loss Control Consultant

Year after year, motor vehicle accidents are at the top of the list for causes of workplace fatalities. Whether it is delivery drivers dropping off products to customers, the sales department visiting customers, the maintenance department running for parts, or office personnel completing different errands, there are often numerous members of your company on the road. Roadway exposures often contain some of the highest number of variables, as you cannot control a great deal of the residual risks of this hazard. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were an estimated 6.3 million police-reported car accidents in the United States in 2015. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of workplace injuries according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2013, motor vehicle incidents contributed to 40% of all workplace fatalities. MTMIC has had 97 motor vehicle collision claims since the 2011 policy year. These claims has resulted in an incurred sum of $1.8 million. As most companies can’t eliminate the need for the use of the roads, we need to identify where the exposures come from and how to reduce the likelihood of those motor vehicle claims.

By Chris Demeter, Senior Loss Control Consultant

If you have been a frequent reader of our monthly newsletter over the years, you know we have showcased a couple times the Alliance MTMIC has with MIOSHA CET. We have one of the longest running Alliances, 13-years and going strong. Every three years the Alliance has to be renewed. This year the renewal signing was done at the MTMIC office. After each renewal signing, MIOSHA releases a press release announcing the signing. Below is the press release along with a couple pictures.

To learn more about the free consultation and training services MIOSHA CET offers, see the following link: https://www.michigan.gov/documents/dleg/wsh_ cet0165_216929_7.pdf

MTMIC members who are interested in setting up free MIOSHA CET services at your facility (e.g. air or noise monitoring, hazard survey or training) contact Chris Demeter, MTMIC Alliance liaison, at 517.230.0937 or by email at chris.demeter@mtmic.com/blog. Chris will submit a request for consultative assistance (RCA) form on your behalf.

By Ruth Kiefer, ARM, Loss Control Manager

Each year we look at January as a new beginning, with the coming of a new year, I would also like you and I to make a renewed commitment to safety and keeping our employees safe in our workplaces. Our Loss Control team has worked hard to inform you of recent MIOSHA changes, provide current and up to date training videos along with safety program templates. All of these and more are at your finger tips when you log onto our on-line portal. So this is a new year and new beginnings for many of us and I wanted you to be aware of this years focus of the compliance department of MIOSHA and MTMIC. I say MTMIC, because we too see the injury trends in the industry and we have worked hard to make you the tools to assist you with the MIOSHA Initiatives. These initiatives are created to help reduce injury trends in the workplace and I want to review a few of them with you.

By Ruth Kiefer, Loss Control Manager, ARM

With the ever tightening labor force and your need to fulfill orders and production, more of you are turning to a temp agency to fill this need. So what are your obligations to this temporary worker? Or to your new hires for that matter? I’m here to tell you that there is no longer an experienced workforce, or the days where you can find a good lathe operator, someone who knows the ins and outs of the presses in your shops. Those days are gone, the good ones are already working or retired, so you are left with inexperienced workers to choose from. As you know, schools no longer have in house training programs, it’s now left to you, the businesses to do the training, to create and form the “experienced worker”. It’s now on you to educate the younger workers entering the manufacturing sector.

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By Chris Demeter, Senior Loss Control Consultant

It’s 10:00 a.m., you hear a knock on the door, you get up and see someone who looks very official standing there, you open the door and they introduce themselves. “Hi my name is Kristin, I’m with MIOSHA CET…” your heartbeat quickens, you are no longer listening to the woman at the door, you’re thinking, is the boss here? What am I going to do? Before you know it, she has passed you a business card and turned away, leaving you standing there. You take a second and realize she is not coming in, so you just pass it off as a near miss and put the card in your desk without a second thought. That might be a mistake not inviting her in for a non-enforcement hazard survey. You may already know this, but MTMIC has had an alliance with MIOSHA CET for many years and have assisted many policyholders with CET services with positive results. As you know we are a proactive insurance company and are always finding ways to reduce injuries and provide our policyholders with valuable resources to use.

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By Ruth Kiefer, Loss Control Manager, ARM

Outside the cicadas are singing their song signifying the end of summer, and the kids are getting ready for school, but I can’t seem to enjoy this annual transition from the winding down of summer to fall because my mind can’t stop wondering why we are having so many traumatic injuries this year. My team and I have been called out to conduct way too many accident investigations regarding amputations. This traumatic event, in which a part of the body is violently removed from your employee has plagued us since the beginning of the year. So, I must ask myself, why the sudden increase in this type of traumatic injury?

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By Travis Halsted, Loss Control Consultant

First and foremost, I hope everyone is having a spectacular summer! Whether you are spending time on the water, relaxing and reading a book on your front porch or traveling, I hope that you are all able to enjoy this beautiful Michigan weather. I am not quite sure how it worked out this way, but I find myself scheduling a great deal of my Loss Control visits on the west side of the state this time of year. It must be some kind of coincidence.

With these elevated temperatures, the need to use the air movement fans also rises. The air movement fans have a plethora of different hazards that can cause injuries. Within the first week of July, MTMIC had two injuries directly related to fans. Some of the most common hazards that are found with fans include, but are not limited to:

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By Chris Demeter, Senior Loss Control Consultant

Every year, workers are unnecessarily exposed to hazardous energy sources such as mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, gravity, or other energies utilized by machines in manufacturing. This occurs during servicing, maintenance, or setting up on equipment. Accidental start-up of machinery or unintended release of stored energy often presents catastrophic risks including but not limited to crush, amputation, shock, and burn injuries as well as equipment damage. This exposure can cause serious physical injuries or death to workers unaware that someone else has started a machine or energized a circuit. MIOSHA requires employers to establish a Lockout-Tagout program and use procedures for affixing appropriate lockout devices or tag out devices to energy isolating devices, and to otherwise disable machines or equipment to prevent unexpected re-energizing, start up or release of stored energy in order to prevent injury to employees.

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