Employers throughout the state of Pennsylvania understand the importance of maintain a safe workplace for their employees. Taking measures to prevent workplace accidents and illness is a good idea because it provides workers peace of mind and reduces expenses for the business. One Pittsburgh area employer that has recently taken steps to make its workplace safer is Excela Health located in Westmoreland County.

The focus of hospitals in general is of course the safety of patients being treated at the facility. This does not mean however that it is a safe environment for those providing the care. The initiative undertaken by this hospital indicates positive changes in staff safety can be achieved.

In 2008, there were a total of 233 injuries reported that necessitated more than just first aid as a treatment. Fast forward to the most recent fiscal year and that number has been reduced to 68. This rate is equal to half of the average found within the industry.

Common worker injuries in hospital settings include slip and falls, lifting injuries and exposure to bodily fluids often from sticks from needles.

Because slip and fall accidents are often due to liquids on the floor, the hospital has taken steps to minimize this condition at its facilities. These steps include a large rug to absorb moisture brought in on shoes, covers for wet umbrellas and the placement of absorbent mats in various places that can be used to quickly soak up spills. There are also signs present that are programmed to change color when the temperature becomes cold enough for outdoor walking surfaces to become slippery.

Regular training and refresher courses regarding how to safely move patients from one place to another are mandatory. Excela has also purchased equipment that makes tasks like that safer and easier. This has lead to a reduction in injuries to necks, backs and wrists.

To address accidental needle sticks, the hospital stays on top of new technologies that provide safer syringes. When a safer version of this product or another type is developed it is procured and used.

The effort the health system has undertaken has resulted in a huge decline in the amount the employer spends as a result of workers' compensation claims. In 2008 it paid a total of $859,515. In fiscal 2012, that number was reduced to $286,533. Though that reduction is of course appealing to Excela the manager of health, safety and workers compensation indicated that the real focus is the safety of its workers.

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Excela worker safety efforts paying off but unfinished," Steve Twedt, Nov. 25, 2012

• Our firm handles similar situations to the one discussed in this post. If you would like to learn more about our practice, please visit our Pennsylvania workers' compensation page.