Take the Sting Out of Workers` Comp Rates - K.I.S.S.

K.I.S.S.

The best safety measures are simple and intuitive. Parsons’ Chilmeran, for example, relies on Microsoft Excel for much of his workers’ comp documentation. The spreadsheet features a field where he can enter data each day; this information is then moved to a back-office database that is searchable by field inspectors.

“One problem is that not everyone knows technology,” he says. “If you use state-of-the-art technology, you will scare people away. I take that into account.”

Chilmeran’s inexpensive setup consists of a spreadsheet, wireless connection and notebook. Some sites are too remote for wireless access and, in those cases, the information most likely would be sent via a messenger or shipping firm on a weekly instead of a daily basis.

“At Parsons, everyone’s required to complete training every year, even if they’re not in the field,” he says. “We have different types of safety training: Some programs are geared toward office people. The areas covered go from the ergonomics of your workstation to lifting a heavy weight to defensive driving. And we have even more comprehensive safety training for people working in the field.”

There will, of course, never be a world free of workplace injuries. But combining common sense with technologies that eliminate high-risk or repetitive tasks can improve an organization’s bottom line and, even more important, enhance the quality and length of an employee’s work life.