Workplace Health and Safety

The Partnership for Prevention was formed to encourage Fortune 1000 corporations to consider making workforce health a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) issue and adopt strategies to promote prevention and wellness.

After several years of double-digit rate increases for medical insurance, businesses are realizing that one of the best ways to slow the cost increases is to have staff take more responsibility for both costs and health choices.

A majority of businesses surveyed feel that the best way for reducing costs is financial incentives to encourage personnel to adopt healthier life choices.

Almost 100% of companys surveyed say that healthcare costs are going to be a crucial or meaningful concern over the next five years, according to a recent survey by United Benefit Advisors.

More businesss are adopting higher deductible healthcare plans with HRA’s or HSA’S, wellness programs, and broader disease management (DM) programs in order to control ever-increasing health care costs.

Failure to deal with these issues may be disastrous for an employer. Wayne Sensor, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Alegent Health recently stated, “I think that we’ve built a health care machinery we cannot afford. I think we’re choking the economic engine of America.”

In his October 2005 newsletter, Dr. Andrew Weil stated, “I think rising health- care costs are becoming the major economic issue in our nation”. Obesity costs California organizations billions of dollars each year.

Projected costs for 2005 may reach 28 billion dollars for direct and indirect medical costs, employee’s compensation, and lost productivity. California has experienced among the fastest growing rates of obesity of any state.

As reported by California Health and Human Services Secretary Kim Belshe, “The obesity epidemic is more than a public health crisis, it’s an economic crisis.” What is frightening is that most individuals do not even realize that they are obese, which is defined as only 20 percent above normal weight.

There is a great need for additional education on weight and resulting diseases, and the worksite is an ideal venue. Wellness education and programs can lead to a significant return on investment and, when structured properly, can produce results in a very short period of time.

Even though many companys have attempted some form of health promotion program in the past, results from those efforts have been disappointing.

In many cases, the healthier workforce participated for incentives, such as fitness center memberships, but those who needed it most didn’t take advantage of the wellness program in a meaningful way.

Corporations are looking at ways to encourage more staff members to purchase into the wellness movement.

A recent webinar hosted by Human Resource Executive Magazine and presented by Carlson Advertising Group titled, “Healthier Employees; Healthier Bottom Line –  Engaging Workers is the Missing Link in Managing Health Care Costs,” drove this point home.

This session provided actionable advice on how organizations are achieving higher impact with their wellness investments by focusing on staff member engagement. It also highlighted how you can create an Economic Engagement Model to forecast the potential impact for your organization.

Corporations can simply no longer ignore the issue of their employee’s unhealthy life choices and must take action to engage them in a meaningful wellness program to reduce health costs, absenteeism and lost productivity.

Workers also benefit as they derive better health and greater satisfaction in both their personal and professional lives.  The alternative is being caught in a non-competitive position and severely impacting the bottom-line of the business.

A listing of potential wellness topics and ideas not previously mentioned follows. Take some time to “think tank and brainstorm” new ideas with your own internal employee Health Promotion Committee.

Nutrition Category

• Low-fat campaign/food groups

• Team salad bars

• Vending machine changes

• Diet analysis by a nutritionist

• Produce on parade

• Eating disorder support group

• Restaurant education

Exercise/Exercise Category

• “Elevoiders” – stair climbing

• Poker walk

• Mall walking program

• Facilities – showers, bike lockers, exercise space, etc.

• Team treks

• Walk-a-block trails

• Recreational tournaments

• How-to-select equipment talks

• Running maps

• Bicycling maps

• Deskercises (mini stretches for desk jockeys)

• Fit-over-forty club

• Tennis shoe Tuesday

• Walk 100 miles in 100 days

• Walking “buddies”

• NW Trek!

Miscellaneous Category

• House calls

• Meet your benefits providers

• Dental health

• Fire safety

• Ergonomic assessments

• Self-help learning

• CPR/first aid course

• Hearing test

• Hand washing campaign

• Cancer screenings

• Back class

• Passports to health

• Vision screenings

Stress Management Category

• Comedy hour

• Stress Pest

• Humor newsletter

• Money management seminars

• Time management seminars

• Relaxation class

• Better sleep campaign

• Relaxation room

Other departments within an organization will likely focus on related areas of staff member safety and injury prevention. Wellness activities are a natural partner to many other human resource, staff member motivation, and safety programs.

Body mechanics, ergonomics, and safe working practices are three areas which may  be coordinated together.

• Soft Tissue Sprains and Strains –  This injury category continues to remain the number one financial loss for workers’ compensation. Many medical insurance dollars are also spent on back pain, other sprains, and strains. Health Promotion and safety efforts can focus on –

• Warm up stretches before starting work or periodic stretching during work. These can do much to prevent soft tissue injury. Give training to work groups so they may begin a stretching program. These groups can then continue on their own.

• The wellness committee may consider contracting a fitness professional to come in and conduct stretching “refreshers” for employee groups throughout the year.

• Give body mechanics training on an annual basis or more frequently if possible. These training sessions should focus on work related tasks and safety, in addition to feature a segment on home tasks and body safety.

• Partner with your corporation’s workers’ compensation carrier to assist in providing body mechanics training, job safety analysis, and other preventive services which could help staff members work safer, smarter, and avoid injury.

• Implement a safety concerns suggestion box. Make sure to encourage employees to report safety and/or injury concerns. Make sure to help senior level management to establish policy to recognize and reward employees who offer safety suggestions, provide tips, and solution ideas.

• A periodic presentation featuring a local medical provider addressing such topics as safe body mechanics, recovering from a back injury, appropriate spine care, etc.

• Partner with executive management and supervisor teams to recognize and reward work groups who are successful with safety and injury prevention.

• The ergonomics of an employees’ workstation/work place design is important and applicable to every group.

• Give ergonomic training opportunities to interested staff members volunteers. These individuals can then assist other staff members to assess their work areas for safety, comfort, and injury prevention.

• It is often more effective to have an observer evaluate personnel for helpful and friendly comfort suggestions rather than it’s for individuals to assess themselves.

• One suggestion is to have employees remind one another about correct posture, to take breaks, to stop and do quick mini stretches, etc.

• Take before and after photos of work areas as changes are made. This will help to demonstrate how small adjustment changes can often make large comfort changes.

• Partner with the company’s workers’ compensation carrier to help develop ergonomic policies and practices and to provide worker training.

Tying wellness activities into holiday themes is a strategy widely used to create interest and participation. Nevertheless, be aware that offering holiday activities in the worksite can create issues.

Your worksite might have policies and guidelines already in place about issues like appropriate decorations themes, work time, etc. Make certain to check with upper management regarding all guidelines and policies.

Do not forget to include and acknowledge the holiday celebrations of the various cultures or groups represented in your workforce. It is ordinarily safer to use graphics, themes, and wording that aren’t specific to one culture, as others might feel left out.

In truth, acknowledging diverse holidays, if done respectfully, can help familiarize your workforce with values and practices of different cultures and ethnic groups.

A few topical ideas for holiday themes include –

• Wellness committee members distribute “healthy heart valentines” to each staff member for Valentine’s Day.

• Thanksgiving “turkey trot”. Staff Members who exercise three times a week for at least one-half hour between November 1 and 15 are entered into a drawing for a free turkey (can be purchased at the local supermarket or donated).

• Chinese New Year tai chi demonstration. Consider a follow-up workplace introductory tai chi class offering.

• Christmas/Kwanzaa/Hanukkah/etc. holiday food potluck. Members of different cultural or ethnic groups bring in a dish reflective of their holiday traditions.

Each person can say several words about the origin and tradition behind the food. In this holiday theme, food does not have to be low fat or especially healthful, since the purpose is enhancing cultural diversity, not counting calories.

Pre/Post Holiday Weigh In

Holiday weight gain may be a big health challenge. This wellness activity is fun, low-key, and assists staff members monitor their weight during the holiday season.

• Participants weigh-in with a “trusted” confident before Thanksgiving.  The weigh-ins could  be conducted on the honor system, but weight should be recorded on a weight-tracking card. You could invite a local nurse or Weight Watchers representative to monitor weigh-ins.

• Employees set a personal goal of maintaining their weight from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day.

• Weight cards are stored in a secure file location.

• Give weekly weight control hints. These should be posted next to the wellness bulletin board, sent via email, or provided in flyer form.

• Or, alternate the weekly hints with healthy recipe options.

• Remind workers of the necessity to continue exercise during the busy holiday season.

• Weigh everybody the first work day following New Year’s Day. Record the weight on the tracking card.

• Staff Members who’ve maintained their weight or who’ve lost weight receive a prize and award certificate.

• Workers who gained weight receive a certificate of completion and an invitation to continue participation in a related health weight wellness activity.

National health observance campaigns can lighten workload and effort. Many of these well-developed observances have kits and materials which can either be downloaded for free or purchased inexpensively.

Monthly health themes, week Iong events, and nationally recognized days of the year are also good ways to have fun while participating in bigger events. Health observances are tied to nearly every aspect of wellness and health. Things to consider –

• National observances present opportunities to work with other community agencies and businesses to coordinate larger events and celebrations.

• A wellness message is more likely to stick with individuals when the information is presented at work, in local supermarkets, and on TV.

• National Staff Member Fitness Day/Week (April) is a good place to begin.

• A word of advice – do not go overboard in attempting to tie a health promotion program into these national observances, as there are so many. Pick one to three events annually and stick with these.

Create and promote events well ensuring that employees will come to expect and anticipate these health promotion programs each year. It’s best to do a few wellnesss well than many promotions poorly.

Many staff members enjoy team related activities. These activities ordinarily take place on an worker’s time away from work and participation is totally voluntary in nature.

Even though the sports team is not part of an employee’s regular work duties, when the team or activity is associated with the business, the business can be held liable in the event of an employee injury.

If the activity brings with it a risk of injury, it’s necessary to address the possible risk and liability issues with the correct business department. Moreover talk with your company’s workers’ compensation carrier and/or legal counsel.

• Organize summer softball or volleyball teams, a winter ski outing, fall and winter smoke free bowling teams, a spring golf tournament, summer walks, etc.

• Give pamphlets and catalogs from area Parks and Recreation departments and county park corporations so staff can take advantage of community leagues, trips and offerings.

• Invite an official from among the above businesses to speak at a company brown bag event, or invite an area Parks and Recreation instructor to provide a demonstration of a new class offering.

Family Friendly Activities

Periodically offer activities which may be taken home and shared with the entire family. Ideas for these include –

• Television Free Week (usually in April) – Develop a chart for the kids to use to record their TV-free participation.

• Provide a certificate to whoever who is TV-free for a week.

• If possible, offer several prizes (but not video rental certificates, video games or other TV-related items) for related categories, such as less than 5 hours of TV, no video games for a week, etc.

Stress Management

A lot of simple wellness activities and practices can help workforce understand the role stress plays in effecting health, safety, and productivity. It’s necessary to help workforce understand simple stress management strategies for decreasing stress levels.

• Stress kit check out. Have stress management tools available for employee use during a scheduled break time. Consider providing relaxation music or programs including player and headphones; mat or blanket to lie on; neck pillow; eye mask; and stress massage rollers.

• Provide a stress management brown bag event at which staff can attempt different types stress management tools.

• Be sure to encourage workforce to take 10-minute relaxation/exercise breaks. Post reminders.

• Give a comfortable employee break area.

• Designate a “quiet room” for meditation and relaxation, when possible.

• Be certain to work with Management to keep supervisors informed about the effects of stress in the worksite. Supervisors are often the first step in assisting staff find different ways of managing work related stressors.

• Contact the Staff Member Assistance Provider (EAP) for a variety of stress management information and self-assessments.

• Make available stress management self-assessments to interested workforce. Follow these up with a stress management videotape, a brown bag presentation, or a community guest speaker.

Mental Wellness

Emotions and psychological health greatly affect overall health and well-being. Every wellness program should incorporate some services, programs, resources or activities to address psychological health issues.

Mental health topics can be sensitive areas for workers. Consequently, it is crucial that you provide information in a selection of ways, worksite presentations being just one possibility.

For example, put domestic violence resource cards in the restrooms to provide useful information in a private setting that does not embarrass anybody. Other considerations include –

• When planning to offer an oratory event or presentation a neutral class title will ensure potential participants won’t be put off by the name.

For  instance, “Parenting in 2004″, “Positive Parenting”, or “Parent Univ.” is much more appealing than “Stress and Parenting”.

• Make certain to allot enough time when hosting EAP/mental health seminars for a question and answer session so participants may ask specific questions.

Always remind participants that individual help is available through the EAP and through their health benefits. Give written contact information for your EAP, but do so discretely.

• The Worker Assistance Program (EAP) is an excellent partner and resource for wellness programming in these areas.  The employee assistance program (EAP) can help find ways to address mental health, stress, coping, and other related issues.

Tobacco use Cessation

Use of tobacco cessation assistance is a worthwhile wellness activity. Use of tobacco is often a challenging habit to overcome. Corporate wellness activities to support “smoke-free” living include –

• Use American Lung Association resource. These include the Freedom From Use of tobacco group and/or video-tutorial. There is also a follow-up video “A Lifetime of Freedom From Use of tobacco”.

• Reward person that have successfully quit use of tobacco for six months with an appropriate “kicked the habit” certificate and some type of incentive gift.

• Make available “cold turkey” sandwiches to smokers who pledge to quit during the Great American Smokeout.

• Start a “quitting or thinking about it” support group to assist and encourage person attempting to stop use of tobacco.

Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Addictions

When a substance abuse policy isn’t in place in your worksite, advocate that one be developed. Request a knowledgeable Health Promotion Committee member be included in the policy development process.

When such a policy is already in place be sure Health Promotion Committee members are aware of the policy and have a thorough understanding of it. From time to time, remind staff of wellness resources and programs available.

• Invite AA, NA, AI-Anon, and other groups to meet in a corporation building and/or publicize community meetings.

• Serve non-alcoholic drinks whenever alcohol is served, and be certain food is always served along with alcoholic beverages.

• Provide easily accessible information about counseling, referral, and treatment programs available in the community. Put this information in an area where it may be viewed without embarrassment.

• When conducting wellness programs include information about responsible alcohol use on stress/weight control, nutrition, fitness, use of tobacco, and accident prevention.

• Issues like co-dependence and the difficulty of helping a substance abuser can also be addressed. Offer this information as part of the health promotion program by providing informational materials, brown bag sessions, EAP information, etc.

• The Staff Member Assistance Program provider is an excellent resource for substance abuse health promotion programming and or staff member assistance.

• Other addictions, such as problem gambling, food addiction, shopping, Internet addiction, etc., can be problematic and can reach the point of affecting a person’s life and work. Provide information, video review, or staff member assistance sessions addressing these topics.

• A Health Promotion Committee member may gain personal information regarding an worker problem. Remember to keep all worker information totally confidential.

Interest in increasing physical activity ranks nearly as high as weight control in employee interest and need. Ideas for increasing employee awareness and participation in physical activities follow –

• Fitness courses in the workplace – Onsite exercise may be much more convenient for workers. Nonetheless, onsite courses require logistical planning and coordination with attention to details.

Onsite courses are usually more feasible for bigger employers.  As part of the steps in planning and assessment, consult with other health promotion programs offering worksite classes. Ask what their experience has been like.

Speak to potential providers in the area as well. Find out what it would take to offer an onsite fitness class. YMCA’s, health clubs, and community recreation programs are good resources for this type of discussion.

It’s also feasible to offer a “mini” introductory worksite class series. A mini series might consist of an introduction to a new physical activity area. Workers are then expected to make the transition to home or community based wellness programs.

• Nerf Olympics –  Nerf games are fun (and entertaining) activities that encourage movement, flexibility, stress reduction, and usually are a good laugh. When planning such an activity consider establishing up a “challenge” stations with various activities.

Ideas for activities include hula hoop contests, Nerf basketball free throws, Nerf football tosses, Frisbee “golf”, jump rope, etc.  The Wellness Team will lay out the course.

Each participant goes through the stations and gets a “gold” medal (you can purchase these at party stores and toy stores inexpensively) for completing all of the stations (no matter how badly they perform).

Start each participant at intervals authorizing for smooth running, but expect high difficulty stations to be backed up. This delay can add to the fun and creates a “keystone cops” scenario.

Nerf Olympics is a good activity to do with an audience, so encourage cheering coworkers.

• Offer incentives to employees who engage in aerobic exercise like walking, running and bicycling on their own time (see goal setting health promotion program, offer points toward prizes, etc.).

• Distribute maps of walking/jogging trails located near the workplace. Mark distances in steps and miles. Make sure to encourage workforce to walk during lunchtime and/or break times.

Post a steps collected map on a worksite wall where personnel can log their steps or miles.

• Make certain to encourage joggers, walkers, and those who enjoying other forms of exercise to form fitness groups to meet before work, at lunch, or after work.

• Promote the use of stairs instead of elevators. Place bulletin boards, art contests, etc., in stairwells.

• Sponsor “Bike-to-Work” or Walk-to-Make sure to work week.

• Schedule five-minute desk stretching at the workplace. This can relieve repetitive motion problems as well as eye and back strain.

• Sponsor an individual challenge activity like “Climb a Mountain” or “Swim a Sea”. This is an honor system health promotion program in which participating workforce are awarded minutes, steps, or miles credit for cardiovascular activity (swimming, walking, running, skiing, biking, stair stepping, group exercise, etc.).

The object of this type of challenge is to accumulate the equivalent mileage it’d take to reach the top of a famous mountain, span a body of water (swim the Columbia River), or reach a distant city/county.

Try personalizing the challenge as much as possible to individual interests and/or area geographical matches close to the workplace.

• Collect a selection of exercise video or DVD tapes. Workers can either take a look at a tape for home use, or offer a group activity video class.

• If it isn’t possible for staff to leave the building to exercise or workout at lunch, try establishing an in-house aerobic walking track for employee use in an unused part of the workplace for lunch, break or after hours use.

An example of how this issue might  be solved is the use of stationary bicycles and other small exercise equipment provided for staff by some 911 call centers.

• Sponsor a “Personal Best” Challenge”. Staff Members run, walk, bicycle, etc.  Their own personal best time. Repeat the personal best challenge each quarter to six months. Each time an staff member improves, offer recognition and an appropriate award.

Moreover, recognize those staff members who maintain their personal best in the same way. Be certain to encourage non-participating staff members to get involved.

Assist these person in picking  an activity that is comfortable and of interest for them, and one in which they are able to succeed and progress.

• When you offer an introductory or other onsite exercise class or activity, be certain the instructor can relate to the audience, and the audience can relate to the instructor.

Have a Wellness Committee member attend a current class by the selected instructor class before the instructor conducting a class at worksite. Also, consider the employees who might  be potentially attending the class.

Sometimes bigger and/or older exercise instructors are often better accepted by audiences who are similarly sized and aged.

• Sponsor a themed “virtual” trek. Calculate the mileage for the proposed “trip” ahead of time. Make sure that the distance is appropriate for the number of expected participants and time for the event (six to eight weeks) works well.

For longer events, small teams can accumulate their mileage for the trip. Establish a reporting network. Post a map to track the trip. Chart the progress with stick pins, a magic marker, or a highlighter.

Give a brief humorous fictional narrative of the trip, posting a new one each week. Include as many participants’ names as possible. Alternate posting humorous texts with health tips along the way. Give an incentive after the trip.

Ideas for Exercise Themes –

• Swim the Mississippi to the Mardi gras.

• Take a tour to all Oregon counties.

• Take a tour of Oregon from Enterprise to Brookings.

• Run or walk around the world (25,000 miles).

• Tour de France (take all summer)

• Tour de France on a stationary bicycle (take all winter)

• Indianapolis 500

• Climb Mount Everest (stairs or stair climbers). Target Sir Edmund Hilary’s birthday or the anniversary of the first conquest as a completion date.

• Climb Mount Washington or Mt. Hood. Target President’s Day as a completion date.

• Climb any meaningful mountain and tie it to any remotely related event.

• Use time in exercise as a measurement for the contest rather than distance. This allows you to treat all forms of aerobic exercise more equitably.

Workers usually enjoy sharing nutritional tips and attempting new foods. Sponsor a “nutrition cook-off” and/or healthy potlucks.

• Nutrition cook-off. Teams of workforce set a menu in advance and bring in prepared foods for an official competition. A nutritionist from the health department or local hospital or community serves as the judge.

Dishes and foods are evaluated based on both health considerations and taste. Following the event, a cookbook of the teams’ recipes may be created and distributed to the entire staff.

• Cholesterol Control or “Down Under” Club. People  with cholesterol over 200 mg.  Are invited to voluntarily participate.  The invitation needs to be extended to all workforce as the Health Promotion Team will not have (nor should have) access to individual health information.

Offer a selection of services to assist in reducing cardiac risks. Gordian Health Solutions offers cholesterol management health programs for staff qualifying by cholesterol score.

When an employee gets cholesterol numbers below 200 in six months, provide an incentive like a prize to continue progress. Continue to supply information and reminders for continued cholesterol control.

• Label reading contest. Designate a particular food or food category. Staff Members must find the designated products with the lowest/highest fat content in the grocery store. Give coupons or other prizes for predetermined number of winners or participants.

Or, provide samples of healthier food options based on label information. Show how these compare to less healthful options. Display results of the contest in the worker break room or at an worker brown bag event.

Other Wellness Program Nutrition Suggestions –

• Provide freshly brewed decaffeinated coffee and herbal tea.

• Sponsor a healthful food “bake-off” once a year.

• Give sugar and salt substitutes in the lunchroom.

• At meetings, replace sweet rolls and donuts with bran muffins, wholewheat bagels, or fresh fruit. Consider offering other decaffeinated coffee and herbal teas plus no-sugar fruit juices.

• Serve free popcorn in the break area.

• Create a cookbook featuring healthful recipes contributed by workers.

• Fruit or veggie of the week (or month). Display an “exotic” fruit or vegetable in your lunchroom and see when coworkers know what it is. Staff Members can put their name and the name of the item on an index card.

These can be used to conduct a prize drawing at the end of the week from the cards with the correct answer.  To add fun, encourage individuals  to put down funny answers when in doubt of the real name of the item.

Read some of those names during the prize drawing, and provide a prize for the most creative name. Divide the fruit or vegetable at the drawing and let those interested taste it. Be certain it could be eaten raw.

Unusual food items like star fruit are now readily available in grocery stores work well for this activity as many people haven’t tried these types of produce.