Pub. 1 2013 Issue 3

26 San Diego Dealer M any dealers think that having a safety inspection and correction of hazards constitute an effective safety program, or better still, compliance with OSHA regulations is an effective means to gauge safety. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Over my 25 years of experience with dealers in the safety arena, I have found these six to be the most effective means to reduce injuries at the workplace and effectively reduce premiums. #1: Get Management On Board: There is an old adage; the safety train is not leaving the station unless the top management is on board. Management on the safety committee does not adjust the guards on the grinder. They are effective in delegating, allocating resources, and monitoring the progress of the tasks set out for line managers. Since the liability from a mishap and the increased premium from increased costs will hit the manager’s paycheck more than anyone, keeping an eye out helps reduce liability and keeps cash in the till. #2: Investigate Accidents and Take Corrective Actions: Einstein once said that doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is insanity. Facilities have back injuries and they send employees to treatment, rehab, physical therapy, etc. over and over again, but never investigate to find the root cause of the injury. In summary, each accident needs to be thoroughly investigated and corrective actions taken. Taking such steps eliminates future repetition. Get all departments involved. Lessons learned by one can be shared with other departments, which is even better since everyone is in one corporate setting. #3: Case Management: Once an accident happens, focus on case management. The lines of communication with the claim handler at the insurance company, follow-up by the broker and possible monitoring of the treatment creates an effective environment to keep claims under control. The fact that the employee is receiving good medical treatment and assistance from the insurance company is one of the key reasons in keeping cases out of the hands of lawyers. It is a forgone conclusion that once a case reaches lawyers, wrong or right, your expenses in managing the case will escalate. #4: Safety Is Everyone’s Business: Everyone should be involved and that means the porter to the president of the corporation. The element of safety should be percolating through the corporate culture at all times, and not merely something you do when you meet an outside consultant and review amemo or sign on a sheet of paper in exchange for a sheet of paper. At the employee safety meetings, discuss near misses, accidents, training topics, and things that can raise the safety antenna in their heads. Do not create prejudice against the employee involved in an accident, but discuss the causes and possible ways to eliminate such accidents in the future. #5: Behavioral Change Takes Time: There was a scientific study published 45 years ago regarding monkeys getting a cold shower and how this changed their behavior. In one experiment, 5monkeys were put in a cage with a banana on top of the ladder. When one monkey went up the ladder, a cold shower went on all the monkeys. Then one new monkey was put in the cage (replacing an existing monkey) and when this new monkey decided to go up the ladder, the other monkeys beat himup and prevented him fromgoing for the banana. This sequence was repeated till all five newmonkeys, who had never received a cold shower, were in the cage. Then, a new monkey (who had never been part of the experiment), was placed in cage. Of course, this new monkey decided to go up the ladder and the other monkeys beat him up even though none had ever received the cold shower. Such is the experiment and thesis of “herd mentality.” So shepherding your troops to work in a safe manner takes time, direction and the proverbial cold shower at times! #6: Hiring And Background Investigation: Conducting background checks for new applicants is considered one of the most efficient ways to weed out the possible 3F (fraudulent, fictitious or frivolous) claims. A phone call for an investigation to the previous employer’s HR will usually release the same information as you give out. Not much. Have the manager of the department hiring call his equivalent at the previous employer. Have your mangers attend professional meetings where they meet other dealership managers in an informal setting. Acquaintances and friends are likely to releasemore information than HR representatives with canned set of answers. SamCelly has been helping automobile dealers comply with EPA &OSHA regulations since 1987. He is the past-Chair of the Law Committee and the Environmental Issues Committee of the AIHA. Sam has a BS & MS in Chemical Engineering followed by a JD from Southwestern University School of Law. You can contact him at sam@ cellyservices.com or at 562-704-4000. ? Reduce Injuries & Red ce Workers Comp Insurance Premiums by Improving Your Safety Program By Sam Celly