The Vermont Workers’ Compensation division receives roughly 25,000 reports of work injury each year.  Fortunately, many of these of these injuries require limited medical attention and do not result in work disability.  A work injury that causes disability from work for three days or more, is considered a “Lost Time” claim.  Lost time claims deserve special attention and study in the workers’ compensation system. 

Lost time claims are noteworthy for several reasons.  For the injured worker, a disabling injury is likely more serious, more disruptive and causes greater implications in the worker’s life and family, than a non-disabling injury.  For the employer, disability presents workplace and staffing considerations and, potentially, job modification and return to work challenges.  For the insurance carrier, lost time claims represent the higher cost claims.  When an injured worker is disabled they are paid disability benefits; roughly 2/3^rd’s of the employee’s usual wages for each week of disability.  Additionally, a disabling injury usually requires more significant medical care and is more likely to have associated permanent partial impairment than a non-disabling injury.  A disabling injury is also more likely to require vocational rehabilitation resources to assist the injured worker in returning to suitable employment. 

Lost time claims are responsible for the higher cost claims in the workers’ compensation system.  The direct costs; medical, disability and other benefits, can be easily appreciated.  The indirect costs of a disabling workers’ compensation claim may also be significant including: hiring a new or temporary employee, job training for the replacement; job training, retraining or modification for the injured worker; productivity loss and job-shifting stress in the workplace.  

It is evident that lost time injuries are the subject of particular concern in workers’ compensation.  So what are these injures?  How do they happen?  Can they be prevented, or at least minimized?  A review of the data provides some valuable information.  The number one disabling work injury is the low back strain.  The number one cause of work injury is overexertion.  Overexertion can occur acutely, as with lifting one heavy item.  Overexertion may also occur progressively, such as with bending and lifting, reaching or pulling repeatedly, over time.  

The following is a listing of the top ten disabling work injuries in Vermont listed in order of frequency: 

Top Injuries for Specific Professions

It is also instructive to consider the most frequent injuries in specific professions. 

Work injuries tend to be caused by the job duties or hazards common to that profession or work environment.  Accordingly, clerical workers will likely suffer work injuries more common to office and computer work and truck drivers will likely suffer work injuries more common to driving, moving and lifting materials.  Vermont data concerning the most common lost time injuries for several types of work follows:

  Knowledge is the First Step in Reducing Injuries

Employers should be aware of the work injuries common to their business and profession.  They should then target safety and training to minimize their most common injuries.  If falls are common in your profession, then provide extra training in this regard.  Consider also whether any type of personal protective equipment is necessary for your employees.  Eye injuries and hand lacerations continue to cause many disabling injuries.  Protective goggles and gloves are inexpensive but remain underutilized.  Employers need to make protective equipment available, train in its use and mandate use, when necessary.  Repetitive work may cause progressive low back, arm or other body part injuries.  Such injuries may be reduced by instituting breaks, rotating work duties, or even minimizing overtime.  Lifting injuries may be reduced with the purchase and use of assistive, wheeled or motorized equipment.

Disabling injuries present many challenges to the individuals involved in a workers’ compensation claim.  Disabling injuries also account for the largest claim costs.  The best way to reduce injury frequency and severity is by reducing injuries.  The easiest place to start is by identifying injuries in your business or profession and focus your training and safety efforts in those areas.