An employer with over 100 employees can potentially save between $40,000 and $100,000 or more per year by implementing a comprehensive seasonal employee health program through an occupational medicine provider. Here’s how.
As the seasons change, the workplace environment presents new challenges, particularly during the fall and winter months.
These seasons bring a higher risk of illness, slips and falls, and other safety hazards. To combat these issues, companies can turn to workplace occupational medicine providers, who offer specialized services to ensure employee health and safety.
Not only do these programs protect employees, but they also provide substantial financial savings for employers, particularly those with larger workforces.
Here’s how occupational medicine companies can help businesses keep their employees safe and save money during the fall and winter.
Prevent Seasonal Illnesses
Fall and winter are peak seasons for respiratory illnesses, including the flu, COVID-19, and the common cold.
Occupational medicine companies can play a vital role in preventing these illnesses from spreading in the workplace by offering the following services:
- Flu Vaccination Programs: On-site flu vaccination clinics make it convenient for employees to get vaccinated, which helps reduce absenteeism and prevent the spread of the flu within the workplace.
- Health Education and Awareness Campaigns: Informing employees about preventive measures, such as proper hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, and the importance of staying home when sick, helps minimize the spread of illnesses.
For every 100 employees, preventing the flu can save approximately 63 missed workdays, translating to savings of around $1,000-$1,400 per season.
Manage Cold-Related Injuries
As temperatures drop, employees, especially those working outdoors or in unheated environments, are at risk for cold-related conditions such as hypothermia, frostbite, and chilblains.
Occupational medicine companies can assist with:
- Cold Stress Training: Providing employees with training on recognizing the signs of cold stress and how to prevent it, including appropriate clothing, breaks, and warm-up procedures.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Recommendations: Advising companies on the best PPE for cold weather, including insulated gloves, thermal wear, and weather-resistant footwear, can help reduce cold-related injuries.
- Health Surveillance Programs: Monitoring employees who work in cold environments helps detect early signs of cold-related conditions and allows for timely intervention.
Preventing even a few cold-related injuries per season can save companies $5,000-$10,000 per incident, totaling tens of thousands of dollars annually.
Prevent Slip, Trip, and Falls
We all know this to be one of the biggest health costs for employers.
Icy and wet conditions during the fall and winter increase the risk of slips, trips, and falls, which are a leading cause of workplace injuries.
Occupational medicine providers can assist with:
- Workplace Safety Assessments: Conducting assessments to identify high-risk areas, such as entryways, parking lots, and outdoor walkways, where snow and ice accumulation can pose hazards.
- Employee Training on Fall Prevention: Educating employees on safe walking techniques, the importance of wearing slip-resistant footwear, and using designated walkways helps reduce fall-related incidents.
- Developing Safety Protocols: Recommending best practices for snow and ice removal, the use of de-icing agents, and maintaining clear paths for pedestrian traffic can significantly minimize fall risks.
Preventing slips, trips, and falls can save companies $10,000-$30,000 per avoided claim.
Occupational Health Screenings and Risk Assessments
During the fall and winter, existing health conditions like asthma, heart disease, and arthritis can worsen due to colder temperatures.
Occupational medicine companies can provide:
- Health Screenings: Routine health screenings for at-risk employees can help identify any underlying conditions that might be exacerbated by cold weather.
- Customized Risk Assessments: Assessing individual and job-specific risks allows companies to implement tailored health and safety measures to protect employees during the colder months.
- Return-to-Work Evaluations: After an illness or injury, occupational medicine providers can conduct return-to-work evaluations to ensure employees are fit to safely resume their duties.
Identifying and managing conditions early can save companies between $3,000 and $5,000 per case, with potential savings of $15,000-$50,000 annually for 100 employees.
Total Estimated Savings
Combining all these factors, an employer with over 100 employees can potentially save between $40,000 and $100,000 or more per year by implementing a comprehensive seasonal employee health program through an occupational medicine provider.
These savings come from reduced absenteeism, lower workers’ compensation claims, decreased healthcare costs, and improved employee retention and productivity.
Other Workplace Health Programs to Prevent Injuries
you may have found that some of your staff are required to have:
- pre-employment physicals
- on-going physicals
- medical check-ups
- audiogram testing
- respiratory checks
- blood draws
- x-rays, or
- other biometric screenings
These requirements were created because they work in preventing higher-risk workplace injuries and are worth the cost of these check-ups. Specifically, from 2009 to 2017, pre-employment programs have been found to lower claims by 44% and losses by 76%.
If pre-employment physicals are not federally required, consider adding it for any physically challenging jobs to make sure they can perform the job tasks before they get hired.
Another prevention program that can lower worker’s compensation claims is implementing a workplace drug and alcohol testing program.
How can CNS Occupational Medicine help?
Investing in occupational medicine services is not just about compliance; it’s about showing a commitment to employee health and safety year-round, providing both immediate and long-term financial benefits for employers.
Our Occupational Medicine Team will develop a custom plan for your company. You may need a combination of services related to:
We understand the impact that lost time, limited duty, and medical costs have on the company and the employee.
So, work with an occupational medicine provider that can be staffed on-site or have a mobile health clinic come to reduce employee downtime away from the office.
We also have a strong understanding of the OSHA recordkeeping rule and how certain medical diagnosis and treatments impact your OSHA 300 log.
Contact our medical team to develop your custom plan at 800.551.9816 or info@cnsoccmed.com.
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