Reduced Accidents At Work

Accidents happen, as unfortunate as it is, they just do.  You may have the best safety program in the world in theory, yet many employees still have accidents.  William Atkinson writes in Reducing Causes of Employee Accidents “Accidents happen due in a large part to employee’s attitudes and behaviors both which can be significantly determined by their lives outside the workplace.” He believes accidents happen because of the following key factors: substance abuse and stress.  (Atkinson, 2002)  Employees that suffer from stress-related symptoms and substance abuse will often experience difficulty in concentration, mental focus and physical function, fatigue, and distractions. This can be a dangerous combination in any environment.   In fact, The American Stress Institute reports that 60-80% of on the job accidents are stress related (Lattal).  The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that employees who use drugs are 3.6 times more likely to be involved in workplace accidents and five times more likely to file workers compensation claims. (Atkinson, 2002)  More importantly, workplace accidents are costly to your business.

It is easy to see how accidents can happen when employees are stressed.  Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is equipped to prevent accidents from occurring or at least prevent them from reoccurring. By helping employees address the challenges associated with substance abuse and stress, it provides the employee with tools they need to stay focused with better concentration and fewer distractions, which in turn will result in reduced workplace accidents.   Employees are able to use their EAP services with a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Mental Health Practitioner, and/or a Licensed Drug and Alcohol Counselor to address the reasons and find the solutions to their challenges and stresses they are facing at work and at home so their lives become healthier, more focused with fewer distractions.  It increases their ability to function safely at the required level at work.

Our EAP also provides tools for your management team to help employees become healthier and in turn help reduce workplace accidents.  As managers you are often the first person to see and hear from many employees who are struggling and having difficulty.  We will train your management team to help them identify the problem and provide the resources they need so they will be able to offer a number to call and a place to go to help them get the employee back on track.

Reducing workplace accidents is a benefit of providing an Employee Assistance Program for your employees.  If you are interested or see the benefits an EAP can provide for your employees, please call Dawyn Otto, EAP Administrator at 308-382-5297 Ext. 127.  Or, if you wish for your company to offer an EAP, please share this article with your HR person.

Works Cited

Atkinson, W. (2002). Reducing causes of employee accidents. Managed Heathcare Executive.

Lattal, D. (n.d.). Stess and Safety: A Costly Relationship. Retrieved from aubreydanials.com.

Tags: EAP Services reduces accidents, Reduce Accidents at Work