The Steamboat Pilot & Today

Labor Day will be celebrated across the country today. Some communities, including Oak Creek, continue to honor the heritage of the American worker on this special holiday that was first observed in 1882.

Much has changed in the working world during the past 146 years. One vital improvement has been in the area of workplace safety. The U.S. Department of Labor reports there was an 85 percent reduction in mining-related injuries between 1940 and 2007, for example.

Ted Morton, director of YampaWorks at Yampa Valley Medical Center in Steamboat Springs, has noticed a growing local emphasis on employer-employee efforts to improve on-the-job safety.

“Safety is often the result of a partnership and open dialogue between the employer and employees,” Morton said. “It starts with management’s support of a strong safety program. Then, it is equally important that employees recognize any potential workplace hazards or issues and communicate with their risk manager or workers’ compensation coordinator.”

In smaller companies, the responsibility for workplace safety may be shouldered by the owner or a manager.

Workers’ compensation is a federally mandated requirement for every state. In Colorado, this program regulates the way injured workers are treated by healthcare providers, Morton said.

“The guidelines are in place to expedite a healthy recovery and a speedy return to work,” he said. “The program is also in place to pay benefits to employees who are unable to perform their jobs.”

In 2008, Colorado introduced two significant changes to the workers’ comp law. One mandates that most employers designate two medical providers for treatment of work-related injuries. Companies also are required to explain the choices to employees.

The most recent change, enacted July 1, provides a new formula for apportioning injury claims.

“This law will directly affect how employers run their workers’ comp programs, especially in the pre-hire and post-injury stages,” Morton said. “It should result in employers doing more pre-employment screenings with an increased emphasis on safety.”

Morton recommends that all businesses address any potential safety issues before they become problems. He can point to success with this approach at YVMC, where he directs the workers’ comp program.

“In 2003, our workers’ comp claims were at a level that we considered too high,” Morton said. “We instituted a safety program that, in just five years, has reduced our injury claims by 66 percent.”

YVMC began by hiring a consulting firm to evaluate the hospital’s internal processes for workers’ comp management. The study recommended that one person be accountable for directing the program, rather than splitting the responsibilities among several departments.

Next came an awareness campaign encouraging employees to bring up questions or concerns with their managers, who then communicated with Morton.

“In many cases, there are simple solutions to potential problems,” he said. “One example involved an employee who was having wrist pain. We applied splints, then did an ergonomic assessment of the employee’s work station. These steps helped this employee, who no longer experiences discomfort while doing her job.

“Preventing injuries is possible when you have good processes and open communication,” Morton said. “This begins with pre-hire procedures and continues through continual workplace assessment and safety awareness.

“Business owners or managers have to let their employees know, ‘We do care about you; we don’t want you to get hurt. Please speak up when you notice a possible safety problem or have a question.’

“And employees have to speak up so that any potential safety issues can be addressed before they become real problems. A safe workplace environment requires teamwork between employees and employers,” he said.