Goal
A residential framing contractor operating in Northern Illinois was tracking several soft tissue injuries among workers from lifting walls and other framing materials on new single-family homes. Although soft tissue injuries were not the most frequent injury, it was by far the most severe with many cases resulting in restricted duty and/or lost time. From 2018-2020, soft tissue injuries accounted for 34% of all injuries and 71% of the total incurred. As a result of this loss experience, the contractor engaged with MMA Safety Consulting to identify solutions for minimizing future losses from soft-tissue injuries.
Action Plan
The framing contractor also began to use a nurse triage program where employees can talk with a registered nurse, in the language they prefer, to receive guidance on the best possible treatment for an injury while still on site. This process has resulted in several self-treat cases where the employee has been able to treat their injury at home, with follow-up calls provided by the nurse triage service throughout the recovery process.
Created procedures for the securement of straps and blocks when manually lifting walls and considered the height and length of walls to determine required manpower for lift.
The framing contractor implemented the following recommendations:
Achievements
As a result of the MMA Safety Consulting and the framing contractor’s management team collaboration, the company saw a 27% reduction in frequency of soft tissue injuries and a 52% reduction in total incurred over two years. This reduction led to a savings of nearly $150,000.
"Our goal at Connelly Electric is to make sure every day is a safe and injury free day and that every employee comes home from work and has the confidence that Connelly Electric has done everything possible to ensure their safety and wellbeing."
- Kevin Connelly, President at Connelly Electric
Learn More
Learn how our Risk Management advisors can help you obtain measurable results.
https://marshmmamidwest.com/
Residential Framing Contractor Sees Significant Reduction in Soft-Tissue Injuries
Risk Management Case Study
1
27%
reduction in soft tissue injuries
52%
reduction in
total incurred over two years
$150K
in savings
Provided training specific to safe lifting procedures and ergonomics.
2
Allocated funds to purchase and/or rent rough terrain forklifts with hook attachments for all locations to limit the frequency of manual lifts.
3
Increased emphasis on lifting procedures during regular safety visits by MMA Safety.
4
Download Case Study
