WORKPLACE INJURIES—WHAT ARE THE ODDS?

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Did you know that your odds of winning the lottery do not change based on the number of tickets purchased? When you choose your numbers, it doesn't matter how many other people have also purchased tickets for the drawing. You are playing the odds based on your number selection, not based on the number of players participating.

What are employees' odds of getting injured? In 2011, the odds of any one of your workers having a serious occupational injury or illness (one that required days away from work to recuperate) was about 0.0117. The odds of a fatal injury were much lower, at 0.0000035.

But just as it's highly unlikely you will win a big lottery prize, people do. And people are also injured every day because they play the odds and lose. However, in this case, the outcomes are much less desirable. What are the odds of an employee suffering a back injury because you look the other way when he doesn't use appropriate safety equipment or lifting techniques? What are the odds of an employee suffering a violent attack because someone didn't properly secure a door or gate?

Since there are living (and dead) examples of people losing the odds, the better question is, "Is the value of my co-workers' lives so little as to make it okay to play the odds?" Don't risk compromising your employees' safety, quality of life or life itself to play the odds. Don't let them take the shortcut or skip the step in the procedure. Don't ignore the use of personal protective equipment. Don't risk a life to play the odds.

The Odds of Dying
What are your odds of death by a particular event? The following statistics (2008) from the National Safety Council (www.nsc.org) show the odds of dying within a lifetime from certain selected causes.

• Motor vehicle incidents: 1 in 98
• Unintentional poisoning by and exposure to noxious substances: 1 in 126
• Falls: 1 in 163
• Assault by firearm: 1 in 321
• Car occupant: 1 in 368
• Pedestrian: 1 in 701
• Accidental drowning and submersion: 1 in 1,103
• Exposure to smoke, fire and flames: 1 in 1,344
• Air and space transport incidents: 1 in 7,178
• Exposure to electric current, radiation, temperature and pressure: 1 in 12,420
• Exposure to excessive natural heat: 1 in 13,217
• Contact with hornets, wasps, and bees: 1 in 79,842
• Earthquake and other earth movements: 1 in 97,807
• Lightning: 1 in 134,906
• Bitten or struck by dog: 1 in 144,899
• Flood: 1 in 558,896

Source: National Safety Council estimates based on data from National Center for Health Statistics

Many of these statistics indicate the odds of dying from external factors that you have no control over. But when at work, you can greatly improve the odds for safety by taking control of the work environment and ensuring employees perform the job the right way every time. Beat the odds – make the right choices when it comes to being safe at work and at home. For more information, please contact the PCOC Insurance Program department of Jenkins Insurance Services at (877) 860-7378, or email us at propest@leavitt.com.

Pest Control Operators of California
www.pcoc.org

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