Workplace Injuries – 5 Things to Know

Developing a culture of safety helps employees to think before acting, which can go a long way toward reducing workplace injuries. While it’s the employer’s responsibility to ensure a safe work environment, employees play an active role in helping to reduce the more than 2.6 million workplace injuries that occurred in the U.S. in 2021.¹ By leveraging the available educational resources, ministries like churches, schools, colleges, and camps, can enhance the care and safety of their people. Plus, minimizing injuries, including ones that can have serious long-term health consequences, helps keep the focus on your core mission.  

1. Workplace Safety is Required

All employers are required to take steps to ensure a safe workplace. Some states require workplace safety through their own standards and some states are covered under the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards. In either case, OSHA provides many helpful resources for employers. To enhance the effectiveness of your ministry’s safety plan, OSHA offers a Small Business Safety and Health Handbook. It’s a free resource to help you evaluate and improve workplace safety.

2. Types of Injuries

There are many ways an employee can get injured on the job. Some of the most common types of injuries include slips, trips, falls, strains, and sprains, which account for more than 20% of all workplace injuries.² The average cost of a slip and fall injury is more than $48,000, according to the National Council on Compensation Insurance.³

In the ministry setting, this may look like a staff member tripping over a loose entry mat, a kitchen worker cutting their hand while chopping vegetables, or a buildings and grounds employee injuring his back due to poor lifting practices. Even repetitive use injuries are a type of workplace injury.

3. Reporting Injuries

Employees need to have a way to report injuries and safety concerns. Most states have laws that require employers to report any potential workplace injury, even minor ones. Posting information about how and where your employees can report injuries may also be required by your state. Check out the Q&A Article about reporting workplace injuries. Also, don’t forget about remote workers. Their workplace injuries may need to be reported if they occur while performing job duties.

4. Reducing Injuries

One thing most injuries have in common is that they can be minimized or prevented with some planning and education.

Planning – Slips, trips, and falls are some of the most common types of workplace injuries. Sometimes a fall is due to improper use of equipment – like using a desk chair as a ladder. But fall injuries also can occur anywhere two surfaces are uneven or become slippery due to ice, water, or snow. It can be helpful to spend a few minutes taking a critical look at your facility, assessing areas that could cause a slip or trip, and making repairs as soon as possible. Common areas to consider include stairways, entryways, and kitchens. Use our Slip-and-Fall checklist to get started.

Education – Injuries often happen when people are in a hurry. This can be especially true for slips and falls or when reaching for things up high. Even in a ministry setting, some helpful education can be a great way to train employees and reduce workplace injuries. Some states offer basic online education to reduce certain workplace injuries. Check your state’s department of labor website for more information. Brotherhood Mutual offers free online training for workplace safety to its customers.

5. Think About Workers’ Comp Insurance

Unfortunately, not all injuries can be prevented. Providing workers’ compensation coverage can provide for employees and protect ministries in the event of an injury. While most states require employers to offer coverage, it’s a good idea to provide it even if your state exempts you from this requirement.

Medical bills can place enormous stress on ministry leaders and employees. Between lost wages and medical bills, one injury can be very disruptive. By having workers’ compensation insurance, ministries can care for their employees and protect their employees’ finances from sudden, unexpected expenses.

Workers' compensation coverage provides benefits for employees in relation to work-related injuries or diseases specified by state law, including:

• Medical payments
• Disability benefits
• Rehabilitation benefits
• Lost wages
• Death benefits

In addition, Brotherhood Mutual Workers’ Compensation policies include employers’ liability insurance. This coverage protects your ministry if it is sued as the result of an employee’s job-related injury or illness.

Related Resources

• Sample Policy – Injury and Illness at Work
• Online Training for Brotherhood Mutual Customers
• Brotherhood Mutual Workers' Comp Insurance

Posted March 2023

References

1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Injury Data for 2021. https://www.bls.gov/iif/latest-numbers.htm accessed January 2023.
2. Top Work-related Injury Causes. National Safety Council. https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/work/work-overview/top-work-related-injury-causes/ accessed January 2023.
3. Workers’ Compensation Costs. National Safety Council.  https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/work/costs/workers-compensation-costs/ accessed January 2023.

Brotherhood Mutual Workers’ Compensation insurance is not available in North Dakota, Ohio, Washington, and Wyoming. These states require employers to buy workers’ compensation insurance through a monopolistic state fund.

The information provided in this article is intended to be helpful, but it does not constitute legal advice and is not a substitute for the advice from a licensed attorney in your area. We encourage you to regularly consult with a local attorney as part of your risk management program.