Tidbits 3-24-08

Save your sight with Safety glasses
Annually, more than 800,000 American workers suffer an eye injury on the job and close to 36,000 employees require time off due to eye injuries, the U.S. Department of Labor estimates, costing employers more than $300 million. The good news is, nearly all workplace eye injuries can be prevented by wearing proper eye protection (an estimated 90 percent).

The ‘doing’ part is critical
“The two most important requirements for major success are: first, being in the right place at the right time, and second, doing something about it.” -Ray Kroc

Asbestos exposure limits reduced
A newly published final rule on asbestos from MSHA lowers the exposure limits to the same levels as OSHA's exposure limits. The rule, published in the Feb. 29 Federal Register, lowers MSHA's permissible exposure limit for asbestos to 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter – down 95 percent from the previous 2 f/cc. Additionally, the rule retains MSHA's existing definition of asbestos and its method for analyzing asbestos samples. It applies to all metal & nonmetal mines, surface coal mines, and surface areas of underground coal mines.

News from the NHTSA
According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the fatality rate for rural crashes is more than twice the fatality rate for urban crashes. In 2006, NHTSA statistics show 23,339 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes on rural roadways, accounting for 55 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities. Rural motor vehicle crashes often involve drivers who are speeding, impaired, and/or not wearing seat belts.

Have Faith
“The greater the artist, the greater the doubt. Perfect confidence is granted to the less talented as a consolation prize.” -Robert Hughes

Keeping Employees Healthy – a Win/win situation
Companies that offer an employee wellness program save an average $71.41 per person over a nine-month period due to reduced doctor and emergency room visits, according to a white paper released this week by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine in Farmington Hills, MI. "The Health and Economic Implications of Worksite Wellness Programs" analyzed a number of studies on workplace wellness programs and concluded they provide a return on investment.
Findings in the report include:
The average company is projected to pay $9,312 per employee in health care costs. Health care constituted 44 percent of benefit costs in 2006.
Many health care costs are driven by employees' lifestyle choices: An estimated 87.5 percent of health care claims are lifestyle-related.
Currently about 62 percent of companies offer a wellness program.
Wellness programs provided a return on investment of $3.48:1 through reduced medical costs and $5.82:1 through decreased rates of absenteeism.

Quote of the Week
“Punishing honest mistakes stifles creativity. I want people moving and shaking the earth and they're going to make mistakes.” -Ross Perot