ACCIDENT CONTROL

by Fred Robinson
Loss Control Consultant
Gulf Insurance Group

Most of you are quite aware of the Workmen's Compensation problem in Illinois. It has been brought about by generous Workmen's Compensation Law which makes it expensive for large Park Districts with equally large full and part time staffs to do business and employ necessary personnel. Park Districts Workmen's Compensation rates as a result of the Illinois Compensation Law and the inflated cost of doing business have risen to a point where it is now impacting on most Park Districts. Currently, all of the Workmen's Compensation insurance must be pooled and from all indications, it is probable that insurance rates will continue to increase.

One of the ways to relieve the high cost of compensation insurance is for all Park Districts to implement effective loss prevention measures to significantly curtail employee accidents. This can be accomplished by each park evaluating its own employee injuries over a significant period of time and analyzing them in terms of responsible conditions such as training, supervision, medical screening, and etc. This type of self-analysis will provide direction for improving those areas where accidents are known to occur. Nearly 80% of all accidents are the result of an unsafe act as opposed to an unsafe condition. It is strongly suggested that a comprehensive accident investigation program be implemented and monitored by park management. Supervisors of injured employees should be held as equally accountable for their safety and welfare as they are for the successful accomplishment of their tasks.

Accident experience has shown that a large portion of accidents occur during the summer when the park staff is increased by large numbers of part time personnel. During this time, it is not always possible to comprehensively screen, train, and supervise these short term employees for their equally short term duties. It has been determined that during this high influx of new personnel, parks become vulnerable to hiring personnel that may not normally have been employed if considered for a permanent position. This has resulted in the hiring of accidents and parks becoming liable for large medical and indemnity payments for employees who have had bad physical conditions when they are employed. To reduce this exposure, it has been suggested that all application forms be revised to include a medical history of the person seeking employment so there is some record of what may have happened to these people before they are hired. Those personnel who are hired and have a history of previous medical injuries, should be placed in a position where these injuries will not become aggravated.

It is well recognized that the duty of the Park District, as an employer, is to protect its employees from any working hazards which can be eliminated. In turn, it is equally the responsibility of the employee to use every reasonable effort to think and act safely at all times. Most employee accidents have been the result of either carelessness or foolishness. Insurance carriers are now bearing down on work related accidents and, as employers, Park Districts should in turn do the same.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 6 March/April, 1977