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GOOD DATA CAN HELP PREVENT ACCIDENTS IN THE WORKPLACE

HOUSTON -- Maintaining key data on warehouse and distribution center accidents can go a long way in preventing the accidents from occurring in the first place.Jim Koskan, corporate risk control manager, Supervalu, Minneapolis, said that very strategy has helped Supervalu cut down on workplace accidents.Koskan spoke recently at the 2001 Productivity Convention & Exposition here during a presentation

HOUSTON -- Maintaining key data on warehouse and distribution center accidents can go a long way in preventing the accidents from occurring in the first place.

Jim Koskan, corporate risk control manager, Supervalu, Minneapolis, said that very strategy has helped Supervalu cut down on workplace accidents.

Koskan spoke recently at the 2001 Productivity Convention & Exposition here during a presentation titled "Successfully Maintaining An Injury-Free Workforce."

"You need good data. It's important so you know where to direct your injury risk-prevention program," Koskan said

"Supervalu has developed a database that helps us do that," he added.

Koskan explained that when Supervalu began tracking injury data based on time, place, occurrence and type of injury, it was better able to focus on where improvement was needed.

Koskan said that in a typical year, workplace accidents in the warehouse and distribution center can cost a company like Supervalu close to $300,000 a year.

"What we found when we did our analysis was that manual material-handling injuries were at the root of our problem," Koskan said.

To adjust for that, Supervalu began training their warehouse and distribution center workers on the proper way to lift and handle heavy loads.

Other education was also provided, like on the benefits of proper stretching before beginning work.

TAGS: Supervalu