IN THE WORKPLACE

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References & Links

American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
www.acoem.org

Also see Footnote at end of article.

Screening New Hires
Screening newly hired workers for risk of musculoskeletal disorders has the potential to save millions in workers’ compensation costs. This assertion derives from a study¹ in the October 1999 issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM). The new program—combining disease-specific risk assessment with a traditional occupational medicine clinic—significantly reduces lost work time due to musculoskeletal disorders, including overuse disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome.

Dr. J. Mark Melhorn of the University of Kansas and colleagues implemented and evaluated the risk management program at an aircraft manufacturer. All newly hired sheet metal mechanics were screened for risk of musculo-skeletal disorders. Twenty-four percent of workers were designated high risk and put on transitional duties, mainly to limit repetitive motions and use of power tools. Another 5% of workers at risk of lower back pain received instruction in body mechanics and lifting techniques.

Later, the workers were re-evaluated to determine whether they could move on to unrestricted work, and 99% were eventually able to move to unrestricted duty. Work time lost due to musculoskeletal injury dropped by more than 70% in the first four years of the new program, despite increases in the number of hours worked and the size of the workforce. The severity of musculoskeletal disorders also decreased significantly.

Company Saves Money
The program cost the company approximately $75,000 per year, less than 0.06% of total salary costs. By the fourth year, the program was saving the employer nearly $2 million per year in workers’ compensation costs. On average, the new approach saved $16.50 per every dollar spent, not counting indirect injury-related costs.

Summary
The program, starting with risk assessment of new hires, represents a new approach to reducing the extremely high costs associated with musculoskeletal disorders. Employers have been hesitant to screen for high-risk employees, probably for fear that screening will increase their workers’ compensation costs.

The new study shows the opposite effect: workplace screening with occupational medicine follow-up significantly reduces work time lost to musculoskeletal disorders. The money invested in injury prevention is made up many times over in reduced workers’ compensation costs.

1 J. Mark Melhorn, MD, "An Outcomes Study of an Occupational Medicine Intervention Program for the Reduction of Musculoskeletal Disorders and Cumulative Trauma Disorders in the Workplace," Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 91(10): 833 (October 1999).