Iowa Workers' Compensation - Reducing Back Injuries

Steve Lombardi

Attorney
(866) 735-1102 Ext 335

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If we can reduce worker on-the-job injuries everyone benefits. In Missouri MoDot came up with a safety program that the Iowa DOT should examine.

Since January 2006, MoDOT has worked to change the tasks that were causing the most employee injuries by either making different purchases or modifying the work process, like buying 48-pound bags of concrete that are easier to lift and carry instead of 90-pound bags.

By making this simple change they reduced the number of workdays employees were off with injuries by 69 percent. The number of workdays lost to accidents fell by 64 percent. This drop in injuries and accidents reduced MoDOT's workers' compensation costs by $7 million, which the department was able to invest in transportation improvements.

Baby steps. Anyone can eat an elephant, you just have to eat it one bite at at time.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Worksite Injuries and Workers Compensation.