Your Costs: The High Cost of Job-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders
Cost To Companies
On-the-job injuries are draining company profits at an alarming rate. OSHA reports that strains, sprains, and musculoskeletal disorders (collectively referred to as MSDs) comprise 899,400 (46%) of the 1,664,000 non-fatal injuries requiring time away from work*. The price paid by American business is over one hundred fifteen billion dollars in direct and indirect costs, according to a 2002 study by Liberty Mutual Insurance.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics pointed out in their study on non-fatal injuries (2000) that:
Employers lost a skilled worker for an average of 19 days due to MSD category repetitive motion injuries;
Over 76% of MSDs resulting in lost work days were due to sprains, strains and tears;
Over 257,900 injuries resulting in lost work days were due to worker motion or position - the second highest source of injury;
Over 41% of all job-related injuries and illnesses were suffered by operators, fabricators and laborers;
44% of all injuries requiring days away from work, were due to bodily reaction or exertion
"American business would have added a minimum of forty six billion dollars to its bottom-line profits, had they implemented The Back At Work Program™ in the year 2000.**"
Cost To Workers
Workers also pay a price for job-related injuries. They pay in lost wages.
They pay in the discomfort that follows them home every evening, keeping them in bed, rather than enjoying time with their
friends and families. They pay in not being able to get good nights sleep because they are so sore. Job-related injuries have
a human cost that cannot be defined in dollars.
"American workers would have suffered at least 359,760 fewer debilitating injuries, had American business implemented The Back At Work Program™ in the year 2000.**"
Why Other Programs Fail To Reduce MSDs
Books, posters, videos and CD-ROMs have reduced the rate and impact of many simple injuries by raising awareness of hazardous
work conditions like wet floors, heavy/bulky items, poisonous fumes and corrosive chemicals. They are and should be used to help
prevent these kinds of injuries. However, this approach has not effectively reduced the rates or severity of MSDs. According to
OSHA, the rate of MSDs has remained relatively static, while rates of many other injury types have plummeted. This is because MSDs
are much more complex; requiring more training to diagnose, treat and teach workers how to protect their bodies from injury. A
one-size-fits-all approach is simply not effective. Workers need to be treated as individuals, not simply as a job title. MSDs
can be prevented only by evaluating a worker's job-related tasks, their personal attributes and their working environments.
* SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, year 2000 Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses
** 40% has been the Back At Work Program's smallest reduction in MSD injuries for any client. Average reduction is typically 25% to 35% higher
